Songbird Coaching & Support Services

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🎓Teacher, SENDCo and Deputy Head 20+yrs
🧠Specialist Mental Health Lead
🚸Qualified Child & Teen Mental Health Coach

✨Providing a safe space for children & teens to develop the mental health skills they need to T H R I V E ✨

12/01/2026

Fears, worries, anxieties..🧠

I received this message from a parent yesterday, and wanted to share it. Not because of the praise, but because of what it says about the young person I worked with. After just one session, this young person left feeling empowered, motivated and knowledgeable about the science behind fears.

Fears aren’t just “phases” to get through. They are opportunities to learn how our magnificent brains actually work and when we understand that we are the boss of our own brain, our fears lose their power. We stop feeling “scared” and start feeling control.

🧠 The Root Cause: We look past the behaviour to see what the brain is trying to protect us from.
🧠 The Storyteller: We learn that fears are often just “stories” our brains create to keep us safe. The brain is doing its job, but sometimes it gets the story wrong!
🧠 Who’s the Boss? We explore brain plasticity - the amazing fact that we can “rewire” our thoughts. We talk about who is really in control (Spoiler: It’s them!). 🧠 Visualising Success: We create physical tools, like posters and drawings, to turn “limiting beliefs” into “brave truths.”

Whether it’s a one-off session to tackle a specific hurdle or longer-term support to build emotional resilience, my goal is always the same: to give children & young adults a toolkit they can use for the rest of their lives. This way, if a new “scary story” pops up in the future, they won’t feel defeated. They’ll just know it’s time to pick up their tools and start rewriting. ✍️✨

childhoodanxiety

07/01/2026

The first week back is never just about the school run. 🎒

If your child is feeling sluggish, “bored,” or having bigger-than-usual emotions, there’s a biological reason for it.

Over the holidays, their brains (and ours) were flooded with stimulation (Dopamine) and connection (Oxytocin). Transitioning back to a structured school routine in the dark UK winter can feel like a “chemical crash.”

They don’t just need a new pencil case; they need a Neuro-Reset. 🧠✨

In this carousel, I’ve broken down the 4 key “Happy Hormones” and 24 simple, non-food ways to boost them. These aren’t just “nice to dos”—they are biological tools to help your child: ✅ Stay motivated (Dopamine) ✅ Regulate their mood (Serotonin) ✅ Feel safe and secure (Oxytocin) ✅ Shake off school stress (Endorphins)

Parent Tip: You cannot pour from an empty cup ☕️These work for adult brains, too! Which one of these could you “pack” for your family today? 🎒

06/01/2026

The “first week back” is often a collision of reality and expectation.

📆 While the calendars say we are back to work and the children are back at school, the mental transition from the festive period to the rigid demands of January is rarely instantaneous. We are all currently navigating the return to high-pressure environments, the revival of extracurricular clubs, the return of juggling work life with home life responsibilities and the sudden shift back into routines.

To support a child or young person to navigate their own challenges, anxiety’s, stressors or emotions, I must provide my full mental and emotional capacity.

🏃🏼‍♀️If I am rushing to catch up with the chaos of the first week back, I am not giving my children/teens the version of me they deserve and so I take this week to:

🧠Regulate: Settle back into my own professional rhythm so I can be the “calm” in my’ storms.
📔Prepare: Reviewing notes and tailored strategies for the year ahead.
✨Model the Work: I cannot coach boundaries and self-care if I am not willing to honor them myself.

I am so looking forward to welcoming back my returning families and beginning the journey with lots of new families joining this term.

My coaching doors reopen January 12th 2026. See you all next week, fully recharged and ready to go! 💪🏼✨

03/01/2026

The calendar changed, but you don’t have to. 🗓️✨

There is a lot of pressure right now to “rebrand” ourselves just because it’s January. But as a CAMH coach, I’m here to remind you: A new year does not mean a “New You.”

The “New You” mindset often stems from the idea that who we were last year wasn’t enough. That’s a heavy burden for any person to carry, especially a child or teen.

Instead of a total overhaul, let’s look at the New Year for what it actually is: A natural point to check your roadmap. 🗺️ Growth isn’t about becoming a different person; it’s about adding to the person you already are. We don’t need a “New You,” we need:

• 🎯 New Goals: Defining what you want to achieve next.

• 🛠️ New Skills: Identifying the tools you need to handle life’s challenges.

• 🕯️ Core Values: Staying rooted in what matters most to you.

• 🌊 New Experiences: Opening up to moments that help you evolve.

Let’s protect our mental health by choosing evolution over reinvention.

👉🏼Swipe for some thought provoking questions to help you define your 2026 roadmap!

31/12/2025

Why I’m “Interviewing” My Kids This New Year’s Eve 🎤🧠

Reflection isn’t just for corporate performance reviews or New Year’s resolutions—it’s a superpower for our kids!

In the coaching cycle, the Review & Reflect stage is where the magic happens. By asking our children & young people to look back at their year, we are helping them build metacognition—the ability to think about their own thinking & is the bridge between simply having an experience & actually learning from it. 🧠

Why does this matter? When children reflect on their “wins” and their “tricky moments,” they aren’t just telling stories; they are strengthening the neural pathways in their prefrontal cortex. This is the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, problem-solving, & self-awareness.

