Horizons Coaching

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day 2025

Could you ask twice and make a difference?

This year's theme is Access to Services—Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.

This year’s focus shines a light on a vital truth: in times of crisis, mental health care must be as accessible as food, shelter, and medicine.

Catastrophes and emergencies—whether conflict, disaster, or displacement—can shake every layer of a person’s sense of safety. The invisible wounds, both mental and emotional, often surface long after the immediate crisis has passed. Ensuring timely and compassionate mental health support can make the difference between surviving and truly healing.

As a Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner, I work with individuals who have experienced trauma or PTSD to help them gently release distress and build resilience.

On this World Mental Health Day, it’s a reminder that access matters—not only during emergencies, but for everyone, everywhere. Healing should never be out of reach and I offer a FREE consultation.

One of the ways that you can help is if you are asking someone ‘how are you’ and the reply is ‘fine’, if you are not convinced ask again. This shows you genuinely care.

01/09/2025

Wishing all educational staff a successful start to the new academic year! ✨

As you step into classrooms, offices, and learning spaces to inspire and support students, please also consider that your wellbeing matters too. To give your best, you need to invest in yourself too.

The difference you make is immeasurable—thank you for your dedication, passion, and resilience. Let’s make this year impactful, and let’s also make space for rest, reflection, and self-care.

My thanks to Gladstone Primary, Smallwood Primary and Mossley Primary Schools for inviting me in to work with their staff over the next 2 days, ensuring their staff have amazing techniques to support their wellbeing and mental health for the journey ahead.

12/05/2025

It's Mental Health Awareness week - and I would encourage you to think about finding your own GRIT in order to build your resilience from within.

In the fast-paced, ever-changing world we live in, resilience isn’t just a desirable trait — it’s an essential life skill. Just as athletes train their bodies to endure and overcome, building mental strength requires dedication and intention. As thinking about our mental health should not just be for one week we need to find tips to help on a daily basis. However, unlike fitness training, no-one actually trains us in mental fitness. This is where the concept of GRIT becomes a powerful analogy to help improve our mental health.

https://horizonscoaching.co.uk/finding-grit-in-mental-health-building-resilience-from-within/

31/03/2025

April is Stress Awareness Month – Are You the Master of Your Stress, or Is It Mastering You?

Stress is an unavoidable part of life, sometimes it can even be motivating. But prolonged periods of stress can lead to health implications & burnout.
How does stress impact our brain & body & our health?

Have you ever managed to just keep going & then go off on your holiday only to become ill? That’s because stress has the affect of weakening the immune system. You may also notice you aren’t sleeping very well, feel fatigued & suffer with brain fog, or you’re experiencing headaches, neck or shoulder pain / tension.

Our Amydala triggers our fight or flight response which can cause us to feel more reactive & emotional, & at the same time the brain is releasing cortisol & adrenaline. This process can have a negative impact on the prefrontal cortex reducing our ability to focus, make decisions, regulate our emotions to name just a few.

Here are just a few powerful examples of how to manage your stress levels effectively.

Breathe to Reset the Nervous system. Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique:
Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds.
This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress instantly.

Control your thoughts. Your brain reacts to perceived threats, not just real ones, so how about just taking a moment to ask yourself: “Is this a real emergency, or am I catastrophizing?” Or try asking yourself “On a scale of 1 – 10 where 10 is death, how important is this?” Shifting perspective can stop stress in its tracks.

Move Your Body - We know that exercise releases endorphins, which is the brain’s natural stress reliever. Just a 5-minute walk or some simple stretching has the ability to lower cortisol levels & boost your mood.

Say No - Stress often comes from overcommitment & trying to do too much. Often we find ourselves saying Yes when we know we should have said no due to lack of time. How about saying Yes, I’d love to help you, but I would only be able to provide you with that information to you by X instead of Y. You have just opened up the opportunity for negotiation.

Set some boundaries – Your non-negotiables
Be clear with yourself what you are not prepared to be give up. It might be as simple as never working through your lunch break – as this time helps you to recharge your batteries. I love to go for an early morning walk, & I do my utmost to protect that as I know it sets me up for the day.

Which of these tips do you find most helpful?

Understanding stress in more detail along with the health implications can help you manage it effectively. My Head Master of Stress workshop dives into the neuroscience of stress, giving you actionable insights and practical tools to navigate stress at work and at home. Please get in touch for more information.

14/03/2025

Happy World Sleep Day! 💤

In our constantly switched-on life style, sleep is often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Our neuroscience tells us that sleep is one of the most powerful tools we have for better health, sharper thinking, and emotional well-being.

🧠 Cognitive and Emotional Benefits
During sleep, the brain consolidates information, improving our ability to recall and retain new knowledge therefore improving our memory. Sleep also helps to sharpen our attention, improve problem-solving skills, and our decision-making ability.

Good quality sleep can assist with regulating our mood as adequate rest balances neurotransmitters, reducing irritability, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. I certainly know how miserable I can feel if I have not slept well. A great night’s sleep also assists with regulating the brain’s amygdala, making you less reactive to stress.

And there’s more benefits that we perhaps are less aware off in terms of our physical health:

Stronger Immune System: Sleep boosts the production of immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, helping you ward off illness.

Heart Health: Consistent sleep patterns help regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues.

