Asense Therapy - Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy

22/08/2025

✨ Shifting Your Focus in 2 Minutes ✨

Last time, I talked about the principle “energy flows where attention goes.” But how do we actually begin to redirect our focus when life feels heavy or overwhelming?

Here’s a simple 2 minute exercise you can try anytime:

Pause & notice - Take a moment to become aware of what you’ve been focusing on today. Is it uplifting or draining?

Gently re-focus - Choose one small thing you feel grateful for right now: a warm drink, a smile, fresh air.

Breathe into it - Close your eyes, take a few slow breaths, and really let yourself feel that sense of gratitude.

💡 It only takes a couple of minutes, but these little shifts, repeated often, begin to re-train your mind to notice more of what nourishes you, and less of what drains you.

🌱 Remember: every thought is a seed. Today, choose one that feels good to water.

20/08/2025

✨ Energy Flows Where Attention Goes ✨

Have you ever noticed that the more you focus on something, the bigger it feels in your life?
When we put our attention on worries, frustrations or what we don’t want, we can unintentionally feed them, giving them more space and energy than they deserve.

But the same works in a positive way too.
When we gently shift our focus towards what is working, what brings us peace, or the small steps we can take, we begin to nurture growth, resilience and calm.

This isn’t about pretending everything is perfect, life brings challenges. It’s about recognising where we place our attention, because that’s what shapes how we feel and respond.

Every thought is a seed. 🌱 The question is: what would you like to grow?

11/08/2025

Hello Monday, 🌼

A new week is like a fresh page and you get to decide what you will write on it.

You don't need to feel completely ready or have everything mapped out. Start with one small action that feels good and let it set the tone for the days ahead.

This week, remember:
✨ You are capable of more than you think.
✨ Challenges can be opportunities to grow.
✨ Every day is a chance to choose calm, kindness and joy.

Take a deep breath, step into your week and know that you have got this! 💛

19/06/2025

🌟 Come and Say Hello at Shop on the Cobbles

This Sunday, I’ll be at Shop on the Cobbles — a lovely community event right in the centre of Aylesbury, featuring a wonderful array of stalls from fantastic local businesses. 💛

I’ll be there sharing how I support people with anxiety, stress, confidence issues, phobias, and more.

I’ll also have a selection of lovely things for sale — a feel-good mix of wellbeing inspiration, shiny accessories, and stylish finishing touches to help you feel good, inside and out. ✨

If you’re in the area, pop by, have a browse and say hello – I’d love to see you!

21/05/2025

Sometimes we feel like we need to be more - more confident, more productive, more sorted - especially when life feels busy or overwhelming.

But this one daisy, in the middle of a field is a reminder that:

You don’t have to do anything extraordinary to have value.

You don’t have to bloom the loudest or brightest to make an impact.

And you don’t need to rush to keep up with anyone else.

Just by being here - as you are, in your own time - you’re enough.

So if today feels a little full, or you’re doubting yourself, take this as a gentle reminder:

Your presence matters.

Your pace is allowed.

And small, quiet things can be powerful too.🌿

11/05/2025

Anxiety has a secret job list.
It’s full of invisible tasks like overthinking, people-pleasing, and preparing for things that might never happen — and you’re expected to carry it all while looking “fine.”

If you’re exhausted and can’t figure out why… this might be why.

In my latest article, I’m sharing gentle, therapist-backed ways to start lightening the load — one small shift at a time. 🌱

📰 Read: “Anxiety’s Secret Job List: How to Lighten the Load”
📍

By Marie Liddiard, Clinical Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist | Asense Therapy, BuckinghamshireAnxiety doesn’t always make itself obvious. It’s not always panic attacks or visible distress. For many people, anxiety is quiet and constant.It’s the second-guessing. The mental planning. The pressur...

10/05/2025

🌿Anxiety’s Secret Job List 🌿

Anxiety isn’t always obvious.

Sometimes it’s the invisible work happening behind the scenes every single day:

✨ Checking… then checking again.
✨ Rehearsing conversations before they happen.
✨ Planning for every possible outcome — just in case.
✨ Smiling while your mind spins at 100mph.
✨ Saying yes, even when you want to say no.
✨ Worrying you’ve done something wrong… when you haven’t.

It’s exhausting. And often, it’s hidden beneath a brave face.

But this kind of silent struggle is more common than you might think — and it deserves kindness, not judgment.

With the right support, you can learn to soften the load, quieten the noise, and feel more in control of your inner world.

💬 If you’d like to chat about how I can help, feel free to message me in confidence.

You deserve peace — not pressure. 💛

24/04/2025

🌙 3 Things That Help Your Brain Switch Off at Night

Struggling to fall asleep, even when you’re exhausted?

