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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Jan Scoones Counselling & Psychotherapy

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Jan Scoones Counselling & Psychotherapy

MBACP (Accred)
Do you feel stuck, overwhelmed or sad. Perhaps counselling can help.

21/11/2025

We live in a culture that treats feelings like problems to be fixed or puzzles to be solved.

We analyse, overthink, and try to logic our way out of discomfort.

But emotions aren't meant to be understood away.

They're meant to be experienced.

Felt in your chest, your stomach, your throat.

Breathed through.

Cried out.

Moved with your body until they naturally pass.

When we try to think our way out of sadness, anger, or fear, we often just trap them deeper inside.

The body keeps the score.

It remembers what the mind tries to bypass.

So maybe the next time you feel something difficult, instead of asking "why do I feel this way?" or "how do I stop feeling this?", try asking "where do I feel this in my body?" and "what does it need from me?"

Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is simply allow ourselves to feel.

19/11/2025

When we pause to ask 'why?' instead of reacting, we create space for empathy.

Sometimes the most powerful response to anger is compassion.

What if we chose curiosity over judgement today?

17/11/2025

Perfectionism isn't about excellence or high standards.

It's about fear.

It's the armour we wear to protect ourselves from vulnerability, but it ends up weighing us down instead.

What if we chose progress over perfection?

What if 'good enough' was actually... enough?

14/11/2025

Grief doesn't always come with a funeral.

Sometimes it's quiet.

Sometimes it catches you off guard in the middle of an ordinary day.

Sometimes you don't even recognise it as grief at first.

We've been taught to associate grief with death, but loss takes so many forms.

The job that ended.

The friendship that faded.

The version of yourself you had to let go of.

The future you thought you'd have.

All of these losses are real.

All of them deserve space to be felt.

If you're grieving something that doesn't fit the traditional mould, I see you.

Your loss matters. Your feelings are valid.

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12/11/2025

Anger is often the emotion we show the world, but it's rarely the whole story.

Think of it like an iceberg: what you see on the surface is just a fraction of what's really there.

Beneath that anger, there's usually a tangle of deeper, more vulnerable feelings that are harder to express or even acknowledge.

We feel anger because it feels safer and more powerful than admitting we're hurt, scared, or feeling rejected.

It's a protective response.

But when we only address the anger without exploring what's underneath, we miss the opportunity to truly understand ourselves and communicate what we actually need.

Next time you feel anger rising, pause and ask yourself: what else am I feeling right now?

What's the real wound here?

That's where the healing begins.

10/11/2025

Sometimes the most liberating thing we can do is release ourselves from the weight of others' expectations and free them from ours.

This isn't about being selfish, it's about being authentic.

It's about recognising that we're each on our own journey, and that's perfectly okay.

When we stop trying to mould ourselves to fit someone else's vision, we create space for genuine connections to flourish naturally.

And those connections, the ones built on acceptance rather than obligation, are the ones that truly matter.

07/11/2025

We often try to protect ourselves from difficult emotions by pushing them away or numbing them out.

But here's the truth: our emotional system doesn't work like a light switch where we can turn off only the hard feelings.

When we close ourselves off to pain, grief, or fear, we inadvertently dim our capacity to feel everything else as well.

The same walls we build to keep out hurt also keep out joy, love, and deep connection.

Healing isn't about avoiding pain.

It's about learning to feel it all, to sit with discomfort whilst staying open to beauty.

Because a life fully felt, even with its sorrows, is richer than a life half-numbed.

What's one small way you're choosing to feel today?

06/11/2025

Feeling overwhelmed?

Take a moment to ground yourself with this simple 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.

Pause, breathe, and gently notice:
✨ 5 things you can see
✨ 4 things you can touch
✨ 3 things you can hear
✨ 2 things you can smell
✨ 1 thing you can taste

This technique helps bring you back to the present moment when anxiety or stress feels too much.

It's quick, effective, and you can do it anywhere.

Try it now and notice how it shifts your focus from your thoughts to the world around you. 🌊

03/11/2025

Are you and your partner stuck in the same arguments on repeat, feeling like you're speaking different languages?

Couples counselling isn't about blame or taking sides.

It's about understanding your patterns, rebuilding communication, and reconnecting with each other.

Whether you're facing recurring conflicts, navigating life changes, or simply feeling distant, professional support can help you both rediscover the connection you once shared.

You don't need to wait for a crisis to seek help.

Early intervention can prevent small issues from becoming overwhelming, and many couples find renewed understanding through the process.

In my latest blog post, I break down everything you need to know about couples therapy: what happens in sessions, what it can help with, and when to consider reaching out.

Because seeking support shows strength and commitment to your relationship.

Read the full guide on my website and discover how couples counselling might support your journey towards a stronger partnership.

01/11/2025

Sometimes our past trauma tells us we're responsible for everyone's feelings.

But healing teaches us that boundaries aren't cruel, they're necessary.

You're not a bad person for saying no.

You're not responsible for managing other people's emotions.

Their disappointment is valid, and so is your boundary.

Both can be true.

29/10/2025

Trauma isn't always loud. It doesn't always announce itself with a dramatic backstory.

Sometimes it's the quiet stuff.

The way you shut down when emotions feel too big.

The relationships that never quite feel safe.

The constant sense that you're responsible for everyone else's feelings.

The disconnection from who you really are.

We've been taught to measure our pain against some invisible scale of 'bad enough.'

But trauma isn't about what happened to you.

It's about how it lives in your body, your relationships, your sense of self.

If you've been dismissing your struggles because they don't feel "valid enough," this is your permission to stop.

Your experience matters.

Your healing matters.

You don't need a perfect trauma story to deserve support, understanding, and compassion.

💙 Save this if you needed to hear it.

27/10/2025

Just because you can sense the tension, feel the heaviness, or read the energy in a room doesn't mean you're responsible for fixing it.

Your empathy is a gift, not a job requirement.

You're allowed to notice without taking it on.

To care without carrying.

To be present without being responsible for everyone's comfort.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is protect your own peace and let others navigate their own feelings.

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Address

Milestone Avenue
Reading
RG109TN

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://Www.janscoonescounselling.co.uk/

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