When we help our children visualise a “Brave Thing” or a “Magic Word” for 2026, we are engaging the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS). This acts like a filter, helping their brains notice opportunities that align with their goals. Research shows that the act of considering and naming a goal increases neuroplasticity, making the brain more flexible & resilient when facing future challenges.

By adding questions about colours and body sensations (Emotional Literacy), we help them move from “big, scary feelings” to “nameable, manageable feelings.”

This isn’t just an interview; it’s a toolkit for their mental well-being. It teaches them that they have the agency to grow, the resilience to bounce back, & the vocabulary to understand their own hearts.

Try it! Swipe left for the list of questions I’m using with my children today. Let’s help them start 2026 feeling seen, heard, and ready for adventure! ✨

30/12/2025

2025 ✨You will always be an unforgettable year for me.

Looking back at these photos, I’m struck by the contrast of the last twelve months. This year has been defined by some incredible highs—opening my new coaching business, 40th birthday bucket list experiences, travel & qualifying as a CAMH coach. But it was also marked by significant lows, from the loss of my Gramps, having to delay qualifying, broken bones and setbacks that come with a busy, full life.

But what I’m taking away from it all is that without the lows, we’d never truly value the highs. While our comfort zone feels safe, it isn’t where we evolve. Real growth requires us to step out and embrace the challenges, even when they’re uncomfortable. “Growth doesn’t come from staying in my comfort zone” is officially my mantra for 2026 and I can’t wait to push myself personally and professionally to achieve the goals ive set out for this next year and share them all with you.

The last 12 months would have never looked like this without your trust and support.

Thank you for being a part of it! ✨

25/12/2025

While this season is often filled with excitement, it can also be a lot for young nervous systems to process.

As we move through the festivities, here are a few gentle ways to support your child’s mental wellbeing (and your own):

🎄Co-regulation over expectations: If the excitement leads to big emotions or “acting out”, remember it’s often just a sign of an overstimulated brain. They don’t need more discipline in those moments; they need your calm to help them reset.

🎄Keep the “Anchors”: Amidst the travel and the parties, try to keep one or two small daily rhythms the same—like a bedtime story or a familiar breakfast. These small anchors provide a sense of safety when everything else feels different.

🎄The Gift of “Nothing”: Build in some intentional downtime. A “pyjama morning” or a quiet hour with no expectations can be the best antidote to holiday burnout.

🎄Validate the “Not-so-jolly” feelings: It’s okay if they feel overwhelmed, shy around relatives, or even sad. Letting them know that all feelings are welcome—even at Christmas—takes the pressure off having to “perform” happiness.

And a reminder for parents: You are the engine that makes the magic happen, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. Your mental health is the foundation of your family’s wellbeing. Give yourself the same grace you give your children today.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🤍

23/12/2025

Festive reflections & a heart full of gratitude✨

I started this practice to bridge the gap between school and external services, and thanks to your incredible support, I’m heading into 2026 with a full heart and diary and so much excitement for what’s next.

Thank you for every recommendation and for trusting me with your children’s wellbeing. It truly means the world.

I’m off to enjoy some magic with my own family now. See you for Chapter 2026! 🥂

14/12/2025

The goal of coaching isn’t to be needed forever; it’s to build independence. 🌱

Today’s parent meeting was a special one. As we come to the end of my sessions with this young person, its all about summarising the wins, reviewing the strategies that have worked and to make sure parents feel confident supporting their child solo.

It’s bittersweet to close a chapter, but seeing parents ready to take the wheel is the best part of this job - you’ve got this! ✨

17/11/2025

Regulation isn’t just about stopping big emotions; it’s about giving your child the tools to navigate them and the beautiful truth is, you are your child’s first and best regulation tool! ✨

As a child and adolescent mental health coach, I see the huge relief parents feel when they shift from feeling like a referee to a co-regulator.

I’ve put together 6 practical, daily tips that can help shift your home from chaos to calm. These aren’t complicated tricks—they’re simple shifts in how you connect. 🤝

👉 Swipe to see the tips and start building better regulation skills today!

#̭parentingtips

09/11/2025

Nurturing a positive mindset is the foundation of resilience at any age. ✨

This week in a 1:1 session, I introduced a personalised Inner Coach Diary, a fun and simple way to listen in on our own minds.

The journal tracks two vital voices: the Negative Inner Critic and the supportive Inner Coach (aka our Brain Bestie! 🤗).

The Key to Shifting Thought Patterns:
🧠Observe the Critic: When we acknowledge those negative thoughts, we can start to rationalise them. We create space between the thought and the reaction.

🧠Amplify the Coach: By consciously recording the supportive thoughts, we help them become more subconscious and more likely, the automatic voice in the background.

It’s not about silencing the critic, but about strengthening the coach. This is how we build true resilience and step into our full potential, and this is somethig we can all do, whether we’re 8 or 48.

💭Take a moment to check in today. Which voice has been louder in your mind? Your Inner Coach or your Inner Critic? 💪🏼😕

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Bedford

Website

http://songbirdcoachingandsupport.com/

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