Dr Tess Browne

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Dr Tess Browne

Clinical Psychologist ⋒ Trauma & Maternal Mental Health Specialist

Click here for free resources, information & support https://drtessbrowne.com/info

https://drtessbrowne.com/info

30/03/2025

Honouring all mums today and always 💕

To the new mums, the seasoned mums, the mums-to-be, and the mums who never got to hold their babies. To the mums parenting through joy and exhaustion, and the mums who are missing their own. To the stepmums, foster mums, adoptive mums, and those who mother in ways that may not have a name.

Motherhood takes many forms, and every journey is worthy of love and recognition.

Wherever you are today, whatever this day means to you - I see you. You matter. ❤️

26/03/2025

Progress over perfection always 💕

The fear of not being enough can keep us stuck, overworking, overthinking, and waiting for the “perfect” moment. But real growth happens when we take imperfect action.

Perfection isn’t the goal - progress is.

Ready to break free from the fear of not enough? I’m sharing practical ways to shift your mindset in my latest journal article. Follow this link to have a read 👉 www.drtessbrowne.com/journal/perfectionism-vs-progress-overcoming-the-fear-of-not-enough

18/03/2025

Do you sometimes struggle to fall asleep? 😴

Stimulus Control is a therapeutic intervention used for treating sleep problems and insomnia. It aims is to reduce the conditioned arousal or anxiety that people with sleep difficulties often feel when attempting to go to bed.

If you consistently struggle to fall asleep, try following these simple guidelines. They'll help to re-associate your bed and bedroom with sleep, and to re-establish a consistent sleep schedule.

01 | Lie down to go to sleep 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 when you feel sleepy.
02 | Do not use your bedroom for anything other than sleep. The only exception to this is s*x.
03 | If you don't fall asleep quickly (after 15-20 minutes), get up and go into another room. Do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. Only then should you return to bed.
04 | If you do not fall asleep quickly, repeat step 03 above. Initially, you may need to do this repeatedly during the night.
05 | Set your alarm at the same time each morning. Get up at that time regardless of how much sleep you've had.
06 | Do not nap during the daytime or evening, even for short periods.

Although some of these are good sleep practices in general, in this context they are shared specifically to help address difficulties falling asleep.

Save these guidelines for times when you struggle to fall asleep. These small changes can really make a big difference! ⋒

13/03/2025

Does your head ever hit the pillow & suddenly your brain wakes up? 🥺
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This happens to us all from time-to-time but is more common if you're experiencing acute stress, anxiety, a loss or trauma or some form of physical pain, discomfort or illness. Whilst these factors may be responsible for the onset of sleep difficulties, it is often our negative thoughts about sleep, in addition to certain behaviours we do to try to address the problem, which are responsible for 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 sleep problems and insomnia.⁠
⁠
The negative thinking that often accompanies difficulties falling asleep can result in anxiety, increased muscle tension, heart palpitations, shallow breathing and physiological restlessness. These have the knock-on effect of making it even harder to fall asleep. ⁠
⁠
We may then engage in certain behaviours, intended to address the problem, but which actually, inadvertently, make the problem worse. These are known as 'sleep-related safety behaviours' and include maladaptive coping strategies such as, staying in bed "trying" to sleep, constantly checking the time, using our phone to alleviate boredom, or having daytime naps. ⁠
⁠
These behaviours serve to maintain difficulties sleeping, and before long you can become stuck in a vicious cycle. ⁠ Understanding the factors contributing to this cycle is often the first step to overcoming sleep difficulties.
⁠
Save this to refer back to at times when you’re struggling with sleep 😴

04/03/2025

Burnout isn’t a personal failure—it’s a sign that something needs to change.

If you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or disconnected, here’s what you can do:

Swipe through for 5 actionable steps to start reclaiming your energy and well-being.

✨ Which one resonates most with you right now? Let me know in the comments. ⬇️

20/02/2025

Mum guilt 💔 It creeps in when you least expect it. This school half-term, while my boys are off school, I’m working. And that familiar tug of guilt? It’s real.

I "should" be baking with them, taking them on adventures, making core memories. Instead, I’m supporting others, writing clinical notes, doing work admin - while they’re in a holiday club. And part of me aches for that lost time.

But, here’s what I remind myself (and maybe you need this reminder too):

💛 I’m working because I care - about them, about our future, about building something meaningful.

💛 Quality matters more than quantity. A focused hour of connection in the evening is worth more than a distracted day.

💛 I’m showing them what it means to follow your purpose, work hard, and still love fiercely.

So if you’re like me and feeling the guilt this week, please know you’re not alone. And also know - you are enough, just as you are. ❤️

If you’re struggling with mum guilt, my Mum Guilt Manual (available to download free via the link in my bio) has practical strategies to help you manage these tricky feelings and develop compassion towards yourself. I've been using some of the strategies this week and they really have helped.

Are you working this half-term? Drop a 💛 in the comments if you're feeling the guilt too!

18/02/2025

Do you feel like you're burnt out (or burning out)? 🔥

Burnout is more than just feeling tired - it’s a gradual process that can sneak up on you as you “push through” the busyness, exhaustion, and discomfort of daily life. Before you know it, you feel stressed, overwhelmed, have a sense your efforts just aren't enough and feel unable to juggle it all anymore.

For working mothers, burnout goes beyond workload. It’s the constant mental and emotional load that makes balancing work, family, and everything in between even more challenging. Left unchecked, it can impact your health, relationships, and career.

But do you know how to tell the difference between being busy and true burnout? And do you have strategies in place to turn things around when you feel it creeping in?

In my latest journal article 'How do i Know if I'm Burnt out? Signs & Strategies for Burnout', I’m sharing:

⋒ What burnout really is (and how it’s often misunderstood)
⋒ Signs that you may be burnt out (or burning out)
⋒ Why working mothers are especially vulnerable to burnout
⋒ Practical, actionable steps to take if you recognise signs of burnout

Is it time to prioritise YOU and YOUR needs for a change?

If you’re feeling frazzled and as if you're heading towards burnout, I urge you to grab a snack or your favourite drink, get comfy and snug, and have a read. You can find the article in the journal section of my website (linked in my page bio) ✨

11/02/2025

Feel like you’re always on the go? 🥵

‘Doing mode’ has its perks:
✅ Crushing goals
✅ Making progress
✅ Solving problems

But constantly ‘doing’, can lead to burnout, emptiness, and a nagging feeling of “what’s next?” 😵‍💫

Life’s not all about ticking boxes. It’s about finding balance - those quiet, meaningful moments in between all the doing. While our natural drive (and modern pressures) push us to achieve, with time and intention, we can create space to simply be - and feel sooooooo much better for it! ✨

Here’s how you can spend more time in ‘being’ mode:
⋒ Take mindful pauses during busy periods
⋒ Engage in grounding, mindful activities
⋒ Make space for self-reflection
⋒ Plan intentional screen-free time
⋒ Cultivate and nurture positive relationships
⋒ Remind yourself: you are enough
⋒ Set aside ‘nothing to do’ time
⋒ Stop over-striving
⋒ Say yes to less

Swipe through this post to read more about each of these practices, and check out my latest journal article ‘Allowing Yourself to Be: Stepping Out of Doing Mode’, for a deeper dive (find it in the journal section of my website, linked in my bio). 💛

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