Brave journeys

24/11/2025

There’s been so much talk today on the radio about prostate cancer and how difficult it is for men to get a simple blood (psa) test from their GP.

I honestly expected the same!
I called my GP this morning ready for 101 questions and a bit of a fight, especially after everything I’ve heard.

Couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I got straight-forward information, a quick appointment, and real reassurance. No drama. No barriers. Just support.

If you’re a man over 50 — get it booked. Don’t wait.

🧬 Why it matters (Scottish stats)
• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Scotland, with around 3,100 new cases every year.
• 99% of cases are diagnosed in men over 50.
• Around 1 in 10 men in Scotland will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.
• More than 1 in 3 men here are diagnosed late, which limits treatment options.
• With early diagnosis, over 80% of men in Scotland survive prostate cancer.

A simple phone call could make all the difference.
And if nothing else, it gives you peace of mind.

Talk to your mates, your brothers, your dad, your partner.

Checking isn’t weakness — it’s bravery.

Book the test. Share the message

23/11/2025

💚 “Ogres are like onions… they have layers.”
And honestly, so do we.

I took my little one to see an awesome production of Shrek the Musical on Saturday, by the hugely talented Phoenix Theatre and Phoenix Youth Theatre and it was brilliant. Scratch the surface of the fun and the over-the-top silliness and you soon hit the real themes I work with every day — accepting difference, wanting to belong, feeling misinterpreted or misunderstood.

One of the things I love most about this work is helping people gently peel back their own layers — the worry, the anger, the old stories we tell ourselves — to get to the bit underneath that actually needs care. It’s rarely tidy, and it’s never perfect, but it’s real. And that’s where change starts.

If you or your young person are needing a space to talk, breathe, or make sense of things just now, I’ve got limited sessions left for next week. You can check what’s available on the booking page.

I also have the Access for All Fund for anyone who genuinely needs support but can’t afford the full cost. Please just ask. No judgement. Ever.

If you’re feeling a bit like Shrek wading through the swamp right now — tired, overwhelmed, or layered up without meaning to — you don’t have to do it alone.

I can create space for you, and it doesn’t involve a swamp.

Graham. 💚

20/11/2025

As I was watching a bit of “Shrek the musical” this morning with my little, I was caught by a line Shrek sings to Fiona…

“Beautiful ain’t always pretty.”

It reminding me that real growth, courage and expression can be messy…. But that is ok!

It also made me think about something powerful that happens when a quiet kid steps on a stage.

It’s not just about lights, lines or learning the steps. It’s the moment they realise they can take up space. They can express themselves. They can be seen without having to shout for it.

I’ve watched young people who struggle to make eye contact suddenly come alive in a character. I’ve seen anxious kids breathe easier when they’re part of a cast that accepts them exactly as they are. And I’ve seen emotions that were too big to talk about find a safe way out through story, song and movement.

Theatre gives children something therapy talks about all the time — connection, confidence, and a chance to try on courage in small, manageable pieces.

And that’s why I love theatre so much.
It’s why I am dedicated to fostering a “theatre meet therapy” vibe at my theatre school, because it makes so much sense to me and deepens the experience for my kids at HMTS.

In this photo from our frozen production Anna is desperately reaching out to Elsa unsure why her sister is estranged..

Elsa is on the other side of the door trapped due to her magic curse and only wanting to be - and to have her sister.
Both Actors found this scene very emotional many times during rehearsals, once they allowed themselves to feel the scene.

Because sometimes the stage is a place a child learns they’re allowed to shine, to feel, to engage with emotions… and the safest place to practise being brave.

Photocredit

Graham. 🧡

18/11/2025

Anxiety in school is something I have seen on the rise for years and it’s getting worse.
It’s not just “nerves” or “worrying too much.” For a lot of young people, it’s a heavy, constant knot that sits in the chest from the moment they wake up. By the time they try to cross the front door, they’re already running on empty.

Anxiety can show up in so many ways.
A young person who looks “fine” in class might be masking panic underneath.
Another might be coming home utterly drained, shutting themselves away because they’ve held it together all day.
Some can’t face going in at all.

And families feel it too.
The battles every morning.
The dread of another phone call from school.
The guilt, the worry, the stress that sits over the whole house with parents wondering what they are doing wrong!
Parents and carers trying to work, support other family members, and still hold space for a young person who’s overwhelmed.

It’s a lot. And none of it means anyone is failing or getting it wrong. You are human, and you’re doing your best. There is no magic, no immediate cure, no medicinal secret weapon and our services are getting bigger and longer wait times..

In my practice, I see how hard these young people are fighting. I see and hear kids just how they are…. Not how they are “supposed” to be!
I see how much their families hearts are breaking and how much they care. Thier love and support is unconditional in circumstances that can really test them, however it’s often hard to ensure thier kids feel secure in it.

And I know that with the right support—someone to listen, to help make sense of the feelings and the trigger of the anxiety, to provide strategies to slow things down—things can get lighter.

If your young person is struggling, or you’re finding it tough to know what to do next, you’re not alone.
Help is here…… let’s figure it out together.

Anxiety in children and young people is real. It’s valid. But with the right support, things can change.

Take care
Graham 🧡

17/11/2025

Tonight I’m sitting with the reality that seven young people are now getting counselling through my Access for All Fund.
Seven children and teens who were brave enough to reach out… but might not have been able to get support without this fund standing in the gap for them.

And I can’t tell you how much that matters.
When a young person finally builds up the courage and says, “I need help,” the last thing they should ever hear is “we can’t afford it.”
Thanks to this fund - thanks to you - they didn’t have to.