Balanced Hormones: Sleep supports healthy hormone levels, including those that control appetite, metabolism, and stress. This would assist with managing comfort or stress type eating.

Increased Energy Levels: Restorative sleep replenishes energy levels, improving stamina and endurance.

Faster Recovery: Muscle repair, cell regeneration, and tissue growth are enhanced during deep sleep.

🛑 The Cost of Sleep Deprivation:
Just one night of sleep loss can lead to cognitive impairments similar to being over the legal alcohol limit.
Chronic sleep deprivation increases stress hormone levels, making us more prone to anxiety and burnout.

So creating a good Sleep Routine is essential and here's a few tips:
✅ Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
✅ Create a relaxing wind-down routine (e.g., reading, meditation).
✅ Limit screen time before bed to reduce blue light exposure.
✅ Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet for optimal rest.
✅ Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep.
✅ Embrace naps strategically—20-minute power naps can boost alertness and mood.

Prioritizing your sleep isn’t just self-care — it’s a powerful investment in your overall health.

What’s your best sleep tip? Let’s start a conversation in the comments! ⬇️

21/02/2025

Had a great time working with the senior team at Black Onyx Concepts who are all veterans. The found the DiSC profiling and training of huge value and now we are commencing discussions to explore the same training with their Team Leaders.

   Black Onyx Concepts partnered with Horizons Coaching to deliver DiSC Workplace Profile training for their senior leadership team. Initially met...Read More...

20/12/2024

It's only as I now reflect on the year I realise what has been achieved and how grateful I am to my clients for giving me the opportunity to work with them.

When 84% of Senior Educational Leaders are experiencing work-related stress, something has to change and I created my talk entitled Head Masters of Stress which I have used throughout this year. When someone required 1-2-1 support, I saw firsthand that transformation is possible - often in just 3 sessions.

Since 2017, I've worked with over 18,000 individuals, combining coaching with therapeutic techniques to help people rediscover their strength. This year brought new opportunities to expand this support across education and corporate sectors.

I am aware that £1,300 is the average business cost per employee whose mental health is unsupported. But when staff are flourishing, productivity increases by 18%. We can't afford to keep losing 72 million working days per year to mental health challenges. I am delighted to say I have made a difference in this area.

Some achievements that touched my heart in 2024:
• Developed "Head Masters of Stress" workshops, helping educational leaders navigate unprecedented pressures. My thanks to Mark Wright who was the first person to book me for this.
• Expanded DiSC training across Multi-Academy Trusts, transforming team dynamics and taking the stress out of how we communicate. I was also grateful to undertake this training with Black Onyx Concepts where we have just recently completed a video testimonial for the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Skills Hub.
• Partnered with Steelite International to build management confidence in how to have conversations relating to mental health with their staff.
• I engaged with Brandon Bays and completed The Intensive Journey work which was just amazing from a personal perspective as well as working with clients.
• Qualified as a Trainer for Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team, which compliments and enhances the Everything DiSC profiling work to an even greater level truly allowing teams to understand each other at a deeper level and achieve greater results.

Looking ahead: 2025 will see expanded support for educational leaders through:
- New DiSC training programs for senior leadership teams
- Training to develop a coaching leadership style
- Looking at the Impact of Words - so we can Mind our Language
- Launch of "Difficult Discussion to Courageous Conversations" workshops
- Rollout of education-specific wellbeing assessment tools
- Continued focus on preventative mental health support instead of reactive on a 1-2-1 basis.

To every educational leader managing increasing pressures while supporting others: you don't have to do this alone. Support is available, and transformation is possible - often in just 3 sessions.

If you'd like to explore how I can support you or your staff, please reach out: helen@horizonscoaching.co.uk

Remember: On average I only need to see someone for 3 sessions. Isn't it time we talked?

13/11/2024

If you'd like to chat more about what I do in terms of mental health support, wellbeing training and leadership training please feel free to message me.

05/11/2024

A fabulous outcome working with this amazing couple and to see their journey change so dramatically. If you would like any support please get in touch to arrange a free consultation

10/10/2024

Let's celebrate World Mental Health day by showing others we care.

How can we do this?

If you ask someone 'how are you' and their reply is 'fine'. If you are not totally convinced asked them again - perhaps ask how they would rate their day, or is this a great day or not.

Perhaps listen to understanding what is really going on for someone else.

Show respect and avoid being judgmental. There can be a lot going on in someone else's life that is so different to yours and it's worth remembering that all our experiences are different.

If you feel you can, ask if there is anything you can do to support or help the person you are talking to.

All too often just lending a listening ear can be the greatest gift.

Please make every care Mental Health day, not just today.

30/09/2024

Very excited to be delivering more training this week at St Bart's Multi Academy Trust on developing a coaching leadership style and how coaching questions have the availability to unlock the potential of other staff. PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' AND HEAD TEACHERS' FORUM

09/04/2024

Have just received this incredible testimonial from one of my clients.

"I have just completed three x 2 hour sessions with Helen and have been amazed and thoroughly impressed by how much we covered and the progress I have made. Helen has a real talent for understanding the genuine needs of her clients and then tailoring her approach and the tools shes uses to meet and exceed all expectations. If you want to help and a truely empathetic facilitator to guide your growth and development than Helen is a first class choice to make. Thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile investment in my personal growth. Thanks you Helen."
Mark Pringle