Mental Health Counselling Geelong

06/04/2026

Myth Busting Monday: Insight and Change

Myth:
“If I understand why I do something, it should stop happening.”

Fact:
Insight is powerful, but it rarely creates change on its own.

Most patterns are learned through experience; often over many years. They develop gradually through repeated experiences, they usually change the same way: through repetition, safety, and time.

Understanding the pattern is often just the beginning.

Why? Many behaviours are connected to protective processes in the brain and nervous system. Even when we intellectually understand a pattern, the emotional or automatic response can still be active.

Real change often happens when insight is combined with new experiences — practising different responses, building safety, and allowing the nervous system to learn that things can be different.

What helps:
🌿 Practising small changes consistently over time
💡 Developing awareness without harsh self-judgment
🤝 Experiencing new relational patterns in safe spaces
🧠 Understanding how your nervous system learned the pattern
💙 Seeking support when patterns feel difficult to shift alone

If you’ve ever thought “I know why I do this — so why can’t I stop?”, you’re not alone. Insight is important, but meaningful change often happens gradually.

If you’d like support exploring this, sessions are available in Geelong and online.
https://www.mentalhealthcg.com/book-an-appointment
🌿

02/04/2026

01/04/2026

Inside the Therapy Room.
A look at overthinking and what it might be trying to protect.

31/03/2026

Caught in a loop of overthinking?

The STOP technique can help interrupt the cycle.

S - Stop. Pause what you're doing, even for a moment.

T - Take a breath. A few deep breaths, if you can.

O - Observe. Notice what's happening in your body and mind right now.

P - Proceed.

Choose your next step intentionally, not automatically.

This isn't a cure-all.

Overthinking is often rooted in anxiety, past experiences, or how your nervous system learned to protect you.

A breathing technique won't fix that. But it can create a small gap, a moment where you're not entirely caught in the loop. That moment matters. And sometimes you need support to build on it.

Want to explore what's driving the overthinking? Reach out when you're ready.

29/03/2026

“Think you can solve problems by overthinking them?”

Myth:
“Overthinking will solve the problem.”

Truth:
While reflection can be helpful, repetitive overthinking rarely leads to clarity. Instead, it often keeps you stuck in mental loops that increase anxiety and tension rather than resolve them.

Why? When uncertainty feels uncomfortable, the brain tries to regain control by analysing every possible outcome. This isn’t true problem-solving, it’s a protective strategy. Your nervous system would rather rehearse potential threats than sit with not knowing.

Overthinking feels productive. But often, it’s your brain trying to create safety.

What helps:
🌿 Regulate your nervous system before analysing the problem
💡 Set boundaries around “thinking time”
🤝 Talk it through instead of replaying it internally
🧠 Notice when thoughts become repetitive rather than useful
💙 Seek support if overthinking is affecting sleep, mood, or daily life

If you’re noticing your mind getting stuck in loops, that’s real. And it’s workable.

If you’d like support exploring this, sessions are available in Geelong and online.
https://www.mentalhealthcg.com/book-an-appointment
🌿

26/03/2026

Some people look incredibly capable from the outside.

They manage work, relationships, responsibilities… and often everyone else’s emotions as well.

But that way of being is usually learned.

Sometimes it starts early, when being responsible, helpful, or “easy” helped keep things steady.

Over time, it can become automatic.

Taking on more.
Holding more.
Carrying things that were never really yours.

Not because you had to…
but because it once made sense to.

Credit to Jay Taberner (Jube Animation) for this creation.

24/03/2026

Understanding Low Mood

Low mood is more than just "feeling sad." It's a shift in how you experience the world—your energy, motivation, pleasure, and perspective all change.

What low mood might feel like:
💙 Heaviness or flatness—emotions feel muted
⚡ Fatigue—even small tasks feel exhausting
🌀 Loss of interest—things you enjoyed feel pointless
🧠 Negative thinking—your mind feels stuck in criticism
😴 Sleep changes—sleeping more or struggling to sleep
🍽️ Appetite shifts—eating more or losing interest in food

Low mood sits on a spectrum. It can be:
- A natural response to life events or seasonal changes
- A symptom of depression (clinical or situational)
- Part of anxiety, trauma, or other conditions
- A sign you need support

The important thing: Low mood is treatable. Whether it's therapy, lifestyle changes, professional support, or a combination—you don't have to carry this alone.