You’re definitely not alone. One of the most common things I hear from clients is:

“I’m so tired… but as soon as I get into bed, my brain just won’t stop.”

That’s often because your nervous system is still in ‘go mode’ — and your brain hasn’t been given a proper signal that it’s safe to relax.

Here are 3 gentle things that can help your brain switch off more easily at night:

1️⃣ Create a buffer zone before bed
Give yourself 30–60 minutes to wind down if you can.
That means stepping away from screens, avoiding anything too stimulating (even certain conversations), and doing something that helps you slow down — like reading or just pottering around quietly.

🧠 Think of it as telling your brain: “We’re done for the day now.”

2️⃣ Focus on your exhale
When we’re stressed or busy, our breathing becomes short and shallow — which keeps the body in a state of alert.

Try this breathing technique: ✨ Inhale for 4 seconds
✨ Hold for 2 seconds
✨ Exhale gently for 6 seconds
Repeat a few rounds and notice how your body starts to settle.

3️⃣ Write it down, don’t hold it in
If your mind is spinning with thoughts, worries, or to-do lists — try doing a quick brain dump before bed.

Set a timer for 5 minutes and write whatever’s on your mind. No structure, no pressure to make sense of it.

🖊️ Getting it out of your head helps your brain stop looping those same thoughts over and over during the night.

💛 These are the kind of simple, powerful tools I often bring into therapy sessions to help clients reduce stress, sleep better, and feel more in control of their wellbeing.

If sleep has been a struggle lately, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to just put up with it.

Feel free to reach out if you’d like to explore what might be getting in the way of rest for you.

Sweet dreams (hopefully!) x

22/04/2025

Ever find yourself exhausted all day… but wide awake the moment your head hits the pillow?

Or waking at 3am, mind racing, unable to switch off?

You’re not alone – and it’s not just poor sleep habits. Often, it’s stress.

When your nervous system is in a constant state of alert – even low-level – it’s hard for your body to fully relax into sleep.

You might feel tired, but your mind is still on high alert, scanning for “what ifs”.

🧠 That’s the stress response doing exactly what it was designed to do: keep you safe.

But here’s the good news – your body and mind can relearn how to feel safe enough to truly rest.

✨ Gentle nervous system regulation techniques (like breathing, grounding, guided imagery and subconscious work) can help shift your body out of fight-or-flight, so sleep becomes easier and more natural.

In therapy, I support clients to move from “wired and restless” to calm, settled and able to switch off again.

💛 If sleep has been a struggle lately, stress might be playing a bigger role than you realise – and you don’t have to just put up with it.

I’m here to help if you’d like to explore what’s going on underneath.

18/04/2025

🌷✨ Wishing You a Happy Easter Weekend! 🐣🌞

Here’s to slowing down, soaking up the signs of spring, and giving yourself a little space to breathe.

Whether you’re spending time with loved ones, enjoying some quiet moments outdoors, or simply doing whatever helps you feel more like you—I hope this long weekend brings you calm, joy, and a gentle reset.

Remember, rest isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. And if life’s felt a bit full lately, this could be the perfect moment to pause and realign. 🌿

Wishing you a lovely, and restorative Easter break.
And if you feel like you could use a little extra support afterwards, I’m just a message away.

Warmest wishes,
Marie x

15/04/2025

Sometimes, stress isn’t just about what’s happening around us.
It’s about who we believe we have to be in order to feel safe, accepted, or “enough.”

Maybe you’ll recognise these:

🔹 The achiever who’s always striving
🔹 The helper who never says no
🔹 The perfectionist chasing “just right”
🔹 The peacemaker avoiding waves at all costs

These roles often form early in life — shaped by love, fear, or the need to survive.
They once helped you feel safe — a way to belong, to cope, to succeed.
But over time, they can start to feel like cages — confining, limiting, and quietly draining.

And here’s the thing:
Holding onto an outdated identity can be just as exhausting as a packed diary.

💭 What if your stress isn’t something to fix — but a message from within, gently asking for change?

Because the truth is:
The stress you're feeling might not be a flaw.
It could be your inner self letting you know it’s time to break free — to step beyond the roles that no longer reflect who you really are.

If you’ve been quietly exhausted from trying to hold it all together, please know you're not alone.

I'm here to support you, and you're welcome to reach out for a free, no-obligation initial consultation.

10/04/2025

🌿 Stress Tip: Try asking yourself — “What is this stress protecting me from?”

Instead of pushing stress away, pause and get curious.

Is it trying to protect you from:

Disappointing someone?

Failing at something that matters?

Feeling emotions you've had to avoid?

✨ Stress often shows up as a protector — especially when there's something deeper we haven't been able to face yet.
The goal isn’t to fight it, but to gently understand what it’s trying to keep you safe from.

When we work with stress, not against it, healing becomes possible.