Coral Dawn Counselling

07/01/2026

So, you’ve made it through the first seven days of the new year. How’s it going so far?

I want to take a moment and ask—how are you feeling? Really feeling. We often rush into the new year with a sense of hope, excitement, or perhaps even pressure. The first few days are like a fresh page, but sometimes, they come with more than just enthusiasm. Maybe there's a sense of quiet reflection on the year gone by. Perhaps there are fears or lingering doubts, or maybe you're carrying dreams for what's yet to come.

It’s common for us to pin all our hopes on the new year. After all, it can feel like a clean slate—like we can leave behind what wasn’t working and step into a world of possibilities. But, let’s be real—new years don’t have magical powers. We can’t expect the calendar to wipe away everything we’ve experienced, good and bad. And sometimes, that can create a bit of a sense of trepidation, right? Can it really be better? Can it really be different?

As a therapist, I see a lot of people struggle with this. We tend to idealise the new year, but it’s important to recognise that any change takes time—and often, it’s more about the small, intentional steps we take in the present moment than the sweeping resolutions we set for the future.

This is where person-centered counselling can help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by expectations, doubts, or even excitement, it can be grounding to just be with yourself for a moment. To acknowledge where you are—without judgment. To sit with whatever thoughts, emotions, or fears arise and allow yourself the space to simply be. Person-centered therapy focuses on meeting you where you are, supporting you without the pressure of fixing everything all at once, and creating a compassionate space to explore your true self and your goals.

So, I ask you—how are you really doing? What does the past year feel like in your heart, and how do you want to move forward, not in perfect ways, but in meaningful, honest ways? The new year is not a magic reset button; it’s simply a continuation of your journey. And whatever you bring with you into this new season deserves space to be acknowledged.

Let’s take it one step at a time, together. Whether you’re filled with excitement or feeling uncertain, remember—every feeling is valid. You’re not alone in this process. 💫

23/12/2025

20/12/2025

Christmas arrives each year wrapped in expectations. Sparkly ones, noisy ones, tender ones. Expectations about how we should feel, who we should be with, how joyful, grateful, connected, healed, generous, or calm we should be. For many people, these expectations don’t land softly. Instead, they can feel heavy, like a quiet pressure to perform a version of ourselves that doesn’t quite fit.

From a person-centred counselling perspective, this makes a lot of sense. At the heart of person-centred work is the belief that each of us has an inner sense of who we are and what we need — and that wellbeing grows when we are able to live in alignment with that, rather than constantly meeting conditions set by others or by society. Christmas, perhaps more than any other time of year, can pull us away from that alignment.

You might notice yourself saying “yes” when you mean “no.” You might feel guilt for wanting quiet instead of company, or sadness when everyone else seems cheerful. You might feel grateful and exhausted, loved and overwhelmed. None of this means you’re doing Christmas wrong. It means you’re human.

There is a gentle responsibility we hold toward ourselves during this season: the responsibility to remain us. Not the polished version, not the “best behaviour” version, not the version that keeps everyone else comfortable — but the real one. The one with mixed feelings. The one who has limits. The one who is allowed to change, rest, grieve, or step back.

Staying ourselves doesn’t always mean changing our circumstances. Often, it begins internally — by offering ourselves understanding rather than judgement. By noticing what we feel without trying to fix it. By allowing discomfort to exist without immediately pushing it away. Person-centred counselling invites this kind of compassionate self-listening, trusting that when we are met with empathy (even from ourselves), clarity and growth naturally follow.

As Christmas passes, another layer often emerges: the approach of a new year. Alongside hope, there can be fear. Worries about what’s coming. Questions without answers. A sense of standing at the edge of something unknown. The pressure to set goals, make plans, become “better,” can feel unsettling when we’re not even sure what we’re bracing for.

Not knowing what the future holds can be deeply uncomfortable. And yet, uncertainty is not a personal failing — it is a shared human experience. In person-centred counselling, there is no rush to resolve uncertainty. Instead, there is space to sit with it, to explore what it brings up, and to be supported as you make sense of it in your own time.

