Mark Hales Counselling and Psychotherapy

04/12/2020

Well, it is Secret Santa time, so that makes it easy to practice. Focus on doing the small, subtle things. Not only does it make you feel good inside, it teaches you not grasp on to the Ego need for external validation - you learn to self-validate your own goodness. Every day can be a micro-training course in self-development if you think about it like this. Doing nice things for other people is also doing something nice for yourself. Give it a go...and if self-validation is one of your speedhumps in life, reach out. I can help you with that either online or in my helping Studio.

www.counsellinginmanly.com.au

16/04/2020

Whether you are living in close quarters with your family or flatmates, or whether you're living alone, these times are certainly teaching us more about Gentleness and Kindness. Two qualities that have been diminished previously. You may think about your home as your physical residence or you may think of your "home" as the phsyical Self in which your Spiritual Essence resides.

Either way, these times offer an opportunity to reflect on the qualities of Kindness and Gentleness. What do they mean to you? Are you able to offer them to others but not so easily to yourself? Do you offer kindness as a way of getting something to yourself - what is it you want that you can't give to yourself? How does being kind and gentle help you with Tolerance? Where in your life is there an absence of kindness - what would help bring more kindness into your life? What about gentleness - are you gentle with yourself and others, or are you quick to become impatient and judgemental?

Staying at home more is giving us the space to observe and self-reflect - and if self-reflection isn't something you're comfortable with or "good" at, then these few questions are good starters.

Reach out if you need help. www.counsellinginmanly.com.au
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12/04/2020

One of the things physical distancing gives you is a little extra time. Of course, that time could be swallowed up with home schooling and additional people at home all at once. BUT, even in the midst of all that, you might find time to gently reflect on who you are, really, at your core. Sometimes life has a way of taking us in directions that make us into who we aren't rather than who we are. And in that process, we can get a little lost - we lose sight of who we are, who we wanted to be or perhaps we never really knew to start with. Here's the thing.

Life is movable. In any direction you want. Nothing has to stay the same, not really. It starts with getting to know the real you, maybe it's a you nobody else knows, maybe you don't know but you have a sense that it would be kind of good to learn more about yourself without any labels or tags life (or other people) have given you. Maybe now is a good time to give that sort of deep thought into who you are, what you like, what you want, where you'd like to go, what sort of work you'd like to do, where you'd like to live, what's important to you and more - and what's stopping you, blocking you, preventing you. We all have stories, we all have pasts, we all do things we're not proud of, but we don't have to continue living them. We get to decide WHO we are and HOW we want to be in the world.

If it FEELS like a good time to self-reflect, get to know yourself as an adult person, change direction, or just be confident "outing' yourself for the person you really are but something's stopping you - then book some time with me. I'm doing online sessions and if finances are your issue, still contact me, we'll work it out. Find me: www.counsellinginmanly.com.au

09/04/2020

WOW! Such simple words. Watch. Reflect. Act. Take this Elder's advice - you don't have to continue living childhood trauma, pain and memories. When you heal them, you give yourself another chance to become the person you aspire to be. Don't let anything get in the way of that.

Find me Online and in the Counselling Room: www.counsellinginmanly.com.au - if finances are an issue in this current situation, still call me and we will work it out.

04/04/2020

In this current situation, be kind and gentle with yourself. Take things slowly, one day at a time, one task at a time, one problem at a time. Even if you can't go outside for a walk, maybe you can step outside just for a breath of air or perhaps turn everything off for a moment or two and just feel yourself breathing and noticing whatever you notice about your breath - being kind of curious gives your system a short-break.

Maybe you can't go to the Gym, but you could get into some creative stretching every hour - set your alarm to remind you; or try Progressive Muscle Relaxation to work out instead - clench and release all the way to the earlobes and back down again - as well as being centring & relaxing, it's got a mental challenge to it.

And, if things are really getting on top of you - let's get together for a short online session...if you're worried about finances, call first, we'll work it out.

www.counsellinginmanly.com.au > contact > Mark

01/04/2020

I'm your Piglet - reach out if you need to. I do online sessions as part of my regular practice if you're uncomfortable coming to the Studio right now. Worried about the costs but need help, contact me via DM or email and we'll work it out together: www.counsellinginmanly.com.au

"Today was a Difficult Day," said Pooh.

There was a pause.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Piglet.

"No," said Pooh after a bit. "No, I don't think I do."

"That's okay," said Piglet, and he came and sat beside his friend.

"What are you doing?" asked Pooh.

"Nothing, really," said Piglet. "Only, I know what Difficult Days are like. I quite often don't feel like talking about it on my Difficult Days either.

"But goodness," continued Piglet, "Difficult Days are so much easier when you know you've got someone there for you. And I'll always be here for you, Pooh."

And as Pooh sat there, working through in his head his Difficult Day, while the solid, reliable Piglet sat next to him quietly, swinging his little legs...he thought that his best friend had never been more right."
A.A. Milne

Sending thoughts to those having a Difficult Day today and hope you have your own Piglet to sit beside you 🧡