Frey Case Counselling

30/05/2025

AI is beginning to transform daily life. Some people even find it helpful for emotional support.

But could relying on it in this way end up holding you back?

I take a closer look at this in my latest blog:

Using AI for mental health support could be holding you back. Here's why human connection is so important.

09/05/2025

💡Looking to start therapy, or feeling stuck in it?

In this blog, I share 8 ideas that can support you in getting the most from the counselling process.

These aren't rules for what you should do, but reflections based on my work as a therapist and experiences as a client.

Have a read and see what resonates with you.

Consider these 8 thoughtful tips to help you feel more empowered, connected, and supported as you navigate the counselling journey.

14/03/2025

University can be exciting, but the pressure of deadlines, exams, and responsibilities can pile up fast. If you’re feeling constantly exhausted, unmotivated, or struggling to concentrate, you may be experiencing burnout—a condition caused by chronic stress.

In this place, you’re not alone: research shows that over a third of students face burnout, often suffering in silence.

Yesterday was University Mental Health Day, a great reminder to check in with yourself and see how you're doing.

Burnout can be eased with rest and self-care, but if you don’t address it at its roots, it can be easy to get stuck in a cycle.

Counselling can help uncover the inner processes contributing to your burnout. From there, you can explore new ways of responding to stress, building resilience, and feeling more confident in yourself.

There's nothing wrong with struggling. It's a natural part of life and we all need help sometimes. Check in with your student mental health services now, or contact me if you want to work together.

14/03/2025

Many of us instinctively judge uncomfortable feelings like anxiety, sadness and anger as wrong or weak. We get caught up in battling ourselves, trying to push them away or hide them from others. While this may have felt helpful at times, our continued judging and fighting can keep us stuck in unhelpful patterns which hold us back. Ironically, it keeps us under the control of our feelings. But this doesn’t mean that we have to stop ourselves judging altogether.

What being curious about our feelings really means, is changing how we relate to them. It helps us step back, untangle from our judgements, and decide which are useful and which no longer serve us.

This isn’t always easy. If you’d like support in finding your way, get in touch.

13/03/2025

Being present in the moment can free us from getting caught up and consumed by all the noise and chaos of modern life. It can bring us a sense of peace within ourselves. But it’s important to acknowledge that struggle and stress are normal parts of the human experience. You can’t change the fact that the world is going to affect you.

Try not to let struggles with self-care become another way of telling yourself you’re failing, or not good enough. Personal growth and healing don't look picture perfect. And you can’t be present in the moment at all times… unless you are a dog.

06/03/2025

With International Women's Day approaching this Saturday, it's worth taking some time to reflect upon how you can make a difference to gender equality. I've written a blog on one of the common psychological pitfalls we can face and how to get past it.

This applies not just to sexism, but other forms of discrimination too. If this is an issue that has impacted you, then have a read and get in touch if you want to work on it more.

Learn how to challenge your biases through awareness and reflection using mindfulness and questioning techniques.

01/03/2025

Ramadan Mubarak! Witnessing the spirit of Ramadan is a reminder of shared human virtues—reflection, devotion, and personal growth. This feels particularly important at a time when the world feels so divided.

It’s inspiring to see how this time encourages self-compassion, devotion and kindness, qualities that resonate with all of us. For those observing, Ramadan is often a deeply personal journey, involving strength and struggle. However yours unfolds, remember: you are enough. Wishing you peace and strength during this sacred month.

28/02/2025

Trigger warning: self-injury

All too often, self-injury is misunderstood and judged. This is not only harmful for the people who engage in it, but also for those who are close to them. It means that, rather than helping, you could end up adding to the problem.

People can self-injure for many reasons, but attention seeking is not one of them. Common reasons include trying to cope with overwhelming emotional pain, expressing feelings which words can’t capture, and attempting to regain a sense of control. It can be a reaction to trauma, stress, grief, low self-esteem, or feeling lost. And, for some, it’s a silent cry for help.

If you’re struggling—whether with self-injury yourself, or because someone you care about is—you are not alone. It’s normal to feel confused, scared, or unsure of what to do next. What matters is that you don’t have to face this alone. There is support available.

Recovery and healing are possible, both for those who self-injure and for their loved ones. It begins with understanding and compassion. LifeSIGNS is a great place to begin. They offer incredible resources and guidance for anyone affected by self-injury: www.lifesigns.org.uk

On this Self-Injury Awareness Day, let’s break the stigma and remind ourselves: you matter, your feelings are valid, and even if things feel hopeless now, you can find hope again.

18/02/2025

When we feel as if our feelings could overwhelm us, it is natural to want to fight them. Check out my blog on why this can backfire: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/articles/rethinking-how-we-handle-difficult-emotions

Struggling with emotions? Learn how acceptance, self-compassion, and the RAIN method can help you break free from emotional struggles.

14/02/2025

Valentine’s Day can be stressful if you’re feeling lonely. With people's grand gestures popping up on social media and reminders all around you, it’s easy to start feeling bad about yourself. But love isn’t just about relationships with others—it’s also about how you care for yourself.

Loneliness can show up in different ways. People often imagine it is something you feel when you are, well, alone. But you can also feel it when surrounded by friends, or even when in a relationship—it can show up when you feel that something is missing, or that you cannot really be yourself. It’s a deeply human experience, but that doesn’t make it any easier to sit with. That’s why days like today can be a good reminder to reflect and focus on what you need.

What would feel good for you today? Maybe that’s treating yourself with something you enjoy, reaching out to someone you trust, or simply allowing yourself to rest without judgment. Self-care isn’t about forcing yourself to feel happy. It’s about being kind to yourself in whatever way you need.

If loneliness has been weighing on you, talking to a friend or seeking support from a therapist can help. Connection doesn’t have to come from romance alone. It can also come from caring for yourself. You can let others in when you are ready.

Perhaps this is becoming a bit of a cliche these days, but it is easier to find love and connection with others, when we can first give that love to ourselves, warts and all. If you need help with this, then seeking counselling can be a good way forward. We can work on exploring your feelings, developing self-esteem and finding new ways of relating to yourself and to others.

Remember, loving yourself is an ongoing journey, and it's okay to take it one step at a time. Valentine’s Day is just one day, but the relationship you have with yourself lasts a lifetime. Embrace today as a reminder to nurture that most important connection. Every small act of self-kindness matters and can contribute to a foundation of self-love that will serve you all year round.

31/01/2025

It has been a while since I've been on here and even longer since I've written a blog. Here's one I've just had posted by Counselling Directory. The cliche images come courtesy of them.

Find out why talking really matters and learn why days like Time To Talk Day exist to make space for open and honest conversations.