One of the things that I have been reflecting on this week, is the importance that just one small thing done for us, can have when we are feeling down. It might be one comment that we receive, one offer of support, a meal prepared or an impromptu invite received. I know I have talked about acts of kindness here before, but somehow what I am meaning here is more than just an act of kindness. It might be something that is so important to one person, but which we have no idea about at the time when we do it. Still, it reaches out to that other, and perhaps has them feeling included, releases them from the burden of worry, gives them some ideas about how to move forward or helps them feel seen.
So what do I mean by this? As you know, I've had some renovations done to my house recently.
Read moreOne of the things that I often explore with people in my private practice, is the whole topic of anxiety; the different ways in which it shows up for people, and also, how it might be managed more effectively. Of course it's not surprising that it appears regularly in my counselling room, when just a quick glance at Beyond Blue tells us that every year two million Australians suffer from anxiety.
Read moreWhen we hear the words breast cancer or MS, brain tumour or melanoma, I think it's true they can strike fear into our hearts. When it's one of our nearest and dearest, the news can be crippling.
We are suddenly searching for the right words to say, wondering what it is going to mean for them and their once so easily imagined future, but also wondering what it's going to mean for us.
So, I wanted to share with you some tips for how to deal with a friend being diagnosed, that I have gleaned over my years of working in the chronic illness and disability arena.
Read moreTonight, it hits me that in the last two months, several of my family members and friends have had parents die, and some of them are preparing for funerals this week.
And as I've heard the news, I've been aware of wanting to get the balance right in my response; have had the feeling that I'm sure we've all had at times, that words are just not enough. I know this topic is often talked about ... what do we say? How should we recognise someone else's grief? How do we get it out to them that we feel their pain if they are shattered, but that we are also not telling them what or how they should feel?
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