Hope in Healing Counselling and Psychotherapy

15/08/2025

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To everyone who received their A-Level results yesterday

Whether you’re still celebrating, processing, or feeling a mix of emotions , remember that those results are just one chapter of your story.

They do not define your worth, your intelligence, or your future.
There are many different paths to success, and sometimes the unexpected ones lead to the most amazing opportunities.

If yesterday brought you joy , hold onto that feeling and be proud.
If it brought disappointment , please know this is not the end, only a redirection.

Opportunities, growth, and new beginnings are ahead. You are capable, resilient, and more than enough.

To all the parents, carers, and friends , your encouragement makes a huge difference. Let’s keep reminding our young people that they are valued for who they are, not just for a set of grades.

You’ve got this.

09/08/2025

So many women are speaking up right now.
About being let down.
By the police.
By social services.
By the courts.

Systems that promised protection… but didn’t deliver it.

If this is you , you are not alone.
Your story matters.
You still matter. 💙

28/07/2025

Just because something appears perfect on the outside doesn’t mean it truly is.

We often come across pictures of couples beaming with happiness, weddings that resemble fairy tales, and it's easy to think, “They have it all together.” But the reality is that a single image can’t capture the complexities of what happens behind closed doors.

It doesn’t reflect the fear, the control, or the moments of silence that can linger in a relationship. It doesn’t reveal the emotional scars that aren’t visible to the eye.

Many individuals are struggling in relationships that might seem fine from the outside.

Please remember, it’s never helpful to compare your life to someone else’s carefully curated highlight reel. If something doesn’t feel right in your own relationship, trust your instincts.

You deserve to feel safe, heard, and genuinely loved and not just acknowledged.

If any of this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone. I’m here to support you.

Emma
Hope in Healing Counselling and Psychotherapy

27/07/2025

My bedtime read

As a counsellor, my work doesn’t stop at the therapy room. Behind the scenes, I’m constantly learning, researching, reading, and training, all so I can offer the best support possible to those who sit with me.

Every person I work with is unique. Whether it’s trauma, anxiety, autism, grief, or self-worth struggles, I believe you deserve a space that’s not only safe, but informed and responsive to your individual needs.

Continued learning isn’t just professional development for me, it’s a commitment to you. To showing up fully. To holding space with care. To understanding your experience as deeply and compassionately as I can.

Because you matter. And your healing matters.

Emma
Hope in Healing Counselling

27/07/2025

In Loving Memory of Vanessa, James, and Sara from Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh

This week, Northern Ireland is grieving the devastating loss of Vanessa Whyte and her two children, James and Sara.

It’s difficult to find words in the face of such tragedy. A mother and her children, full of life and love, taken far too soon in circumstances no family should ever endure.

Moments like this shake us deeply ,as parents, neighbours, and human beings. They also highlight the silent struggles that can exist behind closed doors. If you’re feeling affected by this news, or if it’s brought up emotions from your own experiences, please know that support is available.

You are not alone.
Please reach out if you need to talk.
Domestic abuse and mental health support services are here for you, no matter how big or small your worry feels.

Let’s hold space for grief. Let’s honour their memory with compassion. And let’s continue to check in on each other, quietly, gently, and with care.

Rest in peace, Vanessa, James and Sara.

Emma
Hope in Healing Counselling and Psychotherapy

27/07/2025

Be Careful Who You Keep Close 🍎

If you take a piece of rotten fruit and place it beside perfectly good fruit, what happens?

The rot spreads.

The good fruit doesn’t heal the bad one instead, it starts to decay too.

Now think about the people you surround yourself with. If they constantly drain you, criticise you, or chip away at your self-worth… eventually, that starts to affect you too.

You don’t have to stay in environments that make you feel smaller. You deserve to be around people who uplift you, not undo you.

Protect your peace. Choose your circle wisely.

Emma
Hope in Healing Counselling

26/07/2025

Still Parenting, Still Showing Up, Even When It’s Hard?

As a mum to adult children with additional needs, I want to say something out loud that doesn’t get talked about enough…

Even when they’re older, we’re still doing everything.
The routines, the care, the emotional regulation, the supervision.
And some days, if I’m being really honest, it feels like I’m not parenting anymore, I’m babysitting. This makes me feel guilty. Because I love my boys more than anything.
But I’m tired.

I see other parents whose children have become independent, getting jobs, moving out, finding their way, and I grieve that a little. I didn’t expect to still be needed in the same way all these years later. I planned and dreamed that things would be different for them.

It’s not a lack of love. It’s not that I don’t want to be there.
It’s that I’m human.

If you’re feeling this too, please know it doesn’t make you a bad parent. It makes you an honest one. A devoted one. A tired one.

You are not alone.

