Mind Management For You

22/08/2025

Lesson 13?
Unlucky for some? Let’s find out….

……. Here’s what Sheila’s IAM RoadSmart observer Rod Smith had to say………

“Sheila’s thirteenth guidance session: That may have spooked some, but Sheila approached the session with her usual concentration and determination to put all her efforts into continual improvement of her riding technique,” he said.
“Having already discussed applying for a test date, the session objective was to pull everything together and demonstrate a seamless transition through the phases of The System (of Motorcycle Control).
“If I were to take the unusual view of being super critical, which isn’t something I’d do unless some good can come from it, Sheila appeared a little tense. The thought of an imminent test date, putting a fixed time on when an Examiner will give his opinion, has instilled a little apprehension, resulting in some tension.”

Rod added: “Sheila’s recent bike tour of Ireland with her husband, along with her father's passing away with subsequent trips back to Ireland for his funeral and a service, must have an effect on the most resilient of people.
“I am inspired by how she still managed to demonstrate a safe and smooth riding technique. With consideration to the last couple of months, I don't think many people would be capable of getting on a bike at all, let alone demonstrating the level of technique I saw from her.
“The most important part … Sheila smiled all evening.”

Next step will see Sheila complete a mock test - something recommended to her by a fellow biker and member of Lichfield Advanced Motorcyclists Group (LAMG)…
We will keep you posted on that and her actual test, so watch this space!......

And, in the meantime, if you’re interested to learn the full story behind Sheila’s “face your fears and do it anyway” motorbike journey, there’s a reel dedicated to this on her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmd_xpLl-Ig

20/08/2025

It’s almost time……

The final countdown for this year’s GCSE exam results to be revealed in the UK has begun.

With A Levels results unveiled last week, GCSE exam results are next up in the pipeline this Thursday.
And today, we’re delighted to share Sheila’s advice on how you can prepare for the results, whatever they may be!

Whether you’re the student or their parent, looking for resources to help you support your child, the following article, penned by Sheila, a registered mental health counsellor, will help you plan and manage all outcomes.
Having appeared on the national news platform you can read it in full athttps://www.uknewsgroup.co.uk/preparing-for-gcse-exam-results/

Sheila said: “For all those collecting your GCSE exam results this week, I wish you well, and remember, ‘You can only do your best and that is good enough’.”

If you would like more mental health advice, then please visit Sheila’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel, where you’ll find a host of free resources.

Here, Lichfield mental health counsellor Sheila McMahon reflects on how we can prepare for the results, whatever they may be!

14/08/2025

Today, Sheila is mindful that A Level results are being collected by students across the UK....and that GCSE results are just around the corner too.

With that in mind, Sheila wanted to highlight important messages from previous articles she’s penned on the topic, if the results were not as you expected or hoped.

Sheila hopes that students will find them helpful.

* Your exam results do not define you:
“We often hear stories of entrepreneurs who didn’t pass their exams and went on to be high successful people. If you want to be highly successful, then passing exams is only one way of achieving this. If you don’t want to be highly successful, then that is fine too. I often counsel highly successful businesspeople who now wish they had a much easier job - without responsibility, without the pressure of success and just had a simpler life!”

* You can do it again!:
“There are so many opportunities now to relearn and do subjects that interest you at another time. This time may not be the right time for you. Some people can repeat a year again. If that is what is needed, then so be it.”

* Affirmations:
“You can use affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements. You can decide to say positive statements to yourself, like ‘I did my best, and that is good enough’ or ‘My exam results do not define who I am’. You are still a worthy, beautiful human regardless of whatever results you got.”

Keep calm:
“If you want help to keep calm, then you can focus on your breathing. You can try rectangular breathing, where you breathe in for 4, pause for 2 seconds, breathe out for 5, and repeat. You can see a free video of me doing this on my YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/p-hFe992Ixw
You may also want to give my free 5-minute guided relaxation a go @ https://youtu.be/H0rrfprbcGg

There's also more advice in this article from Sheila, which appeared in FE News UK: https://www.fenews.co.uk/.../in-preparation-for-exams.../

| In preparation for exams results, good or bad!

11/08/2025

Last week, we made a promise……

…that we’d share details of how Sheila’s first motorbike lesson back with her IAM RoadSmart observer, Rod Smith, went.

It was an emotional and poignant milestone, as it was the first time she’d been out on a bike ride since her father’s passing.
The last time had seen her travel on her motorbike for the first time on a ferry over to Ireland, but it was also the last time she saw her dad before he passed.

While she was nervous at the start of the lesson, Sheila said: “It was a brilliant lesson,” and that’s something which Rod agreed with.

He said: “While Sheila was a little apprehensive during the pre-ride briefing, not quite sure if she could apply 100% concentration with events of recent weeks taking her attention away from leisure and relaxation.
“As before, within a few minutes, Sheila was demonstrating her now trademark smooth control of the machine, maintaining safety margins and making swift and safe progress at the posted speed limit where conditions allowed.
“The pause in sessions had not affected her technique, possibly the tour in Ireland, or her dogged determination to continue applying everything she had achieved through hard work, resulted in seamless transition of speed and road position throughout the session.”