What helps you when your mood dips? Sometimes naming it is the first step.

Ready to explore what's happening? Book your session: https://www.mentalhealthcg.com/book-an-appointment 🌿

23/03/2026

Today marks a pretty special milestone for me — 10 years in private practice!!

What began alongside full-time work gradually grew into the practice I run today. Over time it has become a space for meaningful conversations, careful therapeutic work, and supporting people through some very difficult moments in their lives.

I feel incredibly grateful to everyone who has trusted me with their stories, to the colleagues and referrers who have supported the practice, and to the people behind the scenes who help make this work possible.

Ten years feels quietly significant.

Thank you for being part of it.

I’m looking forward to continuing this work and supporting the community for many more years to come.

— Dayna

22/03/2026

Myth Busting Monday: Seasonal Depression

Myth: "Seasonal depression only happens in winter."

Truth: While Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is more common in winter, mood shifts can happen during any seasonal transition. Autumn—with its shorter days, cooler weather, and life changes—can trigger low mood, anxiety, or depression in many people.

Why? Seasonal transitions involve real changes: less sunlight affects our circadian rhythms and serotonin, routines shift, and our bodies adjust to temperature changes. These are legitimate triggers, not weakness.

What helps:
🌿 Maintain consistent sleep and movement
💡 Maximise natural light exposure (especially mornings)
🤝 Stay connected to people and activities you value
🧠 Notice your mood patterns without judgment
💙 Seek support early—don't wait until winter

If you're noticing low mood as seasons change, that's real. And it's treatable.

Ready to talk about it? Book your session: https://www.mentalhealthcg.com/book-an-appointment 🌿

20/03/2026

Harmony Day: A Moment to Reflect

Today is Harmony Day. March 21 marks a moment to pause and reflect on what it truly means to belong.

Belonging isn't about fitting in. It's about being seen. It's about spaces where you don't have to hide who you are. It's about communities that make room for your story, your culture, your identity, your struggles, your joy.

Think about the moments you've felt truly belonging:
💙 Someone listened without trying to fix you
🤝 You were accepted exactly as you are
🌈 Your differences were celebrated, not tolerated
👥 You felt part of something bigger than yourself
✨ You could be vulnerable and still feel safe

These moments matter. They heal us. They remind us we're not alone.

But many people don't experience this. They navigate the world hiding parts of themselves. They feel the weight of not belonging. They carry the pain of exclusion or discrimination.

Today, Harmony Day invites us to reflect: Where do I belong? Who makes me feel safe? How can I create spaces where others feel they belong too?

The truth is this: Mental health improves when we belong. Healing happens in community. Connection is medicine.

If you're searching for a space where you can be yourself—where your story is honoured and your struggles are understood—we're here. 💙

Book your session: https://www.mentalhealthcg.com/book-an-appointment 🌿

18/03/2026

Sometimes productivity isn’t about getting things done.
Sometimes it’s about holding the system together.

17/03/2026

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (15–21 March)

Neurodiversity isn’t a trend.
It’s a recognition that brains vary.

ADHD.
Autism.
AuDHD.
Different processing styles. Different nervous system wiring. Different ways of relating to the world.

For many neurodivergent people, the challenge isn’t their brain.
It’s navigating systems that weren’t built with them in mind.

Masking to fit in.
Pushing through sensory overload.
Being labelled “too much” or “not enough.”
Working twice as hard to meet expectations.

That takes a toll on mental health.

Celebrating neurodiversity isn’t about pretending everything is easy.
It’s about understanding strengths and supports together.

It means:
• Recognising differences without pathologising them
• Adjusting environments, not just individuals
• Supporting regulation rather than demanding conformity
• Reducing shame

Neurodivergent people don’t need fixing.
They need understanding, flexibility, and safety.

And that changes everything.