Have you ever had that feeling, when you know you've had enough food, digested enough calories, and yet you still feel compelled to eat more? You might even still feel hungry? And the food you want to eat isn't an apple, or some carrot sticks. You want the fatty, sugary, carbohydrate-laden foods. If that sounds familiar, then chances are you're at the mercy of some pretty powerful processes that have started in the brain and now affect what's going on in your body. In simple

Imagine if you stopped worrying about what could go wrong and instead focused on what could go right?

Self-care takes all forms. My own treat to myself today was an evening walk, purposefully timed to coincide with the sunset. I understand how important it is to slow down and unwind, and I've learned that this is what works for me. For others it might be crafting, reading, baking, watching TV, playing an instrument or listening to music. It could be a bath, meeting up with a friend or going to the gym. It doesn't matter what it is we do to unwind... the important thing is t

Imagine if you fully understood why anxiety has taken control and why you think, feel and behave the way you do. Imagine if you understood how you could get back in control once and for all. Imagine if the solution was inside you all the time. Imagine you'd found someone who would coach you to access the solution yourself. How would you feel? "From the very first session, Fiona helped me stop feeling like I was in helpless freefall with my anxiety. I felt so much more in cont

Young people have had a challenging time in the last 18 months. The teenage mental health charity stem4 produced some research in March...

It wasn't surprising to see an article today on the BBC (linked below) about weight gain during the last 16 months. It elaborated on the...

A lot of clients come to me for help with their relationship with food and eating. Regardless of whether they want to lose weight or not, the common factor is that they want to get back in control of what they eat and when they eat it. The other common factor is that they have battles in their head about over-eating, or making the 'wrong' choices. This battle is frustrating and baffling and causes a lot of negative self-talk. That's because intellectually we know what is

❓How much time to do you dedicate to self care❓ 💭 Do you think it's essential or indulgent? Maybe even selfish? For a lot of my adult...

Life happens. Events we don't plan for and we'd prefer not to have to face come our way. But it's not the events themselves that cause...

If you have a negative physical and emotional reaction to an experience or even the thought of it, you suffer from a phobia. We can...

Image courtesy of Mathyus Kurmann Some of my clients this week are coming to the end of their therapy, which is why this quote from Jon Kabat Zinn resonated with me today. Typically, people with anxiety and depression see me for eight to 12 sessions (sometimes just six or seven). By that point they are in control of their thought processes, which means they are in control of their feelings and reactions. They are back in control of their lives. But of course... Life happens.

My grandfather had very green fingers. Geraniums were his main passion but this hydrangea was his. After he passed away, the hydrangea...

How are you feeling about the UK heading out of lockdown? What do you feel when you think of returning to a more normal work and social...

Today is the National Day of Reflection. One year ago, the UK went into lockdown. Today the nation reflects on the lives lost and the...

We've just had the start of a new month, and soon a new season will be upon us. On top of that the end of lockdown in the UK is on the...

No icy photos of the hills today because I was in my office all day at my desk! As a therapist, I will never stop learning more about...

In a week when the big picture can look a bit daunting, it's more important than ever to notice the small, beautiful details of life. In...

After a big hike with my son and my dogs this afternoon I decided to bake some well-earned scones (pronounced to rhyme with 'stone' or...

I won't lie, the state of the weather can affect the way I am feeling - if I let it. This is the same for many people. As the days...

Part of the journey with solution focused hypnotherapy is to focus on the 3Ps: Positive thoughts, positive actions and positive...