And we're also excited to reveal that Rod also hinted that: “The next session is likely to be the last one before the test.”
So, as always, keep an eye on our socials for the next instalment of Sheila’s motorbike to see whether the next is her final lesson..............

In the meantime, if you'd like to find out more about Sheila's "face your fears" biking adventure, please visit her YouTube Channel @ https://www.youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel where you can also find lots of free tips, advice, and other mental health resources.

07/08/2025

“Leaving an audience wanting more!
“Oh boy, does that describe the fabulous ten-minute presentation from Sheila McMahon of 'Mind Management for You' this morning.”
….“A brilliant 10 minutes. Always so thought-provoking.”

These are just two of the fabulous comments following Sheila’s latest talk to Business First in Lichfield, in which she delivered a sneak preview of her upcoming 10th anniversary show at the Lichfield Garrick

Alison Taylor, of Business First, said: “Focusing on why people repeat damaging behaviour, Sheila shared with us tools she uses to delve into the deeply rooted stuff that can limit the happiness we want for ourselves and our families.
“Qualified in family therapy, with a long waiting list for appointments, Sheila shared with us her genograph. This is a pictorial way of describing not simply family relationships but also behaviours passed down through the generations.
“Mapping out the themes helps us see the bigger picture. It was mesmerising and informative.”

She added: “There is so much to this aspect of life that Sheila uses her mental health shows to bring the material to a wider audience. Combining her many performance skills, these shows bring humour to the human condition and allow reflection.
“The next show is at the Lichfield Garrick on October 17. Tickets are on sale and selling fast.”

Secure your tickets to be in the audience at Sheila’s only show of the year at https://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/events/sheilas-mhs
In the meantime, if you’d like support with your mental health, please visit Sheila’s YouTube channel for free tips, advice, and resources @ https://www.youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel
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05/08/2025

Fair play to Sheila.

She got back on her motorcycle for her next observed advanced motorbike lesson over the weekend.
And it was a poignant and emotional moment, because it was the first time she had been back on the bike since her dad passed away last month.

It led Sheila to realise that, subconsciously, she’d been putting the moment off.
That’s because the last time had not only seen her make an inaugural landmark trip home to Ireland on her motorbike, via ferry with her husband Mark, but it was also the last time she saw her father before his passing.

Sheila said: “Before my dad passed away, I’d assumed that it would be all those first milestone events, like anniversaries and birthdays, that would be the most emotional. But it’s the everyday things.
“I feel that is the naivety about grief, because it’s not something you can fully understand until you have experienced it first-hand.”

She added: “The last time I was on my bike, it was to make the milestone trip back home to Ireland. It was nerve-wracking as it was the first time I had been on a ferry with my bike, and I was very proud of myself for doing that.
“I also visited my dad’s nursing home on my bike for the first time too, which, as it also turned out, was the last time I’d see him before he died.
“But I hadn’t consciously realised why I’d been putting off getting back on the bike until the weekend when I needed to resume my bike lessons.
“It was only then that I had the realisation why I had not been back out on my bike, because I’d associated it with my dad still being alive. It was, and still is, a very emotional realisation.”

Keep an eye out on our socials for a follow-up later this month when we’ll be sharing how Sheila’s first lesson back went.
In the meantime, if you need mental health support, then please visit Sheila’s YouTube Channel for free tips, advice, and video resources @ https://www.youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel, visit her website at https://www.mindmanagementforyou.com/, or you can email her directly at contact@mindmanagementforyou.com
IAM RoadSmart

01/08/2025

Today we have a very proud and exciting announcement…..

Sheila has notched up another award win!

This time, she’s incredibly honoured to have scooped the prestigious title of Most Influential Mental Health Author 2025 (UK) in Acquisition International’s 2025 Influential Businesswoman Awards.

An awards spokesperson said that: “It has been a pleasure to work with such spectacular women who are continually altering the business landscape.
“The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.”

Sheila works tirelessly to break down the stigma of mental health and to self-fund mental health projects to help reach as many people as possible.
The award is made even more poignant for Sheila as she gears up to mark the 10th anniversary of publishing her book, entitled “The Power of Knowing You: Learning From The Past,” and host a 10th anniversary show at Lichfield Garrick

Sheila said: “I’m very proud and honoured to have been awarded this title. For it to come in my 10th anniversary year since publishing my book makes this win even more special and poignant.”

You can buy Sheila’s book on Amazon.co.uk at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/POWER-KNOWING-YOU-Learning-past/dp/0993213804
And for more about her anniversary show in October and to buy tickets, please visit https://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/events/sheilas-mhs
Acquisition International Magazine

28/07/2025

“I found it very emotional to watch, and I was in tears at the end.”

That’s Sheila speaking in the wake of watching the Lionesses lift the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 football trophy once again.

Sheila, who is proud to be Irish and proud to call England her home, said: “This wasn’t' just a victory on the pitch. It was a victory for equality.
“The Lionesses are so inspirational. They are changing history both on and off the pitch. I felt very emotional watching them play and lift the trophy because what they are doing is having a ripple effect beyond the beautiful game.
“I’m not ashamed to say that I was in tears at the end.”