At Coral Dawn Counselling, this kind of space is offered with warmth and respect. It can be a place to talk openly about the discomfort you carry, the fears you might not say out loud, the worries about the year ahead, and the parts of you that feel unsure or tender. There is no expectation to have answers. No requirement to be positive. Just an invitation to be real.

As the festive season unfolds and the calendar turns, perhaps the most meaningful gift you can offer yourself is permission: permission to feel what you feel, to move at your own pace, and to remain authentically you — even when the world is loud with expectations.

You don’t have to hold it all together alone. And you don’t have to know what comes next to be worthy of care, understanding, and support.

05/12/2025

Christmas is painted as a season filled with love, warmth, and connection—but for many people, this time of year intensifies a quieter truth: the people you hoped would show up for you simply don’t. The world feels softer and more sentimental, yet your family’s lack of support feels sharper than ever. And that can be profoundly painful.
From childhood, we’re taught to expect love from family—to feel safe, understood, and valued. When those expectations go unmet, especially during the holidays, the ache cuts deep. You may find yourself wishing this Christmas will be different. Wishing someone would care enough to ask how you really are. Wishing a parent might show affection, or a sibling might offer understanding. But when the moment arrives and nothing changes, the disappointment can feel overwhelming.
Please know this: their inability to love or support you in the way you need is not a reflection of your worth. Many people simply don’t have the emotional tools to give the love they themselves never learned. Yet that doesn’t make the longing or the hurt any less real.
The festive season magnifies everything—our joy, yes, but also our wounds. The pressure to have the “perfect Christmas” can make anyone feel broken when their reality doesn’t match the picture. It’s okay to grieve the support you didn’t receive, both this year and throughout your life. It’s okay to lower your expectations to protect your heart. It’s okay to create distance from people who continually disappoint or diminish you.
And you are allowed—fully allowed—to build new sources of love and support. Friends, partners, community, and chosen family can offer the steadiness and understanding your family couldn’t. Love doesn’t have to come from the place you expected it to. It can be nurtured in places that finally feel safe.

If this Christmas brings loneliness, sadness, or painful reminders of unmet expectations, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Counselling is available through Coral Dawn Counselling, where you can explore your feelings with warmth, compassion, and no judgement. Together, we can make sense of the hurt, strengthen your boundaries, and begin building the kind of emotional support system you truly deserve.

You are worthy of love that feels like love—not longing. And support is here whenever you’re ready.

Send a message to learn more

28/11/2025

"If I’ve ever said I can't work with you, it’s because I believe in being honest and transparent about what’s best for you. Sometimes, if we know each other personally—whether it’s through friends, family, or other connections—it can create a conflict of interest. This means that our relationship could make it harder for me to be completely neutral and objective in helping you.

In these cases, it’s better for you to work with someone who doesn’t have those personal ties, so you can get the support and space you need to focus on your well-being. My goal is always to ensure you’re getting the most effective care possible, and sometimes that means referring you to someone else who’s the right fit. 💙"

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24/11/2025

Coping With Christmas: Family Dynamics, Loneliness, and Everything In Between

For some people, Christmas arrives wrapped in fairy lights and anticipation. For others, it creeps in with a knot in the stomach. If you’ve ever felt that December brings both comfort and chaos, joy and dread - you are not alone.

There’s a cultural script that says Christmas should feel magical: the perfect tree, the perfect dinner, the perfect family moment.
But reality often looks very different.
Maybe you’re juggling complicated family relationships.
And maybe you’re grieving someone who won’t be at the table this year. Maybe you’re dreading the pressure to 'perform' happiness. It can be exhausting.
It’s okay to admit that Christmas is not the easiest time.

After months apart, families often come together with the best intentions, but some old patterns have a way of resurfacing.
Roles we thought we’d outgrown can get reassigned instantly:
“the responsible one,” “the peacemaker,” “the emotional sponge.”
A single comment can trigger a decade of memories.
A single silence can feel just as heavy.
If you find yourself bracing for those moments instead of looking forward to them, it’s a sign you might be carrying more than you realise.

Loneliness during the holidays can be incredibly isolating, especially when it feels like everyone else is surrounded by warmth and connection.
Loneliness isn’t limited to people spending Christmas alone.
You can be in a room full of people - family included - and still feel unseen, unheard, or out of place.
If this is you, you’re not broken. You’re human.

Hibernate or Embrace?
Some people throw themselves into the season—decorations, gatherings, lists, traditions.
Others retreat, keeping the holidays small, slow, or quiet.
Neither approach is wrong.
It’s simply how we cope.
But if you notice that you’re surviving rather than living through Christmas, this might be the moment to pause and ask yourself what you really need.

Christmas has a way of shining a spotlight on whatever we’ve tucked away during the year—our grief, our relationship struggles, our boundaries, our longing for connection, our exhaustion.
These truths can feel uncomfortable, but they can also be invitations:
to understand yourself more deeply
to heal old wounds
to set healthier boundaries
to build a life that feels more like your own

You don’t need to be in crisis to seek support.

Sometimes counselling is simply a place to untangle the knots:
your feelings about family, your loneliness, your expectations of yourself, or the emotional weight of “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Together, we can explore:
Why this season feels difficult
How to navigate family dynamics with more confidence, and
ways to manage loneliness and overwhelm, and
what you truly want your holidays—and your life—to look like
If Christmas brings up more dread than joy, or if you just need a space to breathe and be honest, reaching out for counselling can be a powerful first step.

You deserve support—not just in December, but all year round.

Send a message to learn more

16/11/2025

Each of us carries a deep longing to feel at home within ourselves — a place where we can show up exactly as we are, free from judgment or expectation. In counselling, my aim is to help you reconnect with that inner sense of safety and belonging.

Just as the quote reminds us, we all deserve a space where we can be seen, heard, and accepted without question. Our sessions together offer that refuge: a compassionate, steady environment where your experiences matter and your story can unfold at its own pace.

Whether you’re navigating loss, change, relationships, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, therapy can become a “home” you return to — a place to rest, explore, and grow.

You don’t have to make the journey alone. I’m here to walk alongside you.

10/10/2025

"Today, on World Mental Health Day, take a moment to acknowledge your feelings. Reaching out for support is not a weakness—it’s a courageous act of self-compassion. Vulnerability is part of being human."

30/09/2025

"Feedback from clients is incredibly helpful for a counsellor, not just as a way to check in on how sessions are going, but as a powerful tool for growth and improvement. Hearing directly from clients gives insight into what’s working well in the therapeutic process and what might need to shift. It helps counsellors better understand each person’s unique needs, communication style, and goals. Over time, this feedback can shape a more personalised and effective approach, strengthen the therapeutic relationship, and ultimately lead to better outcomes. It’s a two-way process — just as clients are learning and growing, counsellors are too."
All feedback is given with the client's permission before publishing anonymously

Coral was instrumental in helping me assess my life choices with gentle honesty and lucidity, she motivated me to make some difficult but necessary changes in my personal affairs, and I'd dread to think where I'd be without her wisdom.

''When I first came to Coral, I was deeply embroiled in a turbulent and complex period of intersecting crises, and having her constant reassurance that I could make my way out of it was the catalyst to the person I am today, and without a whole heap of emotional baggage.

I have utmost respect and admiration for Coral after bearing witness to her skills as a therapist, and she is in general a very wholesome, kind and compassionate human being. In a time when I was lost and weighted under troubles, she helped lighten my mood and remind me that things weren't always going to be the same forever, all I needed to do was make some hard but necessary changes towards a brighter future.

My life is now on a much more positive trajectory, more relaxed, considered and open to experience. I feel like I am worth something, I'm moving on from a lot of relationships and situations that were holding me back and I look forward to the future with optimism.''

25/07/2025

Samaritans are there, any moment, every hour. Our brains can sometimes take a field trip, and that’s okay, please don’t ever forget even the darkest nights pass, hold on.

Samaritans. 116 123. Anytime day or night. Free and doesn’t show on the bill

11/07/2025

Self-care looks like this today.....