Dr Claire Plumbly

01/05/2026

Really useful clip about why social media often pulls us in yet leaves us wanting more

30/04/2026

Oh dear! Here’s a 1⭐️ Audible review left on my Burnout book recently.

I’m learning that my writing isn’t for everyone, although this is the first true one star
I’ve had since it came out so most find it helpful.

I did have to look up ‘hypospadias’ and that confused me even more!

Link to this highly offensive book of mine in the comments 👇

28/04/2026

Sharing this recall for a recent batch of Sertraline - if you’re on this antidepressant take a look at your blister pack as they accidentally packaged up citalopram in some packs. Link to the page with more info in the comments.

25/04/2026

Have you ever been prescribed antibiotics for an infection and found you’re motivated to take them whilst the infection symptoms are raw or painful, but that it becomes a struggle to remember to take them (and therefore complete the dose to the end) as the intensity subsides?

I always think at this point “why am I still taking these?”even though the doctor had clearly explained that taking to the end of the dose would clear the infection up completely to prevent it coming back.

This is where we are lucky in trauma therapy to have another way.

We can deliver treatment intensively over a few days - whilst your momentum is high and you’ve cleared the time to focus on yourself. And a newly published meta-analysis to us April indicates that dose and intensity are key to improvements in PTSD:

What it tells us is:

👉 When therapy is delivered in a more intensive way, people are more likely to stay the course by (complete the dose)
👉 And the more sessions people complete, the greater the reduction in PTSD symptoms ☺️ (grab the reference below).

This is one of the reasons my practice offer EMDR intensives and we are such a fan of them.

Instead of spreading therapy over months (or years), we create a focused, contained window to do the work. This is helpful because for some people life simply gets in the way of being able to prioritise their own needs for a sustained period of time.

It’s not right for everyone (check out the info page on our Plum Psychology website to see who it can be helpful for - linked in the comments). But when it is it can be the difference between starting therapy… and actually completing the ‘dose’.

If you’re curious about how EMDR intensives work, myself and my team are always happy to chat.

Next available spot is in May with my colleague Katherine.

Ref: Leithner, C et al (2026). The role of dosage and intensity in trauma-focused treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review.

24/04/2026

A really helpful resource. Do take a look!

I am really excited to share a little sneak peek of my collaboration with .

We have been working together on illustrations for the book and workbook I am writing on EMDR, perimenopause, trauma and neurodivergence, and I absolutely love what Jo has created here.

This infographic shows the window of tolerance. The line on the left represents a more typical window of tolerance, while the line on the right represents the narrowing of the window. This is something that many perimenopausal women often experience, although they may not always know why.

This narrowing can feel like overwhelm, anxiety, racing thoughts, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, low motivation, shutdown, numbness or disconnection. Many women can be left feeling as though they are “going mad”, when actually there are very real changes affecting their nervous system.

Jo is also a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Consultant, and she really understood what I was trying to communicate. She has turned the idea into something visual, clear and compassionate.

It is still a work in progress, but I really believe that including artwork in this workbook will enhance the experience for both the client or reader and their therapist.

So grateful for this collaboration.

21/04/2026

“I was entirely lost. I’d lost my intelligence, my ability to function and the fatigue that had been gaining on me for the last 20 years finally caught up with me….. I thought I was broken. I thought I was permanently broken….
But this book explained what had happened to me… and why.”

This was a recent review of my Burnout book on Goodreads. And I’ve copied a few more from Amazon below.

It’s called Burnout, How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You.

The book explains the 5 stages of burnout, how to recognise the signs, why you have got certain symptoms (so you know it’s not permanently defective if that’s a worry you’re having) and what to focus on to feel better.

Link to learn more in the comments below.

18/04/2026

A few years ago I created a resource after feeling upset at how little trauma-informed awareness there is within medical settings.

I've not shared on here for a long time but regularly share with clients and supervisees, so felt it was time to re-share here.

It is a customisable letter for anyone feeling anxious about a gynecological, gastroenterology or obstetric appointment following sexual trauma.

I wrote this for my own clients who have been sexually assaulted and were finding medical appointments triggering and difficult to get to.

It includes practical recommendations to the medical staff about how to manage the appointment so it is not retraumatising.

I have updated it today to include gender neutral language. I do hope this is helpful to anyone reading this who has suffered from sexual abuse, or is working with someone who has.

You can find the link at the bottom of the blog linked in the comments - I don't currently have a specific page on my website after recent updates but will try to find a home for it.

I plan to do one for dental/oral appointments too. Once this is written I'll share it with anyone who's already downloaded this medical letter and on here.

The photo attached is page one of three recommendations - this accompanied the letter that you can download and personalise to give to the doctor or nurse.

08/04/2026

7 questions. 2-3 minutes. Instant results.

If you have heard of EMDR therapy and are wondering if this would be a good option for you then this is your invitation to do my EMDR Readiness Reflective Quiz to learn more.

Link in the comments.

31/03/2026

Yes, they look like tiny alien tech 👽

No, they’re not here to abduct you.

These are EMDR buzzers - handheld tools used for bilateral stimulation - a central part of EMDR therapy that helps the brain process trauma and distress in a more manageable way.

( EMDR is a highly effective approach to many anxiety and trauma related issues.)

These little guys can bring you the peace you’ve been looking for from the stuck behaviours, intrusive memories or bad dreams ✨

25/03/2026

What’s your next listen?

I wanted to share some new podcast episodes that I've guested on in the last few weeks. I do hope one of these topics resonates…

1) Parental Burnout on the All Aboard ADHD Podcast - on this episode I discuss what parental burnout looks like, why parents of neurodivergent children are at high risk of this, share a self-assessment tool for parental burnout, and give tips for preventing it.

🎧https://www.allaboardadhd.com/podcast

2) Carer Burnout on the Conversations on Healing podcast - an American podcast particularly aimed at carers and professionals in this space. The host Shay Beider really wanted to drill down into the psychological tools for managing stress in the moment so this is a good one if you want to top up your emergency toolkit.

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-on-healing-podcast/id1516031169

3) How to switch off after work on the Dial Emma podcast - an agony aunt podcast with Emma Reed-Turrell, which an extremely relatable dilemma from a listener who is struggling to stop working in the evening.

🎧 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dial-emma/id1614793299?i=1000749895741

(This photo was taken last summer, I’m trying to channel summer vibes as I’m full of cold and need to manifest warmth)

19/03/2026

It was such a privilege to speak at the Children’s & Young People’s Cancer Association Conference 2026 in Manchester this week - closing out the conference as a guest speaker.

I provided psychological concepts and tools for advanced stress management - for professionals working highly emotive and fast-paced environments

I have to add that I really enjoyed being in the buzz of Manchester too - I wandered around china town without getting knocked over by any of the trams - I love the gentle peeps they make to let you know they’re coming!

08/03/2026

My Burnout book has been put on a discount on Amazon this week.

It tends to get good reviews from most.

If you want to grab it whilst it’s on offer then the link is in the comments!