Their victory was made even more poignant for Sheila as it was only last week that she watched the documentary “Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story”.
Described as a “staggering story” by The Guardian newspaper earlier this year, it focuses on the “controversial life” of incredibly successful, but in many ways oppressed, 93-year-old Irish author Edna O'Brien.

Edna, who died last year, faced controversy because her novels, which included sexual references, infuriated religious, mostly male, opinion in Ireland.
And, despite achieving “runaway success” by her own hand, as The Guardian states: “Incredibly, in those days O’Brien was obliged to sign over her royalty cheques to her husband, who allowed her small amounts of 'housekeeping' money. Finally, she refused; Gébler [her husband] grabbed her by the throat and demanded her submission.”

Sheila added: “What the Lionesses are doing isn’t just about football, it’s about so much more. It’s about happiness being achieved for all through equality.
“I’ve seen firsthand in delivering couples therapy that when there’s inequality between people, it ends with one person being unhappy, and then there’s no winners. Moving forward, more happiness will come through less inequality.”

There’s more on the Blue Road documentary in this article by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/30/blue-road-the-edna-obrien-story-review-engaging-study-of-a-life-less-ordinary, and you can watch the trailer on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/bEErqpfb3HM

25/07/2025

They’re flying out the stage door…..

Tickets for Sheila’s eagerly anticipated 10th anniversary show at the Lichfield Garrick later this year are already being snapped up.
Have you got yours yet?

If you don’t want to miss out, then secure your tickets now, as it’s expected to be yet another sell-out autumnal mental health show.
Sheila said: “I’m really looking forward to this milestone show and excited to celebrate my 10th anniversary with the Lichfield Garrick audience and loyal supporters who have attended my shows for the last decade.
“Expect a transformative show for this special anniversary performance!”

Running on Friday, October 17, at 7:45 pm, this two-hour show will be Sheila’s usual trademark mix of mental health education, music, and comedy, covering topics including intergenerational behaviour, where she’ll be sharing her family therapy skills to improve communication and understanding.
It will also feature highlights from previous shows, as well as covering our love languages and how seeing things from different perspectives can create more meaningful relationships.

Book your tickets today before they sell out at https://www.lichfieldgarrick.com/events/sheilas-mhs

23/07/2025

“We ABSOLUTELY loved having Shelia with us ALL weekend…
“…It was a privilege to have her on stage, and we know lots of event attendees benefited with conversations. CANNOT wait to do it all again!! Thanks, Sheila.”

Wow!
This testimonial from the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) speaks for itself!
It follows hot on the heels of Sheila performing at their inaugural Connected By the Love of Bikes Festival in Leicester’s Mallory Park Circuit last weekend.

Sheila was delighted to see and meet members of the band NOT QUITE DEAD YET. in the audience, and especially proud of 'Mad' aka Neil Myatt for getting involved with trying out the anger cushion, while his brother in law Tim, who Sheila named Jason Statham lookalike (see photo!) had the brave challenge of holding up the anger cushion!
And Sheila wanted to thank Andy Ward of Brill Creative for taking such fabulous photos.

After performing her unique mental health education and comedy on the main stage and receiving amazing feedback, Sheila also spent time counselling some of the event’s attendees.
Sheila said: “It really was a pleasure to be there and to meet so many fabulous people who really resonated with what I was saying. It was great to get such positive feedback from the organisers and people in the audience.
“I must also say a huge well done to the organisers for doing such a great job in running this first-of-its-kind family-friendly festival, especially Helen Hancock, aka Mj Ladybiker.”

Sheila was also grateful to be supported by and to support Paul Oxborough as founder and chair of Mental Health Motorbike at the festival.
Now, as we promised in our previous post…….
…..here are some more images of Sheila at the BMF Connected event, which was in association with Phoenix Motorcycle Training Ltd

For more on Mental Health Motorbike, visit https://mhmotorbike.com/and if you would like to access free mental health advice and support resources from Sheila, please visit her YouTube Channel

15/07/2025

What an emotional rollercoaster Sheila had last week.

Following in the wake of the recent passing of her father, which saw her fly back to Ireland to say her final goodbyes, Sheila had the privilege of headlining an inaugural British motorbike festival at Leicester’s Mallory Park Circuit

Sheila wishes to thank everyone who attended both her father’s removal and funeral, where she performed his favourite poem, “The Old Violin” as part of her tribute to him.
By then going on to honour her commitment to the festival, Sheila, pictured below sporting her Talking Mental Health hi-vis jacket at the event, modelled behaviour that she advocates every day: that it’s OK not to be OK and that grief, joy, and humour can coexist.

At the festival, Sheila took time out to counsel many attendees, and was grateful to have the support and to support Paul Oxborough founder and chair of Mental Health Motorbike
We will be sharing more details and images of Sheila and the festival, which was the first of its kind and organised by the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) later this week - so keep an eye on Sheila’s social media.

In the meantime, for more on , visit https://mhmotorbike.com/
And you can also find lots of mental health advice and support on Sheila’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel
Phoenix Motorcycle Training Ltd