Little Green Bag Counselling

22/05/2024

There's a robin on my fence today,
A feather by my feet
A heart-shaped leaf that blows along
Beside me down the street

Your song played on the radio
This morning in the car
And just last night I could've sworn
I saw a shooting star

The sun and rain are dancing
Making rainbows in the sky
And on the slightest breeze I watch
A butterfly go by

And people might say these are not
The signs I know they are
That it is just coincidence
Your song played in the car

That it is just the sky
And it is just the birds and breeze
A little windy weather
And the nature of the trees

But there is nothing little
About the way they make me feel
The sense of peace they carry
Is both comforting and real

Because it's just one song
And just one butterfly and bird
Just one star and just one leaf
In one enormous world

And so the probability
Of noticing it all
Is close to nearly nothing;
Almost infinitely small

And that is how I know
That when that leaf floats into view
It isn't a coincidence,
But a sign of love from you

So keep on shooting stars to me,
Keep playing me your song
Whilst you dance atop the rainbows
And blow heart-shaped leaves along

Yes, keep on sending signs my love
I'll always look around
For your butterflies on breezes
And your feathers on the ground

~ 'Signs' by Becky Hemsley

~ Art by Gillian Rule Art

01/07/2023

The way people view you.

Sometimes I think about the different characters I play in everybody’s story.
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I’m a terrible person in some people's narratives and a Godsend in others.
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And none of it has anything to do with the person I truly am.
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The lens that others view you through is coloured by their upbringing, beliefs, and individual experiences.
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Some people see your bright personality as endearing and others see it as annoying.
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Some people think you’re weak and emotional and others feel safe to be themselves around you.
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Some people think you’re rude and selfish and others respect the way you stand up for yourself.
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Some people admire the way you take pride in the way you look and others think you’re conceited.
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And none of it has to do with who you truly are as a person.
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What you have to understand is that you have no authority over how people view you so never try to control the way others see you because the only thing that truly matters when the dust settles down at the end of the day is what you genuinely see in yourself.

Cody Bret

23/06/2023

22/12/2022

Christmas is not an easy time for all. Some will be feeling the financial pinch this year, others struggling through anxiety, depression and others going through the grief for a loved one, attempting to celebrate Christmas with the heaviness of loss.

You will all be in my thoughts over the festive period.

Below are a few services that are available.

21/12/2022

Today's funny 😁

19/12/2022

I owe myself an apology
To forgive myself
For the battles I fought
That weren’t mine to fight
For all of the love
That I failed to give myself
And for the times when I failed to realize
That rather than being broken
I was worthy of value, respect
And beautiful, brilliant things in life

Words by Tahlia

16/12/2022

I saw this and thought it was a lovely way of explaining Santa Clause to those with older children.

TO ALL PARENTS WHO NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT SANTA 🎅 This is simply beautiful..

Son: "Dad, I think I'm old enough now. Is there a Santa Claus?."
Dad: "Ok, I agree that your old enough. But before I tell you, I have a question for you. You see, the truth is a dangerous gift. Once you know something, you can't unknow it. Once you know the truth about Santa Claus, you will never again understand and relate to him as you do now. So my question is: Are you sure you want to know?"
Brief pause: Son: "Yes, I want to know"
Dad: "Ok, I'll tell you: Yes there is a Santa Claus" Son: "Really?" Dad: Yes, really, but he's not an old man with a beard in a red suit. That's just what we tell kids. You see, kids are too young to understand the true nature of Santa Claus, so we explain it to them in a way that they can understand. The truth about Santa Claus is that he's not a person at all; he's an idea. Think of all those presents Santa gave you over the years. I actually bought those myself. I watched you open them. And did it bother me that you didn't thank me? Of course not! In fact it gave me great pleasure. You see, Santa Claus is THE IDEA OF GIVING FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING, without thought of thanks or acknowledgement.
When I saw that Women collapse on the subway lastweek and called for help, I knew that she'd never know that it was me that summoned the ambulance. I was being Santa Claus when I did that."
Son: "Oh."
Dad: "So now that you know, you're part of it. You have to be Santa Claus too now. That means you can never tell a young kid the secret, and you have to help us select Santa presents for them, and most important, you have to look for opportunities to help people. Got it?"
Help each other this Christmas🎅 and...Be kind ❤

14/12/2022

A gentle reminder about why you are utterly exhausted…

No one I know began this year on a full tank. Given the vicious onslaught of the previous two years (let’s just call it what it was) most of us dragged ourselves across the finish line of 2021… frazzled, spent, running on aged adrenaline fumes.

We crawled into 2022 still carrying shock, trauma, grief, heaviness, disbelief…
The memories of a surreal existence…
And then it began…
The fastest hurricane year we could ever have imagined. Whether we have consciously processed it or not, this has been a year of more pressure, more stress, and a race to “catch up” in all departments… Every. Single. One. Work, school, sports, relationships, life…

Though not intentionally aware, perhaps hopeful that the busier we are, the more readily we will forget… the more easily we will undo the emotional tangle… the more permanently we will wipe away the scarring wounds…
We can’t.

And attempts to re-create some semblance of “normal” on steroids while disregarding that for almost two years our sympathetic nervous systems were on full alert, has left our collective mental health in tatters. Our children and teens are not exempt. The natural byproduct of fighting a hurricane is complete and utter exhaustion…

So before you begin questioning the absolutely depleted and wrung-dry state you are in- Pause.
Breathe.
Remind yourself of who you are and what you have endured.
And then remind yourself of what you have overcome.

Despite it all, you’re still going. (Even on the days you stumble and find yourself face down in a pile of dirt).
Understanding brings compassion…

Most of the world’s citizens are in need of a little extra TLC at the moment. Most are donning invisible “Handle with care” posters around their necks and “Fragile” tattoos on their bodies…

Instead of racing to the finish line of this year, tread gently.
Go slowly.

Amidst the chaos, find small pockets of silence.
Find compassion.
Allow the healing.
And most of all… Be kind. There’s no human being on earth who couldn’t use just a little bit more of the healing salve of kindness.

With love ♥️

Naomi Holdt
Psychologist and Speaker
Website: https://naomiholdt.com/