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https://ramblingpsychotherapist.co.uk/, https://ramblingpsychotherapist.co.uk/index.php/courses/

The Rambling Psychotherapist, Leeds (2026)

16/01/2026

Looks like bad weather is coming in 🔭 Time to put your feet up in front of the fire and do nothing.

Sound appealing?

For some people, the idea of doing nothing may be very tempting, but the reality feels totally different. When presented with unstructured time and an opportunity to rest, it can result in feelings of anxiety, rumination spirals, mood swings, feeling stuck, feeling trapped, and/or a sense of agitation in the body, which provokes an urge to keep moving.

This is often a sign that your nervous system has learned it is unsafe to rest.

There are so many reasons this could have happened that it would be impossible to list all of the details here, but what I can tell you is that you don't have to have experienced a significant, one-off traumatic event for your nervous system to have learned this. Very often, our systems pick up subtle messaging from the people around us and our culture about what is safe, what is tolerated and what is celebrated, and this forms the basis of our nervous system's education.

So, if you find that you end up feeling grossly uncomfortable every time you try to rest, or somehow end up filling the space with busy little activities, or you can't make a decision about what rest should look like and the window of opportunity evaporates in front of your eyes, maybe your nervous system could do with a little re-education.

My advice - don't try the feel the pain and do it anyway approach - this will often just make your nervous system dig in harder with its survival responses.

Start small, maybe just ten minutes with a cuppa on the sofa, with no phone to distract you. Notice what you feel without trying to change it. Then take a last moment to regulate yourself (physiological sigh can be a good re-set) and move on.

Build this up slowly. Your nervous system learned over many years to be wary of resting, it will take time, patience and more than a little practice to teach it something different.

14/01/2026

To swim or not to swim?

Logic suggests that I don't have enough information or prior experience to predict whether taking the plunge will be safe today. I really want to though, and I have done it before, so maybe it will be okay. It would feel easier if other people were here doing it too; they would obviously know better than me.

Clients often ask me to help them work things out logically.

But I want to know, is there actually such a thing as a logical decision?

UNESCO say that according to the classic Western tradition, human beings are defined as “rational” or “logical animals”, and therefore logic needs to have a higher profile in public awareness. In my experience, though, logic and rationality are highly prized by our society, but rarely achieved by the individuals within it.

If you have ever found yourself as a bystander observing someone in a decision-making process, you may have noticed that logic actually forms a very small portion of what we consider to be rational.

Human beings are fundamentally meaning-making creatures who are hardwired to group together as a pack in order to survive. This means that we tell stories to each other, which govern the way we behave in relation to others and the world. These stories define, to some extent, what we consider logical, and consequently, as the stories that guide our behaviour are not consistent among all human beings, 'logic' starts to become a bit of a grey area rather than the binary model we hope it will provide.

So, when I'm asked to explore with someone what might seem a logical solution to their dilemma, I always invite people to acknowledge their felt experience and meaning-making, too. To arrive at a clear and conscious decision, we need to be aware of all the influencing factors at play in a situation.

My invitation to you if you find yourself with a dilemma is rather than looking for the 'right' answer or the 'logical' solution, to instead look for the decision which feels like the next best step, after having assessed the information available to you, and to hold in mind that you have the ability to course-correct should this move not work out quite how you anticipate it will.

12/01/2026

Anyone who has been following for a while will know that some things have been changing around here.

Just before Christmas, I upped and relocated to North-West Wales, which, on a personal level, is a pretty big change after having lived my whole life so far in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

This has meant a pretty significant change for the Rambling Psychotherapist too. So, for the moment, outdoor sessions are temporarily off the menu of therapy choices available to you, until I have taken the time to find my feet and become properly acquainted with my local area.

Don't worry, working outdoors with me will come back as an option later this year, I just don't quite know yet what that will look like, or when it will happen. Further announcements will be made. Watch this space!

In the meantime, you can still work with me online, either in 1-2-1 therapy or leadership development sessions, and I have some capacity to take on new clients for my additional corporate services as well.

And, the extra good news is that, although my backdrop has changed significantly, my support remains the same as it always has been, including the humour, straight talking, and yes the swearing is still present too, although for now only available in English (my Welsh is nowhere near good enough yet, but I'm working on it).

