Thrive with Victoria Bourque

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Thrive with Victoria Bourque

Helping you deal with anxiety disorders, stress, depression, panic, fears and phobias using positive

My name is Victoria Bourque and I am a licensed Thrive Consultant and hypnotherapist based in Glossop, Derbyshire near to Manchester and the Peak District. Having worked as a dentist for over 20 years, treating many anxious and phobic patients, I felt inspired to use my knowledge and skills to empower as many people as possible to live happily and confidently. I completed my Thrive Consultant trai

ning under the supervision of Rob Kelly and I believe strongly in continuous personal and professional development and learning. I operate under a strict code of ethics as a licensed Thrive Consultant and hypnotherapist. Over more than two decades, my career in dentistry has paved the way for me to help people whilst having the greatest respect for confidentiality, in an environment of mutual respect and trust. This is so important to know when you are reaching out for help and support. It also gave me a great insight into how we all “tick” and how, with the right support and encouragement, we can effectively change what we think and believe in order to make lasting positive changes within our lives. I specialise in supporting people to overcome stress and anxiety disorders, depression, low self esteem and social anxiety. I will guide you in a caring, non-judgemental manner in managing your thoughts, feelings and behaviours so that you can make the necessary changes to live life to the full. I can help you to develop the self-awareness and self-management skills that are necessary to enhance the quality of life using either the Thrive Programme or Applied Positive Hypnotherapy. Whether you would like to…

Achieve more at work or school
Feel more confident
Make positive changes in your life
Feel empowered to deal effectively with depression, stress and/or anxiety
Increase your self-esteem and sense of power and control
Overcome a specific anxiety or phobia
I can help you to take control of your life in order for you to thrive, flourish and live the life you have always wanted to. I offer a free initial consultation where we can meet each other and have a chat about your concerns as I am aware how important it is to feel comfortable with a therapist so that you can make an informed decision about the best way to go forward for you.

15/07/2025

The thing is, we are mostly taught that our thoughts and feelings just happen to us.

The truth is: every thought, every emotional reaction, every belief you have about yourself was learned over time.

When you understand that your mind works like software that can be updated, you realise you have incredible power to change how you think, feel, and experience life.

The moment you see your thoughts as changeable rather than fixed truths, you take back control. 🧡

01/07/2025

Here is a review and an update I recently received from a client I took through the Vaginismus-Free programme several years ago. She has kindly given her permission for me to share her review anonymously.

It fills me with joy to receive reviews like this from my lovely and amazing clients ✨✨✨

“I wanted to thank you. If it was not for your assistance I would not have been able to engage in intimacy and have the beautiful family that I have today.

My son was born on May 5, 2021 after our sessions. I unfortunately had a miscarriage in February 2023 but got pregnant with my daughter afterwards and she was born on December 21, 2024.

I cannot thank you enough. Your sessions saved my marriage and allowed me to have the family I thought I would never have.”

Contact me for more information on the Vaginismus-Free programme.

28/06/2025

The truth?

Imposter syndrome, perfectionism and people pleasing are all symptoms of one core belief:
�“I’m not good enough.”

That belief is the foundation brick of insecurities.
�Everything else gets built on top of it:

* “I don’t deserve this promotion.” (Imposter syndrome)

* “It has to be perfect or I’ve failed.” (Perfectionism)

* “I need their approval to feel worthy.” (People pleasing)

Here’s the good news:
�When you shift that one belief, the whole tower collapses. You don’t need a different strategy for each symptom.
�You need to go to the root and then:

✨ Imposter syndrome fades
�✨ Perfectionism loosens its grip
�✨ People pleasing becomes irrelevant

This is why most approaches don’t work that well— they’re trimming the branches instead of pulling out the root.

21/06/2025

Thoughts reflect the beliefs you’ve picked up about yourself, others, and the world.

And if those beliefs are limiting, your thoughts will be too.

But here’s the good news: Beliefs can be updated. ⭐️�
When you update your beliefs, you update your thoughts and you start seeing your life through much more helpful, positive, empowering lenses.

Start by noticing what you’re thinking.
�Then ask:
�Where did this come from?
�Is it actually true?
�Is it helping me?

If it isn’t a thought that empowers you in any way change it to one that does 🧡 Do this consistently and notice the positive change it makes.

19/06/2025

Most people believe their past controls their present.

They think because something happened years ago, they’re going to be stuck feeling a certain way forever.

In actual fact, every emotion you experience is brand new - created right now in your brain by how you’re currently thinking about that past event.

When you realise this, everything changes.
You’re not a victim of your past anymore.
You have the power to change how you think about what happened, which means you can change how you feel about it.

This is incredible news! It means you’re not stuck. You’re not broken. You take back your power.

Changing the way you think about the past will have a massive impact on your future ✨

07/06/2025

Here’s what true coping actually looks like... 👇

MYTH: “I need to feel good all the time to be mentally healthy”

TRUTH: True coping is about tolerating imperfections without creating anxiety about them

MYTH: “I need to control everything to feel safe”

TRUTH: Real power comes from letting go of the need to control outcomes

MYTH: “If I’m stressed, I’m not coping well”

TRUTH: Coping is about gaining perspective on situations, not eliminating all stress

Work on these 3 things and build your power up! 💪

✨ Tolerating imperfections - Life isn’t perfect, and that’s okay. When you stop demanding perfection from yourself and situations, you stop creating unnecessary anxiety.

