counselling

Any special occasion, like Christmas or any ‘first’ can be so difficult when you are bereaved, with each occasion such as a birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas bringing …
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Toxic positivity is the assumption, that despite a person’s emotional or mental pain or the difficult situation they may be in, they should only have a positive mindset and outlook. …
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We can spend a lot of time worrying about our relationships with other people and what they think of us. Yet one of the most important relationships in our lives …
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The past 12 months have been like no other in living memory and it is important that we take a compassionate look at our self-development and mental health in 2021.

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Having a new baby during Covid-19 is not an ideal situation for any mother. Feelings of loneliness and isolation that some mums feel as they transition into the role of …
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If you are feeling constantly stressed you might also be feeling helpless, disillusioned, and completely exhausted and on the road to burnout.

What is burnout? Burnout is a state of …
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Sometimes we view confidence as something that is so unattainable, but it isn’t really. Confidence can be learned, it is a habit that we can reinforce by repeating certain actions …
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So many of us can go through the day completely disqualifying any positives that may have happened. We don’t always recognise what we have accomplished and if we do, we …
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We all have that annoying, negative voice in our heads. The voice that criticises, doubts and generally puts you down. Destroying your confidence and feeding your anxiety.

Sometimes we …
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The people who you spend the most time with can influence or change your mood and how you view yourself and your abilities.

When you are surrounded by positive people …
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Self-confidence is about trusting your abilities, qualities and judgment.

When you believe in yourself, you’ll be more willing to try new things. Whether you apply for a promotion or sign …
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International Men’s Health Week runs each year from June 15th to 21st.

This year’s theme is ‘Restoring the Balance’ and everyone is asked to ‘part of the solution’ and do …
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If you live with an anxiety disorder, or if you have experienced anxiety for the first time due to the pandemic, there are things you can do to help you …
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When it comes to your self-worth, only one opinion really matters — your own.

Yet we should be very gentle with ourselves as we tend to be our own worst …
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This is a really challenging time for everyone. We have our good days, and our not so good days. Many people will be feeling lonely, isolated and disconnected from the …
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Without a routine, our life can feel stressful and unpredictable. If you have a mental health condition, this unpredictability and lack of structure can cause you extra stress, worry, as …
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The main focus at the minute with my clients, myself, my friends, my family and probably the majority of people is how can we care for our emotional and mental …
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I love vision boards, for me they’re an opportunity to think about what you would like in your life, big or small. They are one of the best visualisation tools.

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This New Year’s Eve why not start a new tradition. Let go of any negativity that has affected you over the past year or decade! And set some new intentions …
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If you received your Leaving Cert results today, please do not let them dictate your future and the person who you are.

I cried when I received mine, and not …
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The benefits of a tidy and organised home are obvious.

Cleaning can be an outlet for energy and negative emotions. Removing dust, dirt and clutter from our environment provides you …
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Life can be hectic, chaotic, noisy…

It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, no matter who you are or what your social media feed or stories say.

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Your self-talk is one of the major factors in helping to shape your identity.

Studies show that self-talk can improve your memory, confidence and focus.

Show yourself some kindness

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Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week starts April 29th – May 3rd. Maternal Mental Health Day is May 1st.

As many as 1 in 5 mothers experience some type of perinatal …
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Ardara’s Debbie Kremer is the Donegal counsellor for Nurture Health, a counselling and training service for women and partners dealing with conception, pregnancy and childbirth issues.

This World Maternal Mental …
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Visiting a counsellor for the first time is incredibly daunting and it can be really difficult. Many people will often think about making that first appointment for months before they …
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Confidence is something that (mostly) everyone will struggle with, at least once in their lives. Whether it is your confidence in work, in college, as a mum, as a …
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Valentine’s Day puts the emphasis on love for someone special in your life.

Yet YOU are the most important person in your life.

Why not make this day about loving yourself?

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Living with a mental illness this time of year can be hard. There is so much pressure pouring in from social media, society etc to “start over” or change how …
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‘Voices of Hope’ will see Sinead and seven young acts taking to the stage to raise money for the Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Centre Children’s & Adolescent Counselling Services.

The 26-year-old …
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Anxiety is a part of everyday life for many people. Yet you may be completely unaware, as so many people put in a lot of energy and time in hiding …
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What is OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness that creates negative thoughts. These thoughts lead you to believe that if you do not carry out a certain …
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Working in a stressful, high-pressured or demanding job can negatively impact on your mental health. This, coupled with issues at home, arranging child care throughout the summer holidays …
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Researchers found that most mums experience a significant dip in self-esteem after having a baby that can last up to three years.

This is regardless of the mother’s relationship …
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We all know how important self-care is for our mind and body. However it is very difficult to practice self-care if we are stressed and do not recognise that we …
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We all have anxious thoughts from time to time but sometimes these thoughts can be all we think about. They are intrusive, frightening, repetitive and hard to stop.

It …
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Over the past two weeks, Cancer Care West in Letterkenny and Galway has been offering information, support and counselling to women and families affected by the cervical screening crisis. This …
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Today is World Maternal Mental Health Day, May is Maternal Mental Health Month.

This is a serious health matter, that needs more awareness and acceptance. We need to be …
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By personalising other people’s negative thoughts or opinions we are allowing them to control how we feel.

Q. So how can we stop this?

A. By changing the way we …
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Rejection is hard for most people. Since childhood, we have looked for acceptance from our friends in school to our parents at home. Sometimes doing whatever we can and …
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“You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head, be kind to yourself”

When we are living with low self-esteem, it …
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Let’s do a thought experiment:

• Close your eyes.
• Imagine a pink elephant
• What shade of pink is it?
• Is it happy/sad/indifferent?
• Think about the pink elephant for 60 …
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• What are worries?

Worries are just thoughts and thoughts are not fact. They have no reality. Worries begin when we ask, “What if…” then the mental …
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As we all know from experience, making a New Year’s resolution is easy. Sticking with it and actually achieving your goal is not so easy.

New Year’s resolutions is …
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With Christmas getting closer, many of us will feel a mixture of excitement and worry. However, for those of you who live with social anxiety, Christmas can be a very …
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How many times a day do you allow yourself to stop, take stock and breathe?

Or do you carry on, listening to all those ‘mustabations’ (I should be doing this, …
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“There once was a girl whose happiness was tied to the sun. As it rose, so did she, and her smile was like beams of light. As it set, so …
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How are you?

“I’m grand, yeah fine, I’m good”.

How many times a day do we tell ourselves this, do we tell other people this?

Have you perfected your mask?

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“Mindfulness, being present in each moment, without judgement”

So mindfulness is quite the buzz word at the minute, but what exactly is mindfulness?

It is defined as being …
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Today is World Mental Health Day. The 10th of October each year is dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and bringing together efforts which support …
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