If you'd like to have a chat about working together, get in contact. Email me at rachel@ramblingpsychotherapist.co.uk to book a discovery call.

09/01/2026

Coming to therapy helps you to understand why it is that you have found yourself where you are, but it also supports you to learn new skills and strategies to help you make long-lasting positive change, too.

One of the skills that I most often encourage my clients to develop at the start of therapy is reconnecting with the power of their breath.

The breath is one of the fastest and most efficient doors into the nervous system. When you learn to support yourself with different breathing techniques, your capacity for getting through challenges expands.

Try these five different techniques and let me know how you get on:

🌱 Anxious - 4-7-8 Breath
🌱 Distracted - Alternate nostril breathing
🌱 Tense - Physiological sigh
🌱 Stress re-set - Bee breath
🌱 Disconnected - Earth breathing

05/01/2026

Stepping into the bright new year, totally committed to changing things up in 2026?

Hands up ✋ everyone who had the best of intentions to keep the resolutions they made on the 1st of January and are already saying I'll do better next week...

Statistics report that fewer than 20% of New Year's resolutions are upheld beyond the second week in February, and by the time we reach the end of the year, that figure drops to 8%.

We as a nation are clearly not that brilliant at sticking to a plan 🤔

The good news is, though, that if your resolutions are off to a shaky start, you are not on your own; there are tonnes of other people also experiencing this too.

And...

All is not necessarily lost!

Many plans get off to a faltering start, yet still come to fruition.

Ask yourself honestly, are you really going to let your first few shaky steps put you off acing this?

If you are finding yourself disheartened already, the following may help:

🌱The reality is that you are asking yourself to start something new at a time when your energy resources are likely to be at an all-time low - Can you give yourself the grace to say I managed for this many minutes/hours/days and I will keep trying to expand that achievement on a daily/weekly basis?

🌱When you set your resolution, did you break the goal down into small, achievable chunks? It's easy to believe you are failing at the big project if you haven't set yourself realistic mini-goals to measure your progress by. What is the first measure of success, and how do you build on that? Don't fall into the 'I can't even achieve the first few days, so what is the point' trap.

🌱How well have you set yourself up to succeed? If your goal was to eat healthily this year, for example, did you already have your first week's meal plan in place and your shopping bought in advance? Did you make sure that all the leftover Christmas goodies were donated to people who would still enjoy them? Did you ask someone close to you to keep you accountable with actual repercussions if you didn't meet your first targets? If not, putting these support structures for success in place could be your first measurable achievement.

31/12/2025

It's New Year's Eve, time to review the year gone by.

Wow, for me 2025 has been an interesting one!

When I was perusing my options for photos to go with this post, I opted for this one, not because it shows me in my best light, nor because it's a beautiful photo, and not because the scenery is impressive either.

I chose this one because this is a photo of me deep in the midst of one of the most challenging years I have experienced in a long time, and this is also a photo of me walking my talk (resourcing myself in nature). It sort of encapsulates my year in picture form.

Myself and my partner have navigated bereavement, grief, break-ins, roadblocks and significant set-backs, and all while keeping our businesses running and organising our big move to NW Wales.

I have absolutely been called upon to walk my talk every step of the way. I have drawn on every resource I have in my arsenal to make sure I get through these challenges in one piece, in good health, and still able to genuinely smile.

I am standing here today as living proof that the work I do with people works and that really makes me smile.

I have been taking a break over the last couple of weeks to settle into my new space, and charge my batteries a little to support a good start to the New Year, but very shortly my attention will be turned out towards work again.

If you've been having a tough time and want some support to get through, let's have a chat about working together.

I will be back to business as usual from the 5th January and have a small amount of capacity to work with new clients.

Email me at rachel@ramblingpsychotherapist.co.uk to book in a discovery call.

28/12/2025

It's nearly back-to-work time for me.

I've still got a few days left of gentling into my new environment, but come the 5th of January, I will be starting up sessions again.

I do have a small amount of capacity for taking on new online-therapy, and relational leadership development clients at the start of 2026.

If you're interested in exploring whether working together might be beneficial for you, please email me at rachel@ramblingpsychotherapist.co.uk to arrange a discovery call.

