Borders & Northumberland Counselling Support

01/03/2026

Today is Self-Harm Awareness day, a day to raise awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking around self-harm. The 2026 theme is "Connection Is Coping: Finding Support Together", highlighting the importance of connection rather than isolation when facing challenges in our lives.

People are often quick to judge self-harming behaviour, sometimes viewing it as 'attention seeking'. In fact, self harm is a coping mechanism and a way to manage intense and overwhelming emotions.

But the shame felt around self-harm often leads to secrecy, hiding the behaviour and becoming isolated, when in fact human connection can reduce isolation and open the door to healing.

Self-harm can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background. There's no single cause - it may be as a result of bullying, pressure from work or school, relationship issues, family conflict, low self-esteem, depression, identity struggles, abuse... or any emotionally distressing and challenging situation.

If you or someone you know self-harms, please think about reaching out for support, either to a trusted friend or family member or to a professional who can support you. You deserve care, respect and understanding and connection helps us regulate, ground and heal. Reaching out isn't weakness - it's strength.

25/02/2026

Well said Positively Present - this is so true! I am always reminding my clients - and myself - that we are all "works in progress". It's not a race and there is not rush - just try to enjoy the journey and learn from each step.

No need to rush. 🧡 In time, you’ll change and grow and learn and find exactly who you’re meant to me.

23/02/2026

Resilience - what exactly is it? It has been described as "the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, or significant sources of stress" - but being resilient doesn't mean you have a life without challenges, where you don't experience pain or distress, grief or loss. Rather it is about having the courage to keep going, one step at a time, no matter how difficult this may be.

Just like the tree in this picture, which has grown in a way to withstand the wind, reshaping itself so that it survives the storms., when we are resilient we are able to recover from adversity, adapt to unexpected changes and learn from our experiences.

Sometimes, of course, our resilience can dip - especially if we have to get through a number of tough situations in quick succession, or are experiencing ongoing stress. But we can build and maintain our resilience by accepting change even when we haven't chosen it, build and foster strong connections with others who are supportive of us, focus on physical and mental wellness, work on having a positive mindset, be as compassionate towards ourselves as we are to our loved ones, and if needs be, reach out for support.

12/02/2026

The theme of this year's Children's Mental Health week "This is My Place", is all about having a sense of belonging, feeling a valued part of the groups or places that are important to us.

Growing up can bring many challenges so it's important that children and young people are able to have a place, or places, where they feel cared for and comfortable enough to be themselves.

Counselling can help young people to explore what or where is "their place", supporting them in developing confidence and resilience so they are better able to thrive.

09/02/2026

Today marks the start of Children's Mental Health Week, which runs until 15th February. The awareness week was started back in 2015 by with the aim of "empowering, equipping and giving a voice to every child in the UK"

This year the theme is "This is Our Place", encouraging self-acceptance and belonging, and encouraging the creation of inclusive and nurturing environments for chiildren and young people.

Place2Be

05/02/2026

Yay - it's Time to Talk Day!

Every year Mind runs Time to Talk Day, described as being "the nation's biggest mental health conversation. A chance to listen, share, and talk about what really matters." Whether you're talking to friends, family, colleagues or employees, make today the day to start a conversation about mental health.

By talking openly - and in a safe environment - about mental health, you can help increase awareness, understanding and knowledge and reduce the stigma around the subject of mental health. Wouldn't this be so helpful for ourselves and those around us if we could talk openly about this topic, just as we do about our favourite TV series or music.

So on Time to Talk Day, make it a priority to stop and have a cuppa and a chat with a colleague, friend or someone in your family, and check in about their - and your - mental wellbeing.

01/02/2026

Today is Imbolc - marking the passing of winter and the return of spring. It falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and celebrates the Celtic goddess Brigid - the goddess of inspiration and creativity.

Whilst we haven't quite left winter behind, I find the transition into February more hopeful than the "new year" we celebrate on 1st January. The earth and nature are reawakening, as daylight hours are increasing and there are signs that spring is drawing nearer. Snowdrops, such brave little flowers, are standing tall andproud, and green shoots from other spring bulbs are peeking through the ground. Some early buds can be seen in the hedgerows, and the morning birdsong seems to hold a sense of anticipation and excitement.

If this winter has felt long and arduous for you, take heart in the fact that nature is showing us it will soon come to an end, and warmer, brighter times are approaching.

27/01/2026

The things that life throws at us as we move through childhood, adolescence and adulthood do, very often, change us. In fact I'd say that everything that has happened to us brings us to where we are now, at this moment, and that If things had been different, we might be in a different place.

Coming to terms with what has happened can be challenging. But it doesn't have to define us, and it should not mean that we feel 'less than', or not good enough. We shouldn't be afraid to take up the space that is ours. We should stand tall and be proud to be who we are. We CAN choose not to be reduced by what has happened to us.

19/01/2026

You may see and hear lots about "blue Monday" today. It falls on the third Monday in January and is reputedly the most depressing day of the year.

BUT DID YOU KNOW ?? Blue Monday is a concept which originates from a marketing campaign run by a travel company back in 2004, with the aim of increasing holiday sales.

So let's scrap the idea and instead subscribe to the Samaritans "Brew Monday", a day to remind ourselves how good human connection feels, and what a difference it can make. Because we don't just experience low mood on the third Monday in January - it can be on any day (or night) of the year!

So today, and on any other day you choose, why not reach out, check in and connect - or reconnect - with a friend or colleague. Share a cuppa and have a catch up - you don't know what a difference this might make.

12/01/2026

It's been a VERY icy cold week and weekend here 🥶 And it's easy to begin to feel really fed up or inconvenienced when we have to keep turning up the heating, don loads of layers to go outside, defrost the car, etc etc. (All very first world problems!)

So it's worth continuing to reflect on the process of what winter is about and how we navigate it. This quote from Katherine May's book "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times" ** sums this up perfectly.

There are certainly beautiful things to see in wintertime, and it is indeed a time for "slow replenishment". When we slow down, we are more able to notice those beautiful things and tune into what we actually need to do to nurture ourselves.

**If you haven't read this book I would highly recommend!

07/01/2026

As schools go back and everyone returns to their busy lives, I feel it's important to remind ourselves that we are still firmly in mid-winter.

And if, instead of living by the Gregorian calendar, we tuned in with nature, we'd not be putting pressure on ourselves to make "new year resolutions" and fighting feelings of sluggishness or low energy.

In January it's dark, cold, and a time when nature rests and regenerates. We too should be resting, sleeping and generally taking things easy.

So instead of pushing yourself to do more, consider taking January as a time of reflection and restoration, a preparation for when spring comes, light returns, the natural world once again comes to life. You may find that then you naturally begin to feel more refreshed and energised.

01/01/2026

These words from are exactly the message I am sending to everyone. Happy New Year!
#2026 ❤️