The Clear Space

09/10/2025

02/10/2025

If you haven’t already, check out part 1 of this series. This post is an overview of my recent blog and you’ll find the full, more nuanced piece on my site.

Many of us ask ourselves “how can I feel better?” There isn’t one answer, but there are pillars of resilience that support us: optimism, acceptance, regulation, self-responsibility, relationships, and connection to something bigger.

This post is 2/3 and explores compassion and regulation.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Somatic Trauma Therapy, two approaches I use in my work, both emphasise mindfulness and acceptance. They teach us to make space for difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, while also staying connected to our values and moving toward a meaningful life.

Self compassion can play a huge part in this. According to Dr Kristin Neff, it rests on three pillars: self-kindness instead of harsh judgment, connection rather than isolation, and mindfulness instead of overthinking.

Notice your inner voice. Would you speak to someone you love the way you speak to yourself? If not, try reframing your words with more gentleness.

Practices like meditation and somatic movement or breath work support regulation. Neuroscience shows these approaches reduce stress, regulate the nervous system, and strengthen brain regions linked to resilience.

Connection also matters. Community doesn’t have to be large, it can start with one meaningful relationship. For those who are neurodivergent or marginalised, finding people who truly “get it” can be really validating. Belonging builds resilience.

You’ll find resources to explore these reflections more deeply on my site. And don’t forget to check out part 1. For a somatic practice to support nervous system stability, see my recent ‘feel your feet’ practice on my feed.

02/10/2025

OCTOBER’S ROOTED SELF
CONNECTION SESSION - link in bio

We are a part of nature, not separate from it but busy lives can leave us disconnected from the more-than-human world.

October’s journey includes nature and eco-therapy practices, meditation and somatics, exploring seasonal energies, reflection and community connection.
We’ll explore the external landscape and our inner ecosystem, connecting with gratitude for the ancestors of the land who came before us.

Join us and take a small step toward living seasonally with intention.

16th Oct at 6:45pm.
Birmingham Settlement, Edgbaston Reservoir

FIND YOUR BREATH
EXPLORE THE RHYTHMS OF AUTUMN
LET THE EARTH HOLD YOU

23/09/2025

HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY MENTAL HEALTH? | PART 1
Many of us ask, “how can I feel better?” There’s no single answer, but there are pillars of resilience that can support us: optimism, acceptance, regulation, self-responsibility, relationships and connection to something bigger.

This 3-part series will give a gentle overview of these pillars (toxic-positivity free…) For a deeper dive, head to my blog.
Today’s focus: accessibility in mental health + optimism.
Next up: acceptance + regulation.
Finally: self-responsibility, relationships + connection.

11/09/2025

Since the 1800s, human connection with nature has declined by over 60%, a loss The Guardian calls an “extinction of experience.” 

This disconnection is both a symptom of modern life and a root cause of the emotional, ecological, and societal crises we face.

Time in nature reduces stress, calms the nervous system, and builds resilience. But beyond science, we are nature — shaped by the same earth, water, air, and sunlight that sustain forests, rivers, and animals.

The Rooted Self Connection Sessions offer a gentle space to reconnect with the earth, ourselves, and each other through eco-therapy, mindfulness, meditation, somatic practice, reflection, folklore, and seasonal themes. At the heart of these sessions is reciprocity: exploring how we can connect in ways that give back to the living world and each other.

Join this monthly journey through nature. Find your breath, explore the rhythms of Autumn and let the Earth hold you.

Autumn sessions:
18th Sept / 16th Oct / 20th Nov
Birmingham Settlement, Edgbaston Reservoir

19/08/2025

A recent article by The Guardian shared that, since the 1800s, human connection with the natural world has fallen by over 60%. The fact that we are more disconnected from the natural world, and each other, is both a symptom of our modern way of living and a root cause of the emotional, ecological, and societal polycrisis that we now face. The article goes on to talk about an “extinction of experience” and that really spoke to me. I spend a lot of time in nature and in community and I’ve been feeling called to create a space where others can do the same. 

