Heidi Bell Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnosis Practitioner

27/12/2025

What are you waiting for ?. Doing something now is better than waiting for the time to be right

21/12/2025

Take care of people managing HIGH FUNCTIONING DEPRESSION.

1. They get up, get dressed, go to work, and cry in silence when nobody’s watching.

2. They check on everybody else, but don’t feel safe or purpose in asking for help themselves.

3. Their smile is practiced, their “I’m fine” is automatic, their breakdowns are private.

4. They appear to be okay, give solid advice, and hold everybody down, but when the world gets quiet, their thoughts get loud.

5. You think they’re okay because they’re productive, but they only stay busy to avoid feeling anything.

6. High functioning depression doesn’t look like laziness, it looks like overworking, overthinking, and never resting.

7. They keep it together in public, but fall apart in the shower, in traffic, or right before bed.

8. Just because they don’t say “I’m struggling” doesn’t mean they’re not drowning inside.

9. They apologize for being “too much” when they’ve really just been holding too much in.

10. They make everyone feel better, but go home feeling empty.

So when someone says “check on your strong friends,” Don’t just repost it. Do it. Because the ones who always say “I got it” are usually the ones who don’t. They suffer in silence. They laugh through pain. And they master how to function when they’re barely holding on.

A simple 'How are you, really?' can save a life.

16/12/2025

So many people tell me as they get older how they hate Christmas. It not the joyful childhood dream they were sold.....but

Turns out, we don’t hate Christmas.

We hate dysregulation.

I hate:

• Overwhelm disguised as “festive”

• People-pleasing disguised as “family time”

• Overstimulation disguised as “fun”

• Awkward small talk disguised as “connection”

• Excessive materialism disguised as “love”

• My safe space being invaded “just for a few days”

• Clutter that leaves my nervous system nowhere to rest

• Being expected to perform joy on demand

I only realised recently that this is a neurodivergent nervous system thing.

Christmas isn’t stressful because you’re ungrateful.

It’s stressful because it removes choice, control, routine, and sensory safety.

The very things your nervous system relies on to feel calm.

And for many neurodivergent people,
“tradition” = obligation....and obligation without agency is experienced by the body as threat.

So when you feel irritable, exhausted, flat, or shut down…you're not a grinch, that’s not a character flaw.
That’s your nervous system saying:
“THIS IS TOO MUCH”

You don’t need to learn how to tolerate Christmas better.

You need permission to stop betraying yourself for the comfort of others.

You are allowed to want:

• Less noise

• Fewer people

• Shorter visits

• Clear exit plans

• Fewer gifts (or none at all)

• Clean, calm, predictable spaces

• Depth instead of performance

You’re allowed to grieve the version of Christmas you were told you should love.

And you’re allowed to create one that actually feels safe.

Peace is not laziness.

Boundaries are not selfish.

Rest is not a failure of gratitude.

If this hit something in you, it’s not because you’re “negative.”

It’s because something finally made sense.

You’re not broken.

You’re regulation-seeking in a world that mistakes chaos for connection.

And that awareness?

That’s the real gift.

15/12/2025

Studies exploring music and physiology have found that singing can dramatically increase levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), a frontline immune antibody that protects the body’s airways and digestive tract. This antibody plays a crucial role in neutralizing pathogens before they enter deeper tissues.

The research shows that singing triggers a stronger immune response than simply listening to music or resting. Scientists believe this is because singing combines emotional expression, controlled breathing, and physical resonance, all of which influence immune-regulating hormones.

One key factor is stress reduction. When people sing, cortisol levels often drop, allowing immune function to rebound. Stress is known to suppress SIgA, so lowering it naturally boosts the body’s first line of defense.

Singing also activates the vagus nerve, which is essential for calming the nervous system and maintaining balance between stress and recovery states. A more regulated vagus response has been linked to stronger immunity and better overall health.

Researchers are now studying whether singing in groups—such as choirs—amplifies these benefits even further, thanks to synchronized breathing and emotional connection. Early findings suggest group singing may enhance both mood and immune resilience.

09/12/2025

Where Does the Lymph Go After Drainage?

Your Body’s Hidden Detox Highway!

Ever wondered what actually happens to the lymph after your MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) Where does all that puffiness and extra fluid go? Let’s take a journey through your body’s magical drainage map—because the flow doesn’t stop at your skin!

First Things First—What IS Lymph?

Lymph is a clear-ish fluid filled with:
• Water
• Proteins
• Cellular waste
• Immune cells
• Bacteria, viruses, and toxins

It’s like your body’s wastewater, and your lymphatic system is the plumbing network designed to collect it from your tissues and send it packing!

The Drainage Route (The Fun Part!)

After you stimulate your lymphatic system (through MLD, exercise, rebounding, or infrared saunas), here’s what happens step-by-step:

1. Tissues → Lymph Capillaries
Lymph fluid is collected from between your cells (where waste builds up). Think of this as your body picking up trash from every neighborhood.

2. Lymph Capillaries → Collecting Vessels
These vessels have valves to push lymph forward (like a one-way street!). They move it toward central lymph nodes.

3. Nodes → Filter Party!
Lymph passes through lymph nodes, where it gets filtered. Immune cells here attack bacteria, viruses, and debris.
It’s like your lymph goes through a security checkpoint!

4. Cleaned Lymph → Ducts
Filtered lymph travels to the thoracic duct (left side of your neck) or right lymphatic duct—the final stop before exiting!

