Bethesda Counselling and Family Therapy

01/05/2026

28/04/2026

There is significant value in small, intentional moments throughout your day.

Simple practices, nothing complicated
Yet they play an important role in supporting your overall well-being.

Here are some of my favourite ways to reset:
👉 Stepping outside with a cup of tea…even just a few quiet minutes away.
👉Going for a walk in nature… even if you only have time to walk around your garden or look at some of your potted plants - that is a reset
👉 Taking three slow breaths, with longer exhalations to help your body settle.
👉 Gently stretching, releasing some of the tension you’ve been holding.
👉 Making simple, imperfect marks on a page, not to create anything meaningful, but to give your mind somewhere to rest.
👉Sitting quietly in prayer - and allowing yourself to receive from God His peace, His strength, His courage, His wisdom - whatever you need in the moment; you don't have to manufacture it yourself - He is ready to infuse you with all that you need

These may seem small, but they are not insignificant.

They signal safety to your nervous system.
They interrupt the cycle of constant pressure.
And over time, they support a more sustainable way of responding to stress.

It all counts 🤍

What’s a small reset that’s been helping you lately? 👇

27/04/2026

“Pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” -Psalm 62:8

This invitation is gentle and spacious.

God welcomes our words that we can clearly express…

And He welcomes our groans and tears…..

If words are too much, if your body aches and your tears are all that you can manage, then perhaps something different could help….

A way of being with Him in a prayerful posture without any pressure.

Without needing to use words:
Try a piece of paper, a pencil or marker in your hand and start moving your hands over the paper in a bilateral way.

Here’s the link to the full blog if you are interested in more
👇 https://bethesdacounselling.com.au/bilateral-drawing-in-art-therapy-a-gentle-path-to-healing-big-emotions/

💕 Post your scribbles here if you would like to share - No words needed.

🤍

24/04/2026

🙏 As we remember the immense sacrifice of our ANZACs today, I pray for peace across our globe and for all those who are still impacted by the senseless horrors of war and for all generations who carry the wounds of war.

🌺✝️ I honour those who fought for our freedom, praying their legacy inspires a world anchored in compassion and concern for Peace & the value of every single life.

✨ May the God of all comfort bring peace to families remembering loved ones and healing to those navigating the trauma of war. 😞✝️🙏

🌺🙏 Lest we forget; may we live in gratitude and walk together in peace.

20/04/2026

April is Stress Awareness Month.

Stress isn’t just “feeling overwhelmed.”

It’s actually a combination of things, pressures, demands, and expectations…both from what’s happening around you and what’s happening within you.

And while some stress can be helpful, too much, for too long, can leave you feeling exhausted, unwell, and completely depleted.

One of the reasons stress is easy to miss is that it
shows up in different ways:

In your mind:
• difficulty concentrating
• overthinking or racing thoughts
• struggling to make decisions

In your body:
• headaches or muscle tension
• fatigue or low energy
• sleep disturbances

In your emotions:
• irritability or mood changes
• feeling overwhelmed or anxious
• loss of interest in things you used to enjoy

In your behaviour:
• withdrawing from others
• overworking or avoiding things
• changes in eating or sleeping patterns

Even in your spiritual life:
• feeling disconnected from God
• struggling to pray or read Scripture
• feeling spiritually dry or distant

Stress touches every part of you.

That’s why managing it isn’t about “just thinking positively” or pushing through, it’s about caring for yourself as a whole.

You don’t have to wait until you’re completely overwhelmed to take this seriously.

Awareness is already a step toward care.

17/04/2026

🙏

14/04/2026

Have you ever forgiven someone… but your body still reacts?

That doesn’t mean your forgiveness wasn’t real.
It may be something called the limbic lag.

Your mind has processed what happened… But your limbic and your nervous systems are still catching up.
So you might still feel:
• tension
• fear
• emotional reactivity

Forgiveness is part of Healing and it is not just a decision that we take. It’s also a process that your body and nervous system needs time to move through.

Invite God into the places your body is still holding and hurting from the past. Keep reminding yourself that you have made the choice to forgive and the feelings will eventually catch up.

Also remind yourself, that if the hurt was traumatic for you, then you may be suffering with a type of trauma response - and you may need a little more support and guidance in your healing journey through that.

Save this for the days your body feels heavy, and you’re not sure why

13/04/2026

Grief can feel like a quiet world you’ve been pulled into… one that not everyone around you can fully see or understand. Even when people care deeply, their words or presence may not always meet you in the way your heart truly needs.

And so, many carry their grief silently, holding emotions that feel too heavy, too complex, or too hard to explain.

But grief isn’t something you’re meant to suppress or simply “get through.”
It asks to be witnessed - it NEEDS to be witnessed. To be seen and held with gentleness and without judgment. To be given space without pressure or expectation.

Your grief is not a problem to fix, it’s a reflection of love, of connection, of what has mattered deeply to you.

There is no right pace.
No perfect way to move through it.
Only your way.

In this space, you’re invited to lay things down slowly…
to be met with understanding, care, and compassion, especially in the moments that you feel most vulnerable.

If something in you resonates, if you think you need a safe and gentle witness, please reach out.

From my heart to yours, 🌿

Book an Appointment here: https://bethesdacounselling.com.au/contact/ -form

09/04/2026

Emotions can be big, heavy and overwhelming.
They carry a lot of energy and are designed to give us information and feedback.

They are also meant to be “discharged or released” - not trapped in our bodies as tension, tightness or stress.

Talking can sometimes release our emotions; so can crying, laughing and moving.

Here’s a simple way to help any kind of big emotions to move safely through your body………Two hands, a piece of paper, some crayons or chalk.

Start moving the chalk around on the page in a synchronised way. You can make your hands mirror each other or get them moving in opposite ways - the key is to have them moving at the same time.

This is called bilateral drawing, a simple, creative practice that helps calm the nervous system and support the processing of big emotions & experiences.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Just moving your hands together, expressing and releasing. Keep going for about 7 minutes at least…..

And often, in the bilateral movement….something begins to shift. 🤍

If you’re curious, feeling overwhelmed or unsure how to start, I’ve shared more about this gentle approach (and why it works) in my latest blog.

Here's the link:
https://bethesdacounselling.com.au/bilateral-drawing-in-art-therapy-a-gentle-path-to-healing-big-emotions/

07/04/2026

Do you sometimes feel like you should be stronger, more composed, or more trusting before you can come to Him?

Dear one, that’s not how His mercy works.

He meets you right where you are.
In the grief that still feels heavy.
In the places that feel shattered.

In the confusion, you’re trying to make sense of.
In the places that don’t feel resolved yet.
In every part of your story….

You are never outside of His care.

We often fixate on the breakthrough, the moment things finally make sense, the moment everything feels “okay.”

But God is just as present in what comes before those big moments.

In the waiting. In the sorrow. In the in-between.

And there is a quiet truth here: He is present in all of it. He is close to the brokenhearted

If this season feels heavy or unclear,
Don’t rush through your feelings; don’t judge yourself; just let it all be.

And maybe….. Allow yourself to be held and havened under the shadow of His Wings.

Drop a 💜 if this speaks to you.