Neuroscience shows that time spent in the natural environment can reduce stress, calm the nervous system and support resilience. But, beyond the science, we are not separate from the natural world we are an integral part of it. Nature is a living, breathing thing and our bodies, minds, and spirits are shaped by the same earth, water, air and sunlight that nurture forests, rivers, and animals. 

The Rooted Connection Sessions offers a gentle space in Edgebaston, Birmingham to reconnect with the earth, the natural world, ourselves, and each other. We’ll be in a gorgeous natural space with woodland, permaculture against the backdrop of the reservoir, with a beautiful geodesic dome to shelter us in between explorations.

We’ll explore this through practices including eco and nature therapy, mindfulness and meditation, somatics and embodiment, along with invitations for reflection. At the heart of these sessions is a commitment to reciprocity with nature. How can we cultivate ways to connect that give back rather than take. We’ll also explore the energies and themes of each season, deepening our attunement to the natural cycles around us.

Where?
Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, 
Edgbaston Reservoir, 
79 Selwyn Road,
Birmingham, B16 0SL

When?
18/09/25
16/10/25
20/11/25

6:45pm - 8:15pm

Head to the link in my bio to book or to find out more.

07/08/2025

Recognise
Regulate
Reframe

The 3 Rs is a framework I explore with many of my counselling and therapy clients. It’s also a tool I use a lot to explore my experience. In many therapy styles recognising our patterns or the unhelpful thoughts that show up, then challenging or changing them, is an important tool. This process centres the idea that thoughts aren’t always facts.
There is a lot of truth in this but many of the things we struggle with when it comes to our mental health, like trauma, anxiety and depression, show up in the nervous system as well as the thinking brain.  

When we're dysregulated, our capacity to think clearly, reflect, or engage with new perspectives is impacted. We default to patterns, behaviours and stories that already exist. I came to work as a therapist, counsellor and wellbeing facilitator having extensively explored my own struggles and I’ve reflected a lot that, for me, understanding my nervous system was a huge piece of the puzzle. If, like me and a significant number of my clients, you’re Autistic and ADHD with an already sensitive nervous system this can be especially true. If we can find a tiny bit of safety in our bodies we can begin to challenge and shift our thoughts, patterns and the stories we tell ourselves that are no longer supportive. 

So what does the process of recognising, regulating and reframing look like? I’ve shared some examples and reflections over on my blog (link in bio). The post also includes a link to an article on the different nervous system states and how we might respond to them.

If you’d like to book a 121 to explore the 3 Rs in the context of your nervous system, drop me a message via my website.

29/07/2025

August's session will take place online, so you can join from the comfort of your own home. The session will be an invitation to pause. If you’ve found yourself caught up in the frenetic energy of summer, this will be an opportunity to surrender to a moment of stillness. What happens Where we’re not doing anything? When we’re not focussing our attention on anything other than stillness? When we’re relaxing into what is right here in front of us? As always, we’ll explore the energy of the season through guided meditation and journal prompts for reflection. Join me to create a space for a sacred pause. You can book via the events link in my bio.

04/07/2025

Today I want to reflect on the role of ritual, ceremony and rites of passage and how we can anchoring into intention to support our daily lives. There’s no getting away from the fact that the world seems to move increasingly quickly and I always used to be someone who could very easily find myself feeling ungrounded and unmoored. This still crops up from time to time, even as someone who’s done a lot of work to work out what factors contribute to this. For any of us, it can be easy to become disconnected from the present moment. 

One of the things I come back to over and over again, though, is ritual and ceremony as a way of cultivating balance and mindfulness. Rituals have been used across cultures for centuries, providing us with a sense of purpose, grounding, and a meaningful way to mark transitions in life.
Rituals don’t have to be complicated or elaborate; you can definitely find meaning by integrate simple rituals into your everyday life. Keep reading and I’ll share some gentle ideas for integrating more ritual and ceremony into your life, as a way of feeling more grounded, centred, and connected.

