Angela McDonnell - The Grounded Way

03/12/2025

If today feels a bit off...
if you feel a bit off...
in your chest, your stomach, your breath, your mood…
you don’t have to fight with it, push through it, or turn it into a self-improvement project.

Sometimes your system is just… full.
Or tired.
Or quietly bracing for something it can’t name.
Or carrying tension you only half notice until you pause.

You don’t need to force calm.
You don’t need to perform “I’m fine.”
You don’t need to tidy up your inner world for anyone... including yourself.

You can just notice it.
Even that is a big thing.

That gentle turn toward yourself...
the “yeah… it is a lot today” kind of noticing...
isn’t resignation, or giving in, or letting yourself “wallow.”

It’s a form of presence.
A kind of inner honesty.
And for many people, it becomes the foundation of much deeper change.

01/12/2025

Want to try a quick doodle reflection?
(Do it now if you’ve got 30 seconds… or save it for later)

If your mind has felt a bit cluttered lately… like too many tabs open and none of them loading properly… here’s a simple way to check in with yourself without getting stuck in your head.

Grab whatever’s closest... the back of an envelope, a notebook, your Notes app…
and doodle or jot down the first image that comes to mind when you think about how you’re feeling today.

Nothing fancy.
Nothing artistic.
Just the first thing that appears.

It might look like:
• a foggy window
• an empty cup
• a crowded shelf
• a messy corner
• a warm patch of sunlight

It doesn’t need to “mean” anything yet.

What matters is this:
your inner world often speaks in images long before it speaks in words.

Once you’ve drawn or scribbled something, you can gently ask:
What does this little doodle say about where I am today?

No pressure.
No hefty analysis required.
Just a tiny doorway… a small peek inward… whenever you need it.

30/11/2025

If you’ve been feeling like you’re carrying ten invisible rucksacks lately… while still managing to look “fine” on the outside…

This might resonate...

People who hold a lot rarely look like they’re struggling.
You get things done.
You show up.
You keep the plates spinning (even the ones no one else pays attention to).
From the outside, it all seems… handled.

But inside…
there’s often a quiet, persistent pressure.
Almost like you’re running a whole internal management team no one else can see.

Here’s the thing most people never say out loud:

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 “𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬” 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.

Even strength gets tired.
Even resilience has limits.
Even the most competent humans have moments where they whisper,
“I can’t keep doing it like this…”

If any part of this hits home…
when you’re ready, you can give yourself permission to put a rucksack down.
Small shifts really can create big changes over time…
one bag at a time.

28/11/2025

A little peek at the therapy space, the powwow creative corner, and resources available to support authentic expression and insight 💛

28/11/2025

Little moments that prepare me to hold big feelings

28/11/2025

A little glimpse into the space where I work… at home, online.

This space has held so many moments of truth, shifts, realisations, tears, laughter, and those deep-exhale conversations that only happen when you finally feel safe enough to land.

And honestly… I’m grateful. So grateful.

Grateful that I get to do this work in a space that feels peaceful and steady. Grateful for every single person, past and present, who has shown up to be real, messy, hopeful, tired, curious, human.

If something in you is longing for a quieter, more grounded space to talk, I hold that kind of room.

You’re welcome here too.
🌿

28/11/2025

27/11/2025

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭.

Warm socks. Scarves.
A slow cup of something hot.
A moment by the fire (real or imagined).
A breath that softens the edges of the day.

You’re allowed to choose gentleness.
You’re allowed to rest.
You’re allowed to take life at a pace that feels kind.

𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.
Your nervous system will thank you. 🧦🔥☕️

25/11/2025

🌿 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐲

I’m 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐌𝐜𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥, a BACP-registered counsellor and coach based in Manchester, Chorlton & online.

This space is a gentle home for my therapeutic and coaching musings —
reflections on slowing down, grounding, reconnecting with yourself,
and finding steadier ways of being in a world that asks so much of us.

My work weaves together 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡, and 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Some people come for 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Some for 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Many experience a 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 over time.

However you arrive, the intention is the same:
𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 — 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

Here you’ll find grounding practices, reflections, gentle questions,
and reminders that growth doesn’t have to be loud to be real.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

25/11/2025

🌿 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞… 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞.

This page has now shifted into its new name:

𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐌𝐜𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐲

The work itself isn’t changing.
𝐈𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫.

Some people come to me for 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Some for 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.
Many experience a 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 over time.

The heart of the work is the same:
𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.

“The Grounded Way” is simply the name that best holds all of this ...

the 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡, the 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡,
and the way I help people grow at a 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞.

Thank you for being here.
More 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 posts to come as I warm this space back up. 🌿

25/11/2025

Something I’ve been sitting with lately:

We often think we need a big breakthrough
before we can make a shift in our lives.

But in my work - with both counselling and coaching clients -
I’ve noticed it usually starts with something quieter:

A small pause.
A new question.
A tiny moment of noticing
“I don’t have to respond the old way.”

Growth doesn’t always announce itself loudly.
Sometimes it whispers.
Sometimes it begins with one pause,
one choice,
one gentle turn inward.

🌿

08/11/2025

It’s been a little while since I last shared here.
Life, work, and growth have been quietly reshaping behind the scenes... as they do.

I’m beginning to re-emerge gently finding my way back to this space and hoping to share a little more often again: small reflections on slowing down, listening inward, and finding a more grounded way of being in work and life.

And if you’ve been craving that too, a steadier rhythm, a deeper breath ... you’re in good company. 🌿