24/12/2025

Christmas can be a gorgeous time of year, but not for everyone.

If you find yourself struggling during the festivities, please know that you do not have to do it alone; there are people on hand for you to speak to.

The following services are available:

CALM - 0800 585 858
Mind - 0300 123 3393
No Panic - 0844 967 4848
PAPYRUS - 0800 068 4141
Samaritans - 116 123
SHOUT (text) - 85258
Refuge - 0808 2000 247

21/12/2025

I'm technically off work, I've downed tools to celebrate mid-winter and rest into my new space. But I couldn't let one of my favourite days in the whole calendar go past without marking it, so I used the magic and wizardry of technology to schedule a post today.

It is the Winter Solstice today. The Celts knew it as Yule. It was considered a time to rest, and to celebrate the stillness of deepest and darkest winter.

Traditionally, we would have decorated the house with evergreen foliage, gathered together to share food, and also to quietly share stories, too, preferably by the fire as we gather together to keep warm. The fire would be symbolic too, our demonstration of trust that the light will now return.

Solstice would have been a time for rest and reflection, which is a far cry from what the modern festival of Christmas has become.

In winter our energy tends to be on a low ebb, so we are asking a lot of our minds and our bodies when we ask them to fully embrace what the festive season has become for many people. Just recognising this can be a great starting point, if you acknowledge it you can give yourself a bit of compassion for feeling the pressure.

And you know, you might actually decide to lighten up on yourself a bit too.

If you'd like a prompt for your journal today, give this one a try...

What might I need to let go of in order to embrace some rest over the coming week?

This year, my circumstances are unusual, and so my 'resting time' will look different and will probably involve some steady pottering and making my new burrow comfortable for the rest of the winter. There will definitely be some sitting by the fire and getting cosy involved, though.

Do you have anything planned?

20/12/2025

Just in case you haven't seen my posts shouting from the rooftops about the *FREE* mini-series I'm offering - the 12 Days of Christmas Wellbeing, you still have a chance to find out all about it.

It starts tomorrow, though, so if you want in, you need to sign up using the link below to get access.

Christmas is billed by many as one of the highlights of the year, offering the promise of time off, rest, restoration, and lovely, nurturing time spent with friends and loved ones. So, how come so many people emerge from the festive celebrations feeling exhausted and stressed?

There are many factors which contribute to this, but one of the biggest is the fact that we tend to neglect our self-care in favour of running around like headless chickens for a couple of weeks.

That's why this year, I invite you to do things a little differently and carve out time to ensure your batteries are topped up every day, rather than just getting drained.

I have created a mini-series, especially for you.

This prerecorded video series invites you, for twenty minutes a day, to drop into a slightly slower pace, pay attention to what is going on for you, engage in a wellbeing practice, and think about how you need to resource yourself for the day ahead to stay well throughout all the festivities.

It runs from 21st December to 1st January, with a new video themed around each day. I invite you to start every morning with a quick and simple wellbeing boost, to help you feel less frazzled by the time January rolls around.

https://4c8a5d06.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAByBRlMz44iQPO1Mgk6i9Sc0aH4234ICvFeZqqqHrxarowzGRnUiPyNeOg4bzrbJEsOi5oBKDGcg7zz5MvIYHn3eC9o9GikyXEC2BhZuB_mEjblBBi2B_xPkfvxDSp-bUM0v53-hV1S7xv1thZhzwAbVl5P8ZhiIjzVe8ZHhA_uBvVUXwe4FG64cOiRayPr9TeIUR0RDQHqk

18/12/2025

Okay, so today is my very last day in work this year. I will be back, bright, shiny and hopefully refreshed in the new year.

Trusting that all goes according to plan, I will also be in a new location (evidence of ongoing packing featured nicely in the background of this photo).

Wishing all of you who celebrate a happy and connected Christmas.

I'll pick up any enquiries which come in after 4pm today as soon as I'm back in January.

The Rambling Psychotherapist

16/01/2026

14/01/2026

12/01/2026

09/01/2026

05/01/2026

31/12/2025

28/12/2025

24/12/2025

21/12/2025

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Monday	11am - 8pm
Tuesday	11am - 8pm
Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm