Counselling with Zana

26/01/2025

A beautifully written reflective piece:

Prompted by Blue Monday, the BBC's special correspondent reflects on his struggle to find balance and joy in life - and a surprisingly straightforward solution

20/11/2023

If you left me an enquiry on voicemail today, and you haven't heard back from me, can you call/text again please as I couldn't catch the phone number on voicemail and it didn't show up as a missed call. I'm actually unable to help with what you asked for, but wanted to say so and not just seem to be ignoring you! Thanks.
(Sorry for the cryptic post, but am respecting the caller's right to privacy)

22/06/2023

This is a few years old, but I really believe there's a link between gut health and mental health. There seems to be a lot of emerging science that backs this up.

Your body hosts a colony of creatures that build their lives around you. Now, scientists are beginning to see that not only do they influence your health, they can even change your mind too.

04/04/2023

With a mixture of excitement and some trepidation I'm happy to announce that I'm running a study day! It's called Breathing & Relaxation: An experiential and restorative workshop.

It's in conjunction with HACP (Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and is for counsellors and student counsellors. Booking is via the HACP website. The workshop will be in Chandlers Ford on Sat 10th June, from 10am to 4pm. It costs £40 for members and £50 for non-members.

You can see more here: https://hacp.co.uk/event/breathing-and-relaxation-an-experiential-and-restorative-workshop-with-zana-parker-in-chandlers-ford-on-saturday-june-10th-2023/

If you'd like to book and can't see how to do it, please DM me and I'll help.

Send a message to learn more

09/03/2023

A little 'formula' that might be helpful if you're struggling with sleep...

26/10/2022

My choice of cover photo...
I know, you might think it looks dull and grey compared with just about anything else I could have displayed. Ever wondered why the grey rock labyrinth? I chose it as a metaphor. I like metaphors. I think they can be useful ways of describing and tuning into something that might otherwise seem complicated.

The labyrinth provides a journey to be followed and it's been used for centuries (millennia even) as a means of contemplation, slowing down, self-discovery, re-assessment of one's pathway and destination. Its twists and turns can feel confusing, disorientating, frustrating, and the path can feel longer than it looked, but the way out always reveals itself, eventually. Sometimes we can end up almost back where we started, yet feel profoundly changed, thanks to the journey.

A bit like counselling!

(My photo, taken several years ago in Rocky Valley, North Cornwall, UK)

15/06/2022

A short BBC report regarding detrimental, rude and hurtful language commonly used in maternity care. Have you ever cringed due to words health care professionals have used to describe you/your experience?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61765667?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=61765667%26Language%20around%20birth%20should%20be%20less%20judgemental%262022-06-15T07%3A28%3A48.000Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn%3Abbc%3Acps%3Acurie%3Aasset%3A42dcd765-b750-4801-87f7-68f336bacff8&pinned_post_asset_id=61765667&pinned_post_type=share&fbclid=IwAR0VYWDug2jtNEYRQ0OZJy28JMS8gRvUuwIXHXDopCwJ9i3nK05umz7UUDI

25/03/2022

BASIS Online is a great evidence-based resource for all things to do with baby-sleep and sleep safety. It's part of Durham University where they've been studying infant/parent sleep for years. Understanding what's developmentally 'normal' and adjusting expectations in terms of your baby's sleep can help you find a way forward that's less 'battle' and more 'compassion', both towards your baby and yourself. Link to the BASIS website in comments below.
Zana

Durham University’s Infancy and Sleep Centre launches kit to help manage expectations and reduce negative thinking

03/03/2022

The Fear and Anxiety Effect.
I sketched something out quickly and roughly with a client and thought I'd turn it into a picture/meme thing (no idea what you call these!). It's basically saying that if we feel fear and anxiety (which I am too right now, given what's happening in the world) then we can get stuck in an unhealthy cycle of side-effects. The only way to stop the cycle is to pick somewhere to break it, to do something different. If the pressure is building up inside, allow yourself to cry, sob, howl. If your appetite is reduced, then graze and keep up fluid intake (I don't mean resort to alcohol on a daily basis!). If your fight/flight mechanism seems activated - if you feel twitchy, restless, have an urge to run away - then give your body a chance to move. If you're tense, can't relax, find it hard to let go of strong feelings then breathe out. Focused breathing helps regulate mood and emotion and enables the body and mind to work more effectively. Breathe OUT! Here's my diagram-thingy. There is much more that could have been added, but you could draw your own and work out where to break your own less healthy cycle of responses to make more self-supporting choices that feel right for you.

01/01/2022

What do you think? If you're feeling traumatised, could comedy help?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-59758335

GPs will be testing out the socially prescribed course as a pilot in January 2022.

09/12/2021

Just to say that if any of my websites are looking a bit jumbled and inconsistent it's because of 'technical difficulties'. The website-building company I used was bought out and my sites were migrated to a different company. Thing like this never seem to go smoothly so, of course, all my sites have become messed up in the process. I will improve them ASAP!
In the meantime, if you see pages or paragraphs that make no sense and would like information for yourself or someone else, please just PM me (Zana) or email info@CounsellingWithZana.co.uk. Thank you!

05/11/2021

How do you feel about climate change? Does it affect your mood, your way of being, your mental health? A short article published by BACP: https://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2020/15-october-mental-health-impact-of-climate-change/?fbclid=IwAR3IcMzz9sCRQlDgTfN0u9TE2BD1NcasRecSZXK9hpS8-rL84Y2Ey4vjEvw

News from BACP | Our research found so-called eco-anxiety affects 55% of UK adults