5. Ducts → Subclavian Vein
Here’s the magic moment!
The ducts drain the lymph directly into your bloodstream, at the base of your neck, where the subclavian vein lives.

6. Bloodstream → Kidneys + Liver
Now the filtered lymph becomes part of your circulating blood. From here:
• Kidneys filter out water-soluble waste → p*e it out!
• Liver handles fat-soluble toxins and waste → p**p it out!

And voilà!
Your lymph just became waste… and left your body.
Flush complete!

That’s Why You Might Notice…
• More p*eing after a session
• Increased bowel movements
• Feeling thirsty
• Fatigue (your body is processing the detox!)
• Reduced swelling or puffiness

So YES—you’re not imagining it. The flush is real.

Fun Lymphie Facts:
• You have 500–700 lymph nodes in your body!
• The thoracic duct drains around 75% of your lymph!
• Your lymphatic system can move 1.5–3 liters of lymph per day with the right support!
• No heart? No pump! The lymph system depends on movement, breath, and pressure (that’s why you NEED to move!).

Support the Flush:
• Hydrate (lymph is mostly water!)
• Move daily (walking, rebounding, stretching)
• Breathe deep (diaphragmatic breathing helps move lymph!)
• Massage & MLD
• Eat clean (to reduce toxin load)

So, Where Does It Go?

In simple terms:
Lymph → Blood → Kidneys/Liver → Toilet!
Your body is brilliant. And your lymphatic system? Even more so.

So the next time you finish your session and head to the loo—give a little thanks to the silent flow keeping going

References / Research Links:
• Cleveland Clinic – Lymphatic System Overview
• NCBI – Physiology of the Lymphatic System
• Lymphatic Research and Biology Journal

Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.

Why not book yourself in for the gift your body needs ( 60 min treatment £60 )
Also available to use as a gift voucher.

23/11/2025

You cannot yawn & have a panic attack at the same time. Yawning works better than meds. Force 3 massive yawns to reset anxiety.

22/11/2025

22/11/2025

Studies show that a loving hug or cuddle can have powerful emotional and physical benefits. Gentle, caring touch supports mood, reduces stress, and helps the body shift into a calmer state.

Emotional Well-Being
Hugging triggers the release of oxytocin often called the “bonding hormone” which promotes feelings of trust, safety, and connection. It also boosts serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitters linked to improved mood and emotional balance. At the same time, physical touch helps lower cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, encouraging a sense of peace and relaxation.

Nervous System Support
Hugs activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping slow the heart rate, ease muscle tension, and promote a “rest and restore” state. This soothing response plays a meaningful role in easing feelings of anxiety and emotional overwhelm.

Immune Support
Because stress can weaken the immune system, reducing cortisol through positive touch may help the body stay more resilient. Some studies even suggest that people who receive regular social support including hugs tend to experience fewer or milder cold symptoms when exposed to common viruses.

A simple hug may seem small, but its impact on connection, comfort, and well-being is surprisingly powerful.

17/11/2025

Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, often used what he called the “Five Whys” rule. Whenever he faced confusion or a difficult decision, he would ask himself “why?”...five times in a row. By the fifth answer, the real truth always came out.

Most people never get past the first why.
Because the first why is comfortable.
The fifth one?
That’s where the excuses die.

Let’s say you suddenly decide you need a luxury coat.

Looks nice.
Feels nice.
Expensive enough to make you feel… something.

But let’s apply Toyoda’s rule:

First Why: Why do I want this coat?
Because I want to impress people.

Second Why: Why do I want to impress people?
Because I want them to notice me.

Third Why: Why do I need people to notice me?
Because I feel insecure.

Fourth Why: Why do I feel insecure?
Because I haven’t achieved what I want yet. I feel stuck.

Fifth Why: Why haven’t I achieved what I want?
Because I’m doing something I don’t actually love.

Now ask yourself…
What does that coat really have to do with it?

This is the part people avoid.
The part you can’t buy your way out of.
The part that stings… because it’s real.

Sakichi Toyoda said the fifth why reveals the root cause —
the truth underneath the distractions, the impulse purchases, the little lies we tell ourselves.

The fifth “because” shines a light on what we don’t want to admit:
That sometimes we chase things not because we want them…
but because we’re trying to avoid something else.

And here’s the sneaky part:
It’s not just about coats.
It’s about every area of your life.

Why are you scrolling?
Why are you procrastinating?
Why are you “busy” but not moving?
Why are you jealous of someone else’s win?
Why do you feel behind?

If you ask why long enough…
You eventually hit the truth you’ve been running from.

Not the obvious truth.
The real one.

The one that if acknowledged, can actually change your life.

Try it today.
Pick something you’re avoiding, wanting, craving, or overthinking…
and ask yourself “why?” five times.

You might not like what you discover.
But you will finally see what needs to happen next.

That’s the power of the fifth why.

11/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17HGYdMebA/

Workplaces remember how you act and not just what you achieve.

Every decision, every reaction, every word you choose leaves a mark on the culture around you.

Because leadership isn't defined by authority.

It's defined by how your actions impact others when no one's watching.

The truth is, every shortcut, every act of ego, every moment of disrespect eventually circles back.

You don't build trust by being perfect.

You build it by being consistent.

In the end, your actions either strengthen the bridge or break it beneath you.

Let's build places where accountability is shared, and integrity comes first.

06/11/2025

Christmas is only 7 weeks away, but instead of worrying abouts going under the tree, let's take a moment to be grateful for who's still sitting around it.