Rituals, however simple, can offer a deeper connection to ourselves, our values, and the world around us. In an ever changing world there is something beautifully supportive in returning to practices that help us to slow down and intentionally engage in the present. In moments of stillness we have an opportunity to reflect, reset, and realign. I’ve shared more reflections about this, along with suggestions for simple rituals and ceremonies over on my blog. Head to the link in my bio.

24/06/2025

July’s sound bath with be an invitation to connect with self-compassion from within. According to Dr Kristin Neff, a self compassion researcher, there are three main elements to self compassion; mindfulness, common humanity, and kindness. When we access and explore these elements, we can choose to honour ourselves and our experience, intentionally offering self compassion to ourselves in the way that we would offer it to a friend. After a guided meditation to explore self compassion and some seasonal reflections, we’ll transition to our sound bath. As the soothing tones of crystal singing bowls and koshi chimes wash over your body you’ll find a space to soften self-judgment, release tension and rest. Book via the events link in my bio.

20/06/2025

It’s the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere on the 21st June. Summer Solstice is a significant day that’s celebrated in many cultural traditions and it marks the pinnacle of the sun’s power, with the longest day and the shortest night. For our ancestors, the summer solstice would have been significant as it marked the culmination of the work to generate an abundant harvest. All of the toiling and hard work at the end of Winter and the start of Spring leads to now, when the earth is abundant with crops and we reap the rewards of our hard work.
We can hold this in mind as we journey through the Solstice. What have you brought into fruition so far this year? What have you been working towards? What is to be celebrated?

While this Solstice is a celebration of mid summer it also marks our decent into the dark half of the year. The days get shorter from this point onwards and we are called to look at the resources we’ll need to sustain us through the winter months.
In previous years I’ve reflected that the Solstice is one of favourite points of the year because I love the light, early morning sunrises, and balmy summer evenings that seem to last forever. That is still true but I’m realising that this abundance of light can lead me to push through my own need to go inward and rest.
The Sun card in Kim Krans’ Wild Unknown Alchemy deck talks about the sun never setting. It’s the Earth that pivots away from the sun. Perhaps sometimes we need to be more aware of when we need to pivot away from the sun, to listen to ourselves and to go inwards. As with all things, Solstice is all about finding the balance that we need internally and the balance between ourselves and external factors.

If you’d like to spend some time reflecting on the solstice and themes of life, the power of the sun, and growth head to my blog (link in bio) There you’ll find a post with journal prompts and a playlist that You can use for breathwork, journaling or movement-based practice.

17/06/2025

Being in therapy can feel like standing at the edge of a diving board; hopeful, but also a little terrifying. Often, we arrive at counselling or therapy during a difficult time. Many of my clients are grieving, navigating a health crisis, exploring aspects of identity, navigating Autism or ADHD, managing anxiety or depression or just feeling completely overwhelmed. I’ve been to therapy for many of those things myself and I know that however transformative therapy can be, it can also be really hard work.
Some clients come to therapy with a good understanding of why they feel the way they do. For others they might have no idea what’s contributed to them finding themselves where they are. Either way many clients who come to counselling or psychotherapy have reflected about the why. Even with that reflection it can be hard to know where to start.
The first thing to know is that you don’t need to have everything figured out to begin. A good place to start is simply by naming that uncertainty. Therapy isn’t about having everything figured out, it’s about showing up as you are. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, numb, or just curious about your inner world, a good therapist can help you gently explore what’s beneath the surface. Sometimes the first step is giving yourself permission to begin, even if you feel like you’re beginning in the dark.
Over on the blog (link in bio) I’ve shared some reflections about what might be going on for you, if you find yourself in a space where you don’t know where to start or where to go. This includes some questions for reflection and suggestions for what you could explore if what to explore feels unclear.