Donna Marie Counselling.

14/02/2026

07/02/2026

Clients: “Have a great weekend!”
Me, on Saturday: bonding with the office carpet and a wet and dry vacuum.

06/02/2026

Friday, a tiny miracle we get once every seven days.

05/02/2026

I was almost late for my first client today—not traffic, not bad timing… a broken heel on my boot!!!!!
Had to drive back home to change.
Client: “Why didn’t you just work in your socks?”
Me: gestures wildly THIS is why I couldn’t work in my socks!!! 😂

Turns out your therapist doesn’t always have their life together and sometimes wears do-nut socks… and today was proof!!!

03/02/2026

This is a super common—and surprisingly awkward—therapy boundary issue. Short answer: it’s normal, it happens.

Most therapists are trained not to acknowledge clients in public unless the client initiates. Why?
• Protects client confidentiality
• Avoids outing the therapeutic relationship
• Gives the client full control over whether to engage

This is why I cover this explicitly in informed consent with “If you see me in public, you didn’t” and if I see a client before they see me, (I saw 2 clients Saturday while out for lunch) I walk as “normally” as I can into the nearest shop!!!

31/01/2026

January always feels like it has 300 days!!!

Here’s to February being shorter, lighter, and at least pretending to be kind.

30/01/2026

What happens in a therapeutic hour?

The first 50 minutes, create a clear beginning and end, which supports emotional safety, boundaries, and containment. The remaining 10 minutes (in a traditional hour) allow the therapist to reset, document, and prepare - protecting both client and clinician from emotional spillover.

It’s not just time—it’s a container.

27/01/2026

A study from the University of East Anglia found that the aroma of freshly baked pizza can help calm nerves and improve mood. A biometric analysis showed that many people reported feeling comforted by the smell, and some experienced a noticeable uplift in mood, effects linked to activation of the brain’s emotional centers and the release of feel‑good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. 

The comforting effect appears to come not just from eating pizza, but even from smelling it. Researchers believe this response engages the limbic system, the part of the brain that handles emotions and memory, helping reduce stress and anxiety. Whether it’s the scent of baking dough or the anticipation of sharing a slice with friends, pizza seems to offer both psychological and social comfort when you need a moment of relief. 

26/01/2026

What I love about that “GPS Theory” is this part in particular: the destination doesn’t vanish. We tend to act like one wrong turn deletes the whole plan—career, relationships, healing, whatever—but GPS logic says nope. The system never panics. It just updates with the information it has now.

Missed turns don’t cancel the destination—recalculating is still progress.

23/01/2026

That in-between space is brutal—and people don’t talk about this enough.

Living there means you’re carrying hope and exhaustion at the same time, which is way heavier than either one alone. One part of you is still trying, still believing. Another part is just… so tired of holding it together. And they keep taking turns driving, sometimes within the same hour. That emotional whiplash is draining in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’re in it.

What often gets missed is that this doesn’t mean you’re weak or dramatic or inconsistent. It usually means:
• You care deeply about things getting better
• You’ve been enduring a lot for a long time
• You haven’t given up—but you also haven’t been given much relief

It’s not failure. It’s survival

If it helps, you don’t have to pick one side and commit to it. You’re allowed to say:

“I don