The LGBTQIA community faces the same problems as everyone else. They also face problems that can be very different to those experienced by mainstream society. For various reasons, many prefer a therapist, if not of the same sexuality as them, then at least with a clear understanding of LGBTQIA issues. Many fear finding a therapist that is homophobic or one whose religious beliefs would conflict with their ability to help. Enter then, the world of gay affirmative therapy.
It’s Easter, a time for renewal, rebirth and resurrection, a celebration of new life and the passing of spring into summer. It’s also the time for a good old spring clean, literally, metaphorically, physically and emotionally. So, as the days get longer, brighter and warmer and as summer beckons, where do you want to start? Read more
In CBT, we advocate unconditional self-acceptance. You are not your stuff. You are not a total success because you have succeeded; nor are you a total failure, just because you’ve failed a few times (we’ve all done that). You are every thought, action, word and deed you have ever had and ever will have and, through it all, you are a worthwhile and fallible human being, just like every other human being on this planet. Learn to love yourself, warts and all and you’ll never have confidence issues again. Comedic actor Charlie Chaplin had a few words to say about this back in 1959. The man should have been a therapist. Read more
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), male suicides are three times higher than female. And yet, women are more likely to seek out therapy than men. I’ve blogged about this problem before (click here). But, what can be done to help those who need it? Read more
Superdrug, the health and beauty chain, are making a fortune out of red hot lovers up and down the country this week and estimate they’ve been dispensing one erectile dysfunction treatment every three minutes since Wednesday (with a 20 per cent surge in prescription requests this week alone). The store claims this Valentine’s Day will be the busiest in the history of its Online Doctor service. But, little blue pills are not the only solution for problems in the bedroom. Read more
Although the term ‘Skype’ is fairly new, video calling and (by association) video therapy are not. There are hundreds of studies, going back decades, that highlight the effectiveness of both video-conferenced and telephone-delivered therapy. But, who would benefit from counselling delivered this way and why would you want to do it? Read more
A recent study has found that UK businesses could be losing more than £1 billion a year due to stressed-out staff taking time off (click here). The report found that about one in five workers (19.6 per cent) have taken time off because of stress, whilst more than a quarter (28.8 per cent), said they felt stressed at work all or most of the time. But, what can be done about it? Read more
Bullying, especially its modern-day variant, cyber bullying, is sadly on the rise. And whilst adults can be vulnerable to it, it’s children and teenagers who are copping it the most. Facebook and Twitter are not the safe havens we’d like them to be and. sadly, incidents of bullying-related suicide rarely seem to be out of the papers. However, the psychological harm caused by bullying is preventable, if you know how. One such in-the-know woman was Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady and wife of the 32nd US President, Franklin D Roosevelt. She famously said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Want to learn how not to give that consent away? Then read on. Read more
Heartthrob actor and Twilight star, Robert Pattinson (or RPatz) has just popped up in the press saying he suffers from anxiety and struggles with his looks (click here). These days, the media focus as much attention on the naked male physique, as they do on the female form. And, so men are suffering from similar psychological problems, only they’re doing less about it. Read more
One of the most common problems that people present with when they seek out the services of a therapist or counsellor (either directly, or indirectly, as part-and-parcel of plenty of other issues including depression, social anxiety, stress and more) is that of self-esteem, or confidence. Read more