Chichester Child Psychology

23/03/2026

“I don’t recommend aspiring to roundhouse people in the face but…”

Our clinical director Dr Melanie Smart was interviewed on BBC Radio WM this morning on the psychology of Heroes in the wake of the death of Chuck Norris. Why do children have heroes and why are they so important? Spoke to the lovely Mark Rhodes (of Mark and Sam fame) about his loss… interview at 11.14am (just after Tina Turner song on the playlist) on the show - link below


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002smj2?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

23/03/2026

Dr Smart spoke to the lovely Mark Rhodes on BBC Radio WM this morning about the Psychology of Childhood heroes in the wake of Mark’s hero Chuck Norris dying last week. Why are childhood (and adulthood) heroes so important and what makes a good one? Interview at 11.14am on the link below…

Listen live to Radio WM on BBC Sounds

08/03/2026

It’s today. The theme is

Here’s 8 ways to show up for the 8th March and onwards…

1) Give specific praise and recognition

Instead of “You’re amazing,” try:
“You handled that situation with so much calm.”
“Your creativity made this better.”
Specific praise is a gift people replay in their head (in a good way).

2) Give a gift

It doesn’t have to be expensive. A quick card can be the most “kept forever” gift of kind or admiring words.

3) Give time

Offer something simple that frees her up to do something else or rest Time is an underrated love language.

4) Give visibility

At work or in your community: share credit publicly. If someone is doing great work, say it where it counts.

5) Give opportunity

Refer her for a role, a project, a client, a speaking spot or an award or recognition. Opportunity changes someone’s year.

6) Give support to a women-focused cause

Pick a local women’s shelter, a mentorship program, a women’s health nonprofit, or a scholarship fund. Even a small donation is powerful when multiplied.

7) Give your custom to women-owned businesses

One easy way to participate: buy something you’d already buy… from a women-owned brand.

8) Give consistency (one thing you’ll keep doing after March 8)
International Women’s Day is one day—but real support is a habit. Pick one action you’ll carry forward.

Tell us what today means to you and how you are going to give this year…

05/03/2026

It was wonderful to attend a talk by last night at Chichester. As a Clinical Psychologist with ADHD, our Director has personal and professional experience of what it is like to grow up as a female with and the challenges and opportunities this brings. It was validating, relatable and somewhat sad to hear such a similar story and to recognise that there is still much to do with high masking females and access to assessment and diagnosis. We can’t wait to read the book and to add it to our recommendations for our patients and families…

24/02/2026

The Shed at Graylingwell are back this week with their after school activities - free attendance for all.

09/02/2026

Being mentioned in the Houses of Parliament was not on our bingo card for last week, but here we are!
Don’t worry, we are not going anywhere for the foreseeable but our director communicated the impact of the city’s terrible and increasing traffic issues to local MP on both herself, her patients and her business. She explained the sense of feeling trapped in her city due to the gridlock, and feeling that the situation was becoming untenable. We are glad that we have a representative who is able to take these issues forward and we hope for real change in the coming months and years…
** Our lived environment cannot be underestimated as a feature in our wellbeing **

16/01/2026

We often get asked about right to choose (RTC) assessments in our service. As a small local company, we are unable to offer these assessments we are not a large enough business entity for the NHS to contract this. However, we continue to offer assessments that are self funded and via other arrangements (insurance companies, social services/local authority and charities for example). Whilst we recognise that this limits most people’s options currently, due to the huge financial demands that many families are currently facing, for those who are able to self fund, we can offer a unique, tailored and local focussed service. In addition, our waiting lists are still much smaller than NHS/RTC waits and our service is often more comprehensive. If you would like to enquire about our availability and services, please email ChichesterChildPsychology@gmail.com

15/12/2025

Just leaving this here in case anyone needs it…

You are not alone - please reach out

***de

12/12/2025

Don’t forget, it’s the Christmas tractor run tomorrow! An amazing spectacle…

🎄🚜🚨 2025 UPDATED ROUTE AND TIMINGS! 🚨🚜🎄

The wait is over - the route for the Chichester Christmas Charity Tractor Run 2025 is READY!

🎄When: starts 5pm, Sunday 14 December
🎅 Where: very near you!
🔔 What's New: 'quiet zones' (marked on the route in red). 100 horns can be loud, so these areas are ideal for those needed a quieter experience
❄️ How to support: come along and cheer the drivers! Official collectors will be stationed along the route for cash donations.
📱 You can also donate online: https://www.justgiving.com/page/chichester-charity-tractor-run-1761250792071

**map update - the Bosham loop will be going straight past the Berkley Arms!

Check out the map to plan your evening and ensure you get a great view of the action.

Please note, all timings are estimates.

In a change to advertised plans, we have not been able to obtain council permissions to extend our route through Emsworth. We hope all our Emsworth fans will find another spot along the route to join the fun.

The countdown is ON! Follow our official Facebook and Insta pages for more updates .

11/12/2025

A great local initiative for anyone struggling with their mental health or just feeling lonely or isolated at what can be a tricky time of year…
Not affiliated with us but we like to share and champion our local mental health supporters where we can - everyone deserves support and connection.

02/12/2025

Following on from yesterday’s post about unhealthy teen relationships and to look out for, today we are sharing the DARVO strategy that abusers or abusive partners (or family, friends, colleagues etc) might use to ‘flip the script’ and turn you into the abuser or perpetrator… it stands for DENY-ATTACK-REVERSE-VICTIM-OFFENDER and is a common dynamic used to gaslight people into thinking they are in the wrong and the abuser is in the right. Overtime, this can lead to people questioning their sanity as it slowly erodes their trust in their own perceptions and experiences…

01/12/2025

We’ve been talking about teen relationships in clinic recently. There has been much made of teenagers and intimate relationships, particularly the issues around gender roles, setting boundaries and unhealthy ideas and behaviours, particularly disaffected heterosexual males. These have been highlighted in the media with recent shows such as Adolescence. So what is a healthy relationship and what looks like love and care but is actually control and coercion? Read on…