Emma
Hope in Healing Counselling

02/07/2025

Overwhelmed. Breathless. Stuck.

Sometimes, it’s not just one thing it’s everything.
The weight of daily life, expectations, unspoken worries, and old wounds resurfacing.
It builds, quietly… until suddenly it feels like you can’t breathe.

If you’re in that place right now, please know:
You don’t need to push through alone.
You don’t need to have the answers today.

In therapy, we make space for these moments.
For the emotions that feel too big.
For the things you’ve been carrying for too long.

You are not weak for struggling.
You are human.
And you deserve support, understanding, and rest.

Take one breath at a time.
Let that be enough for today.
When you’re ready I’m here.

Hope in Healing Counselling
Emma Wright | 07718 277372
Zoom sessions available | Supporting children, teens & adults

02/07/2025

You are not defined by your most difficult moments.

It’s completely natural to feel upset after making a mistake this shows that you care and that you possess a conscience and empathy. However, it’s important to recognize the distinction between guilt, which encourages growth and understanding, and shame, which distorts your view of yourself.

🛑 Guilt gently reminds us: “I made a mistake.”
🚫 Shame harshly whispers: “I am a mistake.”

As a counsellor, I often work with individuals who find it challenging to forgive themselves. I want to remind you we are all human, beautifully imperfect and still on our journey of learning.

Real growth starts when we openly acknowledge our missteps, reflect on their causes, and commit to taking steps toward better choices in the future. Healing isn’t about punishing ourselves; it’s about learning and transforming from our experiences.

If you’re carrying a heavy burden today, take a moment to breathe. It’s okay to move forward and make peace with your past. Remember, you don’t have to navigate this alone; I’m here to offer support as you work through these feelings.

With heartfelt compassion,
Emma Wright | Hope in Healing Counselling
Online counselling for adults, teens & children (8+)
07718 277372

29/06/2025

In Memory of Sarah Montgomery – and Every Woman Silenced by Domestic Abuse

This week, we learned of the heartbreaking loss of Sarah Montgomery, a 27-year-old mother of two who was also pregnant at the time of her death. Sarah’s life was cruelly taken, and her name now joins a growing list of women failed by a system meant to protect them.

As a counsellor, mother, and woman, I cannot stay silent.

Behind closed doors, countless women are living in fear; silenced, isolated, and often unheard. Domestic abuse doesn’t always leave bruises, and too often it ends in tragedy. The cost of not listening, not acting, and not believing is lives lost. Children without mothers. Families shattered.

To those still living in fear:
You are not alone. There is help. There is hope.

At Hope in Healing Counselling, we provide a safe, confidential space for survivors of domestic abuse to begin processing trauma, rebuilding trust, and finding strength again. You deserve safety. You deserve support. You deserve to be heard.

Let’s not let Sarah’s story or any woman’s story fade into the background. I must note men are also sadly abused too.

Let’s speak their names.
Let’s demand change.
Let’s break the silence.

📞 Need Support?

Northern Ireland:
• 24hr Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline: 0808 802 1414
• Women’s Aid NI: 028 9024 9041
• PSNI (non-emergency): 101 | In an emergency: 999

England:
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge): 0808 2000 247
• Women’s Aid: www.womensaid.org.uk
• In an emergency: 999

📩 You can also reach out to me directly for confidential support or signposting to services.

In solidarity and remembrance,
Emma Wright
Counsellor | Hope in Healing Counselling

Women's Aid is a grassroots federation working together to provide life-saving services and build a future where domestic violence is not tolerated.

28/06/2025

Embracing Failure with Compassion: Failing Backwards vs. Failing Forward

We all face failure at some point—it’s a universal experience. What truly matters is how we choose to respond to it.

At Hope in Healing Counselling, we understand that setbacks are part of the human journey. They don’t define who you are; rather, your mindset shapes your path forward.

Failing Backwards often feels like:
• “It’s someone else’s fault”
• “I keep making the same mistakes”
• “I’m just not good enough”
• “Why should I even try again?”

These thoughts can be heavy, and it’s okay to feel that way. Yet, there’s another way to approach your experiences.

Failing Forward is about:
• Taking responsibility with kindness toward yourself
• Learning from each stumble as a step toward growth
• Recognising that failure is a natural part of your journey
• Persevering, even when the path seems tough

The true transformation comes from cultivating a teachable attitude. When we open our hearts to learning, we can turn our struggles into meaningful lessons and our challenges into stepping stones.

Remember, you are not defined by your past.
Your mistakes do not determine your worth.
You are on a journey of becoming, and your perspective on failure can be the first step.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or finding it hard to bounce back, please know you are not alone. We’re here to support you on this journey, Let’s move forward together.

Emma Wright
Counsellor & Psychotherapist
Hope in Healing Counselling

22/05/2024

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