Heart & Soul Counselling Therapy & Holistic Nutrition

12/24/2025

✨ Christmas Eve Reminder ✨

Tonight isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about having everything figured out, every emotion sorted, or every tradition executed flawlessly.

It’s about presence — the quiet kind that lets you breathe, soften your shoulders, and notice the small moments that feel like peace.

If this season brings joy, let it in.
If it brings heaviness, honour that too.
Both are human. Both are allowed.

Take a moment this evening to check in with yourself:
• What do I need right now?
• What can I release?
• What would feel gentle?

May your Christmas Eve be filled with whatever supports your well‑being — rest, connection, boundaries, or simply a deep breath that reminds you you’re doing your best.

Wishing you warmth, compassion, and a little magic tonight. ✨

12/23/2025

🥜 Let’s talk about nuts — the tiny powerhouses we often underestimate.

If you’ve ever grabbed a handful and felt instantly satisfied, that’s no accident. Nuts are naturally rich in protein, fibre, and healthy fats, which work together to keep you fuller for longer. They’re one of nature’s most efficient “slow‑burn” snacks.

And here’s a fun fact many people don’t know: not all of the fat in nuts is actually absorbed by the body. Some of it remains trapped within the nut’s fibrous structure, meaning your body doesn’t take in every calorie on the label. Pretty amazing, right?

So if you’re on a weight‑management journey, there’s no need to avoid nuts. In fact, they can be a smart, satisfying addition — helping curb cravings, support steady energy, and nourish your body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

A small handful can go a long way.
Your body (and your taste buds) will thank you.

12/22/2025

“You are allowed to take up space, grow at your own pace, and still shine.”

12/16/2025

Review of “The Simple Joy of Writing by Hand”: https://www.mindful.org/simple-joy-writing-hand/ from Mindful.org

As a counsellor and coach, I found this article to be a beautiful reminder of how simple practices can reconnect us to ourselves. The Simple Joy of Writing by Hand highlights something I often encourage in therapy: slowing down, engaging the body, and allowing imperfection to become part of the healing process.

From a therapeutic lens, handwriting is more than just communication—it’s embodiment. The blog captures how the act of putting pen to paper stimulates the brain, awakens creativity, and grounds us in the present moment. This resonates deeply with counselling work, where clients often benefit from journaling, expressive writing, or even mindful note-taking as tools for self-awareness and emotional regulation.

I especially appreciate the emphasis on handwriting as a contemplative practice rather than a skill to perfect. In therapy, we know that growth happens when people allow themselves to be “quirky, imperfect, and appreciated.” Writing by hand becomes a metaphor for self-acceptance: each mark on the page reflects the uniqueness of the individual, their journey, and their evolving story.

The blog also connects handwriting to mindfulness, describing how the physical sensations—the feel of the pen, the rhythm of the line—anchor us in the here and now. This is a powerful therapeutic insight. For clients struggling with anxiety, distraction, or disconnection, writing by hand can serve as a grounding exercise, bridging thought and body in a way that typing simply cannot.

Overall, this piece beautifully validates the therapeutic value of handwriting. It reminds us that healing doesn’t always require complex interventions; sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting with a pen, letting words flow, and noticing what arises. As a counsellor, I see this practice as a gentle yet profound way to foster resilience, creativity, and self-compassion.

Writing by hand can stimulate the brain in ways that typing simply does not. It can also be a meditative practice.

12/14/2025

If you value the uplifting wisdom found in biblical verses but don’t identify as religious, you can still embrace their messages by turning them inward.

Instead of reading them as God‑centred, reframe them as I‑centred — drawing on the universe within you and recognizing yourself as the guiding presence.

Let’s expand into a fuller reflection of biblical verses that includes the original verse, the I‑centred reframe, and then a message that speaks directly to you as a guiding presence. Here’s today’s message:

• Biblical: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” — Psalm 23:1

• I‑centred: “I am my own shepherd; I guide my steps and I lack nothing.”

• Personal message: Today, I remind myself that I am capable of leading my own journey. I trust my inner wisdom to guide me toward what I need, and I release the idea of scarcity. I walk with confidence, knowing that I already hold abundance within me.

12/13/2025

I’ve just returned from a 10-day trip to Peru, and I am filled with reflections. ✨ One moment was my visit to Museo Larco in Lima, where I explored the layers of history, art, and feminine wisdom that live within its walls.

In my latest blog, "A Feminine Reflection on My Visit to Museo Larco in Lima, Peru and the Healing Power of Art", I share how the museum’s collection spoke to me—not just as artifacts of the past, but as living reminders of resilience, creativity, and the sacred feminine. The art became more than objects; it became a mirror, inviting me to honour the stories of women across time and to reflect on my own journey of healing and empowerment.

This trip was more than sightseeing—it was a pilgrimage into the feminine perspective. From the streets of Lima to the sacred landscapes of the Andes, I searched for the presence of women’s voices, both ancient and contemporary, to guide me toward deeper understanding. There is so much more I’ll be unpacking in the days ahead, but for now, I invite you to read my reflection and join me in considering how art and culture can heal, inspire, and remind us of our shared humanity.

🌿 Read the full post here: https://www.heartandsoultherapy.net/post/a-feminine-reflection-on-my-visit-to-museo-larco-in-lima-peru-and-the-healing-power-of-art

I’d love to hear how art has touched your own journey of healing and self-discovery.

Walking through a museum is never merely a “visit”; for me — as for many women who carry layered histories of ancestral memory, emotional labour, and shared resilience — entering the Museo Larco in Lima felt like stepping into a dialogue between past and present, body and mind, spirit and ps...

12/12/2025

Mental health issues in children and adolescents are often overlooked or missed.

