Samantha Fords Counselling Service

21/12/2025

How might Christmas affect my mental health?

Whether or not Christmas is part of your life, your mental health might be affected by it happening around you. It's a time of year that often puts extra pressure on us, and can affect our mental health in lots of different ways.

For example, if you:

💚Feel alone or left out because everyone else seems happy when you're not
💚Wish you didn't have to deal with Christmas, or find it stressful because of other events in your life
💚Feel frustrated by other people's views of a 'perfect' Christmas, if these feel different to your experiences
💚Have ideas about what Christmas should be like, feel as if you need to enjoy it or worry something will ruin it
💚Feel like Christmas gives you something to focus on and look forward to, and find it difficult when it's over
Want to celebrate with someone who's struggling.

If Christmas is a hard time for you, it's important to remember you're not alone.

Whatever you're going through, there are people you can talk to any time. You can:

call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK-wide)

text SHOUT to 85258 (UK-wide)

These services are for anyone who's struggling.
They won't judge you.
They're free, they're anonymous, and they're always open.

Remember you're not alone. 💚

18/12/2025

The perfect gift.

18/12/2025

And... 2025 work completed.
Wishing each and everyone of you a gentle christmas!!
Be kind to yourselves

I will be working from home from the 5th and back in the office on the 15th.

Below I have left some numbers for anyone who maybe struggling over Christmas, please dont suffer alone:

NHS: 111

Samaritans: 116 123

SHOUT: text tp 85258

Beat: 0808 801 0433

Papyrus: 0800 068 41

Refuge: 0808 2000 247

Silver line: 0800 470 80 90

16/12/2025

Just a few things I am thankful for:

● Health
● Family
● Friends
● sunset and sunrises
● Nature
● Everyday Joys

16/12/2025

Sending love this holiday to those who:

Please be gentle with yourselves.

02/12/2025

10/11/2025

Compund grief also know as cumulative grief, occurs when mulitiple losses pile up over one another.

If you have or are suffering mulitiple losses and are experiencing compound grief, you may feel angry,sad,scared, anxious, or numb.
Try to focus one day at a time and one loss at a time. Seek support from loved ones or professionals if you need it. Eventually, you will be able to accept your losses, regain your equilibrum, and move forward with renewed meaning and purpose.

●Dont suppress your grief: grieve each individual loss.
●Honor your loss: It can be helpful to honor your losses with symbolic ritual or gesture that means something to you.
●Practice self-care: Be compassionate towards yourself and takecare of yourself, physically and emotionally.
●Keep loved ones close: Spend time with friends and family.
●Give yourself time: Dont put limits or unrealistic expectations on grief.
●Look for meaning in life: loss helps us put things in persepective and redefine whats important. Do things which align with your values and bring joy.
●Seek help if needed: Remember that if you're struggling to cope, there are mental health professionals who can help.

"We each carry within us an internal map of who the people in our lives are to us, who are we to them, and who we are together..A Star has quie literally gone down in your sky, and it takes a while to navigate again, and sometimes a little help"

Be kind to yourself

06/10/2025

Close to my hear this one..

Myth: Everyone with cerebal palsy has an intellectual disability.

Fact: CP primarily affects movement, posture, and coordination. While CP may have intellectual disabilities many have average or above average intelligence. 💚

02/09/2025

60,000 a month
83 a hour
1.5 People every minute
1 life lost every 40 seconds

September is suicidal prevention month..
Su***de is a deeply complex and painful issue that touches so many people's lives it does not discriminate against age, ethnicity, background, or circumstances. It's a stigma that holds heavy, which makes it even harder for those who are struggling to seek the help they need.

Every life is precious, and each one of us can make a difference.

Over 800,000 people die per year because of su***de.

Every 10 seconds, someone dies by su***de

Men are 4x more likely to die than women.

Su***de is the 10th biggest killer worldwide

Talking about su***de won't make it worse. STAYING SILENT WILL 💚

27/08/2025

Before our kids head back to school, let's talk
with them about what it really means to be
kind. Not just "be nice" or "use kind words" -
but the kind of kindness that takes courage

●Letting someone else go first.
●Including the quiet, reserved kid.
●Staying out of the drama,
●Saying "hi" to the new student who doesn't
know where to sit.
●Speaking up when something feels wrong,
even when it's hard.

School can be overwhelming. There's so
much pressure to fit in, to do well, to belong.
Sure, they will stumble. We all have bad days.
But let us be the ones to remind our kids that
kindness is strength. The kind of strength it
takes to be truly kind, requires practice, and
training. True kindness is not weakness or
softness.
It's leadership
It's bravery
It's choosing to see and value others, even
when you're busy or nervous or unsure.

So, as We get ready for this new school year,
let's prepare their hearts, not just their
backpacks.

Because grades matter, but so does
character. And the world could use more kids
who know how to treat people well. 💚

27/08/2025

💚

25/08/2025

People raised on love see things differently than those raised on survival.Love fosters trust and vulnerability, while survival cultivates caution and the understanding that one must fight for what they need.
The primary differences lie in their perspectives and emotional expressions; love-based individuals may be more connection-oriented, whereas survival-focused individuals might appear more guarded or hostile, prioritizing self-preservation. However, these are not mutually exclusive traits, as people can possess elements of both, and a mix of both love and survival skills may offer a more balanced approach to life. 💚