To everyone who has donated so far: thank you. You’ve given these young people a safe place to share, to talk, to breathe. You’ve given families hope when things felt heavy.

But I’m not done. Not even close.

There are more kids, more adults, more families who need this kind of support, quietly, urgently, and without having to explain why.

If you’re a local business and you want to make a real difference, to stand beside the people in our community who are struggling… please get in touch.
Your support won’t disappear into a pot somewhere. It goes straight to the people who need it most…
Funding counselling and therapy sessions!

Let’s keep making therapy accessible for everyone who reaches out.
Thank you for being part of this.

Hygge Avenue Childminding
Paul Hourston the Stonemason
The Craft Bar

And various private donors - you know who you are❤️

Graham💛

17/11/2025

Sitting here at 0.45 trying to settle my little and wondering if I will ever see my bed again, I was thinking about the week ahead, and how I really need to try and remember that parenting isn’t meant to look the same every day.

Some mornings the kids dance through the morning like wee angels, and other days you’re negotiating 20 clothes changes, unfinished breakfasts, and the kind of tantrum that makes you question every choice you’ve ever made.

However both kinds of days are normal. Both kinds of days happen to every family. And neither one says anything about your or my worth as a parent.

So as the school week begins, give yourself permission to breathe. To acknowledge that you’re allowed rough starts and messy moments, just as much as you’re allowed the calmer ones.

Whatever this week brings — clingy mornings, big feelings, quiet car journeys or bursts of joy — we”ll meet it with the same heart we always do.

And that’s more than enough.

Happy Monday
G. 💛

16/11/2025

🌿 Appointments Available Next Week

If you’ve been thinking about getting support for your child or young person, I’ve got a handful of spaces available next week for counselling and therapeutic sessions.

I specialise in working with children and young people who are struggling with big feelings, anxiety, low confidence, school stress, or just finding life a bit heavy right now. Sometimes they need a safe space to talk. Sometimes they need tools. Sometimes they just need someone steady who listens without judgement.

If that sounds like something your young person one might benefit from, you can book easily using the link below:

👉 https://brave-journeys.selectandbook.com

And please remember, I also have my Access for All Fund for anyone who might be finding the cost difficult at the moment. No explanations needed. Just support, when it’s needed.

If you’re unsure whether it’s the right time, feel free to drop me a message. I’m always happy to chat things through. 🌿

15/11/2025

Message of the Day

It’s Saturday.
And if you’re anything like me, you’re carrying a week’s worth of emotions on your shoulders — the things you powered through, the things you didn’t quite manage, and the things that are still waiting for you for to complete…

But here’s the truth I keep coming back to:
You’ve made it through every single tough moment so far.
Every wobble. Every doubt. Every “I’m not sure I can do this. Who the …… am I trying to kid!”
You’re still here. Still trying. Still showing up in your own imperfect, human way.

Today, let yourself breathe. Take a minute.
Let yourself be satisfied, maybe even proud….
Let yourself soften a little.

You don’t need to finish the week with a flourish — sometimes simply getting to the weekend is the win.

Be kind to yourself today.
You’ve earned it

G. ☺️

13/11/2025

✨ Personalised Bedtime Meditations for Kids ✨

A few days ago, I made a little bedtime meditation for my nearly 4-year-old, who sometimes struggles with big feelings and finding calm again.

She loved it — it helps her drift off to sleep while gently teaching her how to work through those big emotions in her own way. 💛

If you think your little one might benefit from something like this, I can record a personalised meditation just for them — with their name, favourite places, or special comforts woven in.

Just send me a message if you’d like me to make one for your child.

Here is one about a wee fox called Fina who has big feelings..
The story is focused on big feelings and how we can deal with them, also the importance of speaking to our adults when we feel these big feelings so they can help us..

As it is world kindness day have this for free.
I hope it helps your little one.

Shared with Dropbox

13/11/2025

🌍💛 World Kindness Day 💛🌍

Kindness has always been a benchmark I try to work from in everything I do, whether that’s been as a football coach, theatre director, counsellor, classroom
Assistant, bus driver, friend, colleague, husband and father.

It doesn’t take much.
It costs nothing.
But it’s absolutely priceless.

A kind word, a moment of patience, a bit of understanding…..these are the things that change days, lives, and sometimes even the course of someone’s story.

Let’s keep choosing kindness, today and every day.

13/11/2025

🌿 Therapy Room Available – Mondays at Thrive Ellon 🌿
Are you a therapist looking for a warm, inclusive, and inviting space to see your clients?

Our beautiful therapy room at Thrive ELLON is available on Mondays and is perfect for counsellors, psychotherapists, coaches, or other wellbeing practitioners looking for a supportive environment to grow their practice.

If you’d like to find out more or arrange a viewing, please get in touch with me at graham@bravejourneys.co.uk

Let’s make Thrive ELLON a place where more people can heal, connect, and grow.

13/11/2025

Brave Journeys – Today’s thoughts

As autumn fades and winter begins to settle in, everything starts to slow. The trees let go, the air get colder and damp, and the light changes.

It’s nature’s quiet reminder that slowing down isn’t failure — it’s part of the rhythm.

Some days you’ll feel strong and full of colour, like the last golden leaves holding on. Other days, you’ll feel bare and tired, just getting through. Both are okay. Both are needed. Both are normal.

Pause. Rest. Breathe. Let things fall away if they need to.

Both days count.
Both are part of the journey.

Healing, growing, or even just coping isn’t meant to look perfect — it’s meant to be real.
So today, whatever energy you’ve got, let that be enough.

You’re still moving forward, even if it’s one quiet step at a time.

Take care
Graham💛