✨ Getting perspective on situations - That work deadline isn’t life or death. That awkward conversation won’t ruin your entire week. True coping is stepping back and seeing things as they really are, not as your anxious mind makes them seem.

✨ Letting go of needing control - The more you try to control everything, the more powerless you feel. Real strength comes from focusing on what you CAN control (your thoughts and reactions) and releasing what you can’t.

The really good news? You already have these abilities. You just need to recognise them and use them deliberately until they become habit.

True coping isn’t about feeling nothing - it’s about understanding and managing your emotions and knowing you can handle and tolerate life’s ups and downs 💪

01/06/2025

That feeling that you don’t belong, that you’re fooling everyone, that you’ll be “found out” at any moment...
�You’re not alone — and you’re not actually an imposter. 💭

Imposter syndrome isn’t caused by a lack of skill or knowledge.
�It’s created by your beliefs about what you should already know versus what you’re still learning.

The truth? Everyone is figuring it out as they go.
�The difference is in how you think about the learning process:

Imposter thinking:
�“I should already know this. If I don’t, I don’t belong.”
�Growth thinking:
�“I’m learning, just like everyone else did. Not knowing is normal and expected.” ✨

Follow me to learn how to build the psychological foundations that naturally dissolve imposter syndrome and create unshakable self-worth. 💖

impostersyndrome

30/05/2025

Perfectionism promises to protect you from failure — but it guarantees you’ll feel like you’re failing.

Perfectionism isn’t about high standards.
�It’s about creating impossible standards to avoid feeling inadequate.
�The cruel irony? It creates the very feelings it’s trying to protect you from. 💭

When you go through life with perfectionist’s lenses you end up with:

➡️Constant anxiety about not being “good enough”
�➡️Paralysis that stops you from starting
�➡️Exhaustion from relentless self-criticism
�➡️Inability to recognise the progress you are making

But the truth is perfectionism isn’t who you are. It’s a way of thinking that you can change.

People with strong psychological foundations don’t rely on perfection to feel worthy.

You can break free too! 🧡
�perfectionism

29/05/2025

“The situation is just the situation. It’s your beliefs and thoughts that shape your experience.”

This one truth changes everything about how you approach life’s challenges. 🧠

Two people can face the exact same situation and have completely different experiences. One feels overwhelmed and anxious. The other feels calm and capable.
�The difference isn’t what’s happening — it’s what they believe about what’s happening. 💭

Your mind doesn’t experience reality directly. It experiences your interpretation of reality, filtered through beliefs like:

➡️Your ability to handle challenges
�➡️What this situation means about you
�➡️What you believe is possible
�➡️How much control you have over your response

And that’s incredibly empowering.�Because if your experience is shaped by your thinking — and you can change your thinking — then you have far more power than you realise. ✨

Next time you’re facing a challenge, pause and ask:
�⭐️“What story am I telling myself about this?”
�⭐️“Is this story helping or hurting my ability to respond?”

Your psychological foundations — the beliefs you hold about yourself and life — determine whether you see situations as threats or opportunities, problems or puzzles to solve. 🌱
�Follow me to learn how your thoughts create your reality and how to build robust psychological foundations. 🧡

27/05/2025

Are feelings of guilt and shame following you around, making you question even the smallest decisions?

Persistent guilt and shame aren’t about what you’re doing.
�They’re about how you’re thinking about what you’re doing.

Your mind has likely built a pattern where every action gets filtered through beliefs like:
�🔸 “I should have done that differently”
�🔸 “I’m always letting people down”
�🔸 “There’s something wrong with me”
�🔸 “I can’t do anything right”

These aren’t facts. They’re thoughts you’ve repeated so often, they feel like truth. ✨

The difference between someone who carries guilt constantly and someone who doesn’t?
�Their psychological foundations.
�When you build stronger foundations, you stop interpreting mistakes as proof of your unworthiness.
�You start seeing them as part of being human.

The guilt and shame aren’t caused by your actions. They’re created by your interpretation of those actions through unhelpful thinking.

mentalhealth

24/05/2025

Your emetophobia thoughts, beliefs and safety seeking behaviours teach your brain that you can’t cope. Your brain has turned being sick into a catastrophic event, the worst thing ever, rather than something that is uncomfortable but tolerable.

Avoidance feels like safety but it’s actually reinforcing your fear. Emetophobia isn’t truly about vomit (although it feels like it is) it’s about the meaning that your brain has learnt to attach to it.

The Emetophobia-Free programme teaches you to understand your mind so that you can release yourself from the fear and break the emetophobia cycle.

22/05/2025

Emetophobia often means saying no to dinners, birthdays, holidays and concerts. You might feel safer avoiding these things but you also feel isolated.

You feel like you are missing out.

You turn down invites.

You make excuses.

You watch life happen from the sidelines while you stay at home, terrified of what might happen if you feel sick.

The truth is-

You are not broken or weak: you are stuck in a loop that feels protective but is actually keep you stuck and limiting you.

The Emetophobia-Free programme helps you understand how your thoughts are fuelling your fear and how to challenge and change those habits, one step at a time 👣

Address

Glossop

Telephone

+447901796701

Website

http://www.victoriabourque.uk/

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