Around 1 in 7 young people suffer from a mental health challenge – anxiety, depression and behavioral disorders are the most common.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says parents, caregivers and teachers can all play an important role in helping to recognize the signs that a child or young person may need mental health support.

12/03/2025

🥗 Day 2 – Nutrition on the Road: Fuel for Mind & Body

Travel challenges our routines, but it also teaches us flexibility. In Peru, I’ll be exploring local foods—rich in tradition and nourishment.

🍲 Nutrition isn’t just about calories; it’s about connection. Eating mindfully while traveling helps us stay grounded, energized, and emotionally balanced.

🌱 Therapy reminds us: what we feed our bodies shapes how we feel, think, and show up in the world.

12/02/2025

🌎 Day 1 – Journey Begins: Travel as Therapy

✨ Travel isn’t just about places—it’s about perspectives. As I prepare to journey to Peru with Sights & Soul Travels, Tours and Vacations for Women, "Through the Eyes of Women" tour, I’m reminded that stepping outside our routines can be deeply therapeutic. New landscapes invite us to pause, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves.

💡 Mental health thrives when we allow ourselves to explore beyond the familiar. Travel becomes a mirror—showing us resilience, curiosity, and the courage to grow.

11/27/2025

🌱 When Parenting Needs a Pause

We live in a culture that tells parents they are the architects of their children’s destiny. Every choice—organic snacks, bedtime routines, extracurriculars—is framed as a decisive factor in shaping who our kids will become. But here’s the truth: parental influence, while important, is often overstated.

Children grow in ecosystems, not bubbles. Their outcomes are shaped by a web of relationships and experiences far beyond the family home.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Wider Circle of Influence
- Extended family: Grandparents who pass down stories, cousins who model resilience, aunts and uncles who offer different perspectives.
- Teachers & coaches: They spark passions, set standards, and sometimes believe in a child more than the child believes in themselves.
- Peers: Perhaps the most underestimated influence. Friends shape language, values, risk-taking, and belonging. Even parents of peers—the households children spend time in—quietly set norms and expectations.

📚 Lessons from Books & Fictional Heroes
Literature reminds us that heroes are rarely shaped by parents alone:
- Harry Potter: Raised without parental guidance, his courage was forged through mentors (Dumbledore), peers (Hermione & Ron), and even adversaries.
- Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird): While Atticus is a guiding light, Scout’s worldview is expanded by neighbours, townsfolk, and the moral complexities of her community.
- The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton): Peer groups define identity, loyalty, and survival far more than parental presence.
- Matilda (Roald Dahl): Parents dismiss her brilliance, but teachers and books become her lifeline.

🌍 Why Parenting Needs a Pause
When parents believe they alone hold the keys to their child’s future, the pressure is crushing—for both parent and child. Pausing means recognizing:
- You are one voice among many.
- Your child’s resilience often comes from navigating diverse influences.
- Letting go can be liberating, allowing children to discover themselves through community, friendship, and even fictional heroes who model courage and choice.

💡 The Takeaway
Parenting isn’t about control—it’s about contribution. The village matters. The bookshelf matters. The playground matters. And sometimes, the best thing a parent can do is step back, breathe, and trust the wider world to play its part.

#

11/27/2025

🌸 Thoughtful Thursday: The Power of Reframing

Our thoughts shape the way we experience the world. Sometimes, those thoughts can be harsh, critical, or overwhelming. But here’s the good news: we have the ability to reframe them. Reframing is the practice of shifting perspective—taking a thought that feels heavy and turning it into one that feels lighter, more compassionate, and more empowering.

✨ Examples of reframing:
- Instead of “I failed,” try “I learned what doesn’t work.”
- Instead of “I’m overwhelmed,” try “I’m prioritizing what matters.”
- Instead of “I shouldn’t eat this,” try “I’m choosing what nourishes me.”

This gentle shift reduces self-criticism and builds resilience. It reminds us that growth comes from learning, not perfection.

🌱 Pairing Reframing with Nutrition:
Mindful eating is a beautiful place to practice reframing. When guilt or judgment creeps in around food choices, pause and ask: "Is this thought helping me, or hurting me?" Then reframe. Instead of focusing on restriction, focus on nourishment. Instead of “I’m bad for eating this,” try “I’m honouring my body with what it needs right now.”

💡 Reframing isn’t about ignoring challenges—it’s about choosing a perspective that supports your well-being. Over time, these small shifts create big transformations in how you see yourself and the world.

👉 Reflection Prompt: What thought can you reframe today to bring more compassion into your self-talk?

11/26/2025

🌱 Wellness Wednesday: Nourishing Your Gut + Supporting Your Mood

Did you know your gut and brain are constantly talking to each other? This connection—often called the gut-brain axis—means that what you eat can directly influence how you feel emotionally and mentally.

✨ One simple way to support this connection is through fermented foods. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, and kombucha are rich in probiotics—beneficial bacteria that help balance your gut microbiome. A healthy gut can improve digestion, boost immunity, and even support mood regulation.

Pair this with hydration: every cell in your body depends on water to function, and dehydration can leave you feeling sluggish or irritable. Try sipping water throughout the day, or infuse it with lemon, cucumber, or mint for a refreshing twist.

🌸 Seasonal tip: As we move into colder months, warming foods like miso soup or fermented root vegetables can be both comforting and nourishing. They provide probiotics while also grounding your body with seasonal energy.

💡 Wellness isn’t about perfection—it’s about small, intentional choices that honour both body and mind. Adding one fermented food to your meals this week, and committing to steady hydration, can be a powerful act of self-care.

👉 Reflection Prompt: How can you bring more nourishment to both your gut and your mood today?