Kerry Ellis - Solution focused therapist

02/02/2026

One of the most unhelpful ideas people carry is that things have to get bad before they’re worth paying attention to.

That pressure to wait to justify how you’re feeling often keeps people stuck longer than necessary.

You don’t need to be overwhelmed.
You don’t need to be falling apart.
You don’t need a dramatic reason.

Sometimes it’s enough to notice:

You’re more reactive than you used to be

You’re constantly tired, even after rest

Your patience is thinner

You feel like you’re always “on”

These are signals, not failures.

Paying attention early isn’t overthinking.
It’s self-awareness.

And self-awareness tends to create options quietly and without force.

01/02/2026

Sometimes people assume that reaching out for support means admitting something is wrong.

More often, it simply means you’re paying attention.

Attention to patterns that keep repeating.
Attention to the way your energy drops faster than it used to.
Attention to that quiet sense of “this isn’t how I want things to keep going.”

None of that requires a crisis.

A conversation doesn’t lock you into a decision.
It doesn’t mean you’re committing to change before you’re ready.

It just creates space to understand what’s going on — and what might help.

And very often, that understanding alone reduces the pressure.

31/01/2026

Sometimes people assume that reaching out for support means admitting something is wrong.

More often, it simply means you’re paying attention.

Attention to patterns that keep repeating.
Attention to the way your energy drops faster than it used to.
Attention to that quiet sense of “this isn’t how I want things to keep going.”

None of that requires a crisis.

A conversation doesn’t lock you into a decision.
It doesn’t mean you’re committing to change before you’re ready.

It just creates space to understand what’s going on, and what might help.

And very often, that understanding alone reduces the pressure.

30/01/2026

A great message here https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BnjgZtThP/?mibextid=wwXIfr

28/01/2026

This photo makes me smile. This wonderful 91-year-old gentleman certainly made my week,

Because it captures something that doesn’t get talked about enough,
growth doesn’t have to be serious or heavy to be meaningful.

This man chose to step outside his comfort zone.
Not because he was told to.
Not because something was “wrong”.

But because curiosity, humour, and wanting more out of life don’t disappear with age.

We often underestimate how powerful it is to try something new especially later in life.
Research shows that learning, novelty, and curiosity play an important role in mental wellbeing at every stage of life.

Sometimes confidence grows after we step forward, not before.

This photo is a reminder that it’s okay to be a beginner again.
And that growth can come with a smile.

You don’t age out of curiosity.

Hashtags (FB – light):

28/01/2026

26/01/2026

One of the reasons people stay stuck longer than they need to isn’t fear.

It’s familiarity.

When stress, pressure, or low-level unease becomes part of daily life, it starts to feel normal.
Not comfortable just familiar.

People often tell themselves:

“This is just how things are right now.”

“Everyone feels like this.”

“I’ll deal with it later.”

And for a while, that works.

Until it doesn’t.

What often helps isn’t a big decision or dramatic change.
It’s simply pausing long enough to understand what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

Clarity has a way of creating options without forcing action.

And sometimes, that’s all someone needs to feel steadier again.

25/01/2026

There’s a quiet moment many people reach.

It’s not a breakdown.
It’s not a crisis.
It’s just the realisation that something needs attention.

You might still be functioning.
Still showing up.
Still doing what needs to be done.

But underneath, things feel heavier than they should.

This is often the point people talk themselves out of reaching out, not because they don’t care, but because they don’t want to make it “a big thing”.

Here’s the truth:

A first conversation isn’t about committing to anything.
It’s about understanding what’s actually going on and what might help.

Clarity tends to reduce pressure, not add to it.

And sometimes, that’s enough to help you decide the next step.

23/01/2026

This week I worked with a 91-year-old man who came in with a clear goal and a strong commitment to change.

Not because he was in crisis.
Not because someone told him he “should”.

Because he decided he wanted to learn something new and live well on his terms.

Research consistently shows that our brains remain capable of learning, adapting, and forming new patterns throughout life.
What limits people most often isn’t age, it’s belief.

Belief that it’s “too late”.
Belief that change should have happened earlier.
Belief that stepping outside comfort zones belongs to younger people.

It doesn’t.

Curiosity is one of the strongest protective factors for mental wellbeing at any age.
And growth doesn’t have an expiry date.

This man was a powerful reminder that investing in yourself is always a valid choice no matter when you start.

You’re never too old to invest in yourself.

21/01/2026

Not everything in life needs urgency.

Some clarity comes from slowing down, not pushing harder.
Some changes happen quietly, not dramatically.

Progress doesn’t always look productive and that’s okay.

Leo reminds us: slow doesn’t mean stuck.