Bonnie is a writer living Hampshire, UK

10th February 2022

8 ways being a new mum might affect your mental health

Becoming a parent isn’t easy. No matter which pathway you’ve taken to become a new parent, there are a whole plethora of unexpected issues that can affect your mental health.

Research shows that an overwhelming 70% of new and expectant mums have experienced ill mental health during or after pregnancy. Anxiety, depression, decreasing self-esteem – fewer than one in 10 (9%) of new mums say they feel more confident after the birth of their child. With over half (51%) of us turning to friends and f

10th February 2022

My partner refuses to go to couples counselling. Now what?

Whether you’re married, dating, in a long term relationship, or it’s something more complicated, we all experience life’s ups and downs as part of our partnerships. Few, if any relationships exist without some form of conflict. That could be in the form of the odd disagreement, bickering, or something bigger and more serious.

At some point, you may begin to question if things can last; your first instinct may be to try and work through any problems alone, or to deny that there’s anything wrong

10th February 2022

9 ways to help teens with body image issues

According to recent statistics, over 60% of girls and young women in the UK have low self-esteem , with just 39% expressing that are confident about their bodies. We share nine simple ways you can help support teens with body image issues.

If we asked you to name three things you would change about your body if you could, chance are, you could name them quickly without much thought. What if we asked you to name three things you love about how you look? For many of us, that can feel more challen

10th February 2022

Long or short-term therapy: what’s best for me?

Different kinds of talking therapies can help all kinds of people through their unique situations. Whether you’re going through a bad time or need help and support with a specific problem or issue, according to the NHS, talking therapies can be just as or more effective than medication .

Speaking with a professional, qualified therapist can in many ways feel easier than talking to loved ones. You may feel you are more able to open out without fear of being judged, to speak freely, as well as to

10th February 2022

Should I try group therapy or a support group?

What do you need, a support group or group therapy? It can be tricky to figure out exactly what the differences are between the two. After all, they’re both groups focused on talking, aren’t they? Can they really be that different?

Joining any kind of group to share personal struggles and experiences can feel daunting, but speaking with others who have or are experiencing similar issues can offer a lot in return. Knowing what different ways each type of group may work can help you find the best

10th February 2022

What is online therapy and how does it work?

When we think about counselling, a lot of us have a similar picture come to mind: a stuffy, slightly clinical office, and a middle-aged therapist asking about your past. While that may still be a popular portrayal in the media, it’s just one type of therapy. Face-to-face counselling isn’t the only option.

Online counselling has grown rapidly in popularity due to lower wait times, convenience and often, a lower cost than face-to-face therapy. Known by a wide variety of names, from e-counselling

10th February 2022

Is social media and technology affecting my relationship?

The ways we can connect with each other have grown exponentially over the past two decades. It’s hard to believe such a short time ago, many of us wouldn’t have thought twice about leaving home without our mobile, tablet, smartwatch (or a combination of the three) in hand.

With the rise of social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat, even LinkedIn rapidly becoming must-haves for keeping up with our friends, the latest celebrity gossip, and wider work network we’re b

10th February 2022

Children with OCD: what are the signs?

Kids worry. Feeling anxious, having doubts, or being worried is pretty normal at any age. For those who are experiencing OCD ( obsessive-compulsive disorder ), they may feel unable to stop focusing on those feelings – no matter how much they want to – which can compel them to behave in certain ways.

Although OCD most commonly occurs for those over the age of 21, children as young as five have been diagnosed, with between 30-50% of adults with OCD reporting that their symptoms started before or

10th February 2022

Let’s talk: teaching kids about mental health

We wouldn’t hesitate to talk to kids about their physical health. In our day-to-day lives, we teach kids more about living a healthier, more active lifestyle through food choices, picking up hobbies and clubs that focus on physical activity, and explaining how our actions and choices can impact our bodies physically. Why should it be any different when it comes to talking and teaching kids about mental health?

It’s easy to say that we should feel just as comfortable talking to children about me

10th February 2022

7 apps to help feel less anxious and stressed

We all feel anxious from time to time. It’s when that anxiety starts impacting our actions and day-to-day life that it can become a cause for concern. For many of us, feelings of stress and anxiety can come hand-in-hand. According to the Mental Health Foundation , nearly 8.2 million of us experience anxiety in the UK, with an astonishing 74% of us feeling ‘overwhelmed or unable to cope’ due to stress over the past year.

With so many of us struggling with our anxiety and stress, it’s important t