Fresh Leaf Counselling

24/01/2026

POV: your nervous system just needed a spoon 🥄😌
Lift it up and down 10 times.
Slow. Gentle. Intentional.
Try it and tell me how your body feels after.

23/01/2026

So grateful for this kind feedback (shared with permission) 💚
“Very open, friendly and professional”: words that mean so much.

Thank you to my clients for trusting me with your journey. It’s an honour to walk alongside you and support your growth and wellbeing. 🌿

23/01/2026

Meet the 🦎 Salamander Exercise: a tiny somatic movement with a big calming impact.

Try this:
👉 Gently tilt your head to one side
👉 Then slowly look in the opposite direction
👉 Pause, breathe… and repeat on the other side

Why it works (the science bit 🧠✨):
This movement stimulates the vagus nerve and the neck proprioceptors, which send “you’re safe” signals to the brain. That helps shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into a calmer, more regulated state. It’s also a gentle way to release tension stored in the neck and shoulders, a common stress hotspot.

During this exercise you may feel the odd click or a swallow (this is your body freeing the vagus nerve and is a hugely positive sign).

Perfect for moments of overwhelm, anxiety, or when you just need a nervous system reset. Embrace your inner lizard 🦎

Try it now and notice what changes. 🌿

23/01/2026

22/01/2026

5 gentle ways to work with your nervous system 🤍

These aren’t magic fixes: they’re simple regulation tools that can help shift your body out of fight-or-flight and back toward balance.

When we’re anxious, exhausted, wired, in pain, or scattered, our bodies are usually asking for safety, stimulation, or soothing.

Try one. See what helps. Keep what works.
And remember: small regulation skills, practiced often, create big long-term change. 🌿

(And if your body needs more support than hacks can offer: that’s not a failure. That’s a sign it deserves care, compassion, and maybe some extra help.) 💛

21/01/2026

Therapy can help you to:

🌿 move through your past trauma
🌿 leave anxiety behind you
🌿 resolve stress from what you’re going through
🌿 work on a more positive, happier you
🌿 stop addictive behaviours
🌿 feel seen and heard
🌿 feel safe again.

And so much more! Get in touch if you’re thinking about starting your therapeutic journey! 🍃

21/01/2026

Pre-Sleep Somatic Movements 🌙✨

Try these slow, simple movements before bed to help your nervous system shift into rest mode:

1️⃣ Wriggly toes
2️⃣ Foot to knee press (single leg)
3️⃣ Windscreen wiper (single leg)
4️⃣ Foot-to-foot hugs
↺ Repeat on the other side

Why this works:
These gentle, rhythmic movements stimulate proprioceptors (your body’s position-sensing nerves) and the vagus nerve, helping signal safety to the brain. This supports a shift from fight-or-flight (sympathetic) into rest-and-digest (parasympathetic).

Slow somatic movements also release stored tension in the hips, feet, and lower back (areas that commonly hold stress) while improving circulation and body awareness.

Benefits:
🌿 Calms the nervous system
🌿 Reduces physical and emotional tension
🌿 Supports melatonin release and sleep readiness
🌿 Helps quiet racing thoughts
🌿 Creates a sense of grounded safety in the body

Move slowly. Breathe gently.
Let your body know it’s safe to rest 🤍 💤

21/01/2026

💚 Pause for a moment. 💚
Breathe in. Breathe out.

This is your gentle reminder to check in with yourself 🤍
How are you doing today, really?

There’s no right or wrong answer here.
You deserve care, compassion, and support, just as you are. 🌿

20/01/2026

It’s another somatic regulator…

When stress or anxiety shows up, your nervous system can slip into fight-or-flight — even when you’re actually safe 🧠⚡

This simple hand exercise (touching your thumb to each finger slowly) gives your brain calming signals through gentle touch, movement, and focused attention ✋💫

It helps activate the part of your nervous system responsible for rest and calming, bringing you back into the present moment 🌿💛

Try pairing each touch with a slow breath 😮‍💨 or with a mantra like “I am safe” or “I am calm”. Repeating this to teach finger. A small, science-backed way to feel more grounded — anytime, anywhere 🤍✨

Save this for when you need a reset 🔖💭

20/01/2026

You don’t need permission or full understanding from others to move forward 🌿
Your path is yours to walk, at your pace, in your way.

19/01/2026

Butterfly Hugging is more than a comforting gesture: it’s a nervous system tool grounded in neuroscience 🧠🦋

When you cross your arms and gently tap left and right, you’re creating bilateral stimulation, which activates both hemispheres of the brain in a rhythmic, predictable pattern. This helps the brain move out of threat mode and into a state of safety and integration.

Those alternating taps send signals through the body that support the vagus nerve, encouraging your parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” system) to come online. As a result, heart rate can slow, breathing can deepen, and emotional intensity often becomes more manageable.

Butterfly Hugging is commonly used in trauma-informed therapies because it helps the brain process emotions and sensations while staying anchored in the present moment: creating a bridge between mind and body.

Think of this as another regulator for your toolkit:
a portable, gentle way to calm your system, reconnect with your body, and create a sense of inner safety wherever you are. 🦋 💙

Try it for 30–60 seconds, notice what shifts, and allow your body to do what it naturally knows how to do: move toward balance 🤍

Save this for later, and share it with someone who could use a little nervous system care today 🦋

17/01/2026

A gentle reminder: you’re allowed to say no.
No without guilt. No without explaining.
Choosing yourself isn’t selfish: it’s self-respect.
You are allowed to protect your energy.