Bill Sullivan. Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, CBT Bushey.

15/07/2025

And Relax…….if you remembered to slow down first.

This is the time of year when we’ll start to see a lot of these kind of photos, people are celebrating some time away from their usual demands and responsibilities – and they deserve that.

It’s also the time of year you’ll often hear people say they didn’t really appreciate their holiday enough—or that just as they were starting to relax, it was time to come home. That’s usually because they didn’t slow down before they left.

Going on holiday without decompressing first is like slamming the brakes on in a car when you’re still going at full speed. You don’t stop straight away—you need time and space to slow down.

Our mind’s are no different. If you go straight from a hectic routine into a holiday, chances are you’ll take the stress with you.

So, if you can, try easing off a bit in the days before you take some time off, Here are some ideas to start you shifting your mindset to holiday mode:

1. Start Delegating Early
Don’t save handovers for your last day. Clear your plate early to avoid last-minute panic.

2. Block Off Your Final day
Keep your last day light — wrap up, don’t wind up.

3. Say no to last-minute meetings & social overload.
Over committing = overload. Leave breathing room in your calendar.

4. Set a Daily “No Screen” Window
Start easing out of work mode before you go offline.

5. Create a Pre-Holiday Ritual
A calming routine (walk, bath, reading, breathwork) tells your mind: we’re slowing down.

6. Crack open a book If you’re saving a book for holiday, buy two and start one now. If you’re compiling playlists, have a pre and post holiday list too.

7. Don’t crack open a bottle!: If it’s going to be a boozy holiday, don’t fall into the trap of getting into the spirit too soon. This type of “winding down” really disrupts the body’s ability to rest.

8. Write two To-Do Lists: 1) Pre-holiday tasks 2) Post-holiday brain dump. This can bring mental clarity and peace of mind.

9. Fix your sleep Now : Go to bed earlier. Don’t wait until day 3 of holiday to feel rested.

10. Start Packing Early
Even small amounts of preparation clears mental clutter — and avoids last minute chaos.

Finally, Visualize Your Calm:
Whether you are jetting off, or spending some time at home, picture that moment you finally let go. Start to take your foot off the pedal and give yourself that mental stopping distance—so you can truly relax when you get there.

10/06/2025

Therapists and therapy aren’t always portrayed in the best light in films and tv. From the unhinged to the uninterested, the “quirky therapist” has become a familiar cliché on our screens.

So it’s refreshing to see the BBC series “Change Your Mind, Change Your Life” presenting a more realistic view of the therapy process.

Granted, it’s heavily edited and often highlights those big “breakthrough” moments—but if it helps more people feel open to trying talking therapy, that’s a step in the right direction.

All available on iplayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002c5h6

08/03/2025

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Ui5YzrU8mpxBwXJmAeRnK?si=nnH0oZriRliY4IrR0wW4tA

20/11/2023

Keep your eyes on the road: How to avoid potholes of the mind.

How can we avoid potholes of the mind?

09/11/2023

Low confidence, feeling stuck, unhappy relationships, anxiety or problematic habits…….
Developing awareness of the “holes” we fall into is often what brings people to therapy. On the other hand, people may start therapy because they find themselves in a hole and don’t know why ; we can then work together to see if this is a one off situation or part of a repetitive unhelpful pattern.
In either case, the goal is to develop awareness of where the holes are, strategies to avoid or quickly get out of them and most importantly, find an enjoyable and fulfilling route for the journey ahead.

12/10/2023

It can be hard to ask for help. Men are getting better at it - but there's still a long way to go. Well done Norwich F.C. for keeping the message out there in such a powerful way.

At times, it can be obvious when someone is struggling to cope. But sometimes the signs are harder to spot. Check in on those around you. ...

04/07/2023

This is sadly true.
In therapy we will sometimes imagine going to a point in the future and looking back on our lives. For example, you wake up on your 80th birthday and think about the journey that brought you here; are you happy with the way you’ve lived your life?

Some people say “I wouldn’t change a thing” – but not many. Most people worry that they might regret having been held back by worries, low confidence, unfulfilling jobs or relationships. This is when people can feel stuck and sometimes hopeless about the future. However, when people pause to think about what they would actually do if they weren’t so caught up in these cycles, they can get some clarity and commit to specific actions leading to a richer and more meaningful life. Making changes is never easy – but taking small steps can genuinely make the difference between a road of regret, and a road of peaceful fulfilment.

12/02/2023

A nicely written account of what Hannah Booth has learned in - and about - therapy.

Crucially, learning how to become her own therapist.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/apr/30/what-ive-learned-from-10-years-of-therapy-and-why-its-time-to-stop

Therapy was like finding a key for a door that had been locked my whole life. Here are the nine things it’s taught me

27/10/2022

09/09/2021

Metaphors can be powerful tools at any point in the therapy process. The “Stage Show” metaphor reminds us that we can pull back from difficult experiences, slow them down and observe which unhelpful thoughts and emotions are occurring. This reduces the chances of feeling overwhelmed – “if we can name it, we can tame it” - and helps people focus on what is important to them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBPPr1hsbMM&ab_channel=Dr.RussHarris-AcceptanceCommitmentTherapy

This animation explores the ‘observing self’ or ‘observer self’: that part of the mind which we use for awareness, attention, and focus. Find out more in thi...

01/06/2020

Launching today for health and care workers across North West London. The ‘Keeping Well’ service is designed to help over 50,000 members of staff working in the NHS, residential homes, care facilities and London Ambulance Service. https://www.keepingwellnwl.nhs.uk.

17/04/2020

This is a free online session going ahead at 5.00pm today. Veena is a respected colleague and this is highly recommended for anyone struggling with stress and high levels of worry at the moment. So, that should cover 99% of the population! Take care.

https://www.healthflix.online/lesson/reducing-stress-with-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-and-mindfulness/

Drawing on cognitive behavioural and mindfulness-based techniques, learn ways to reduce stress by engaging less with worry and turning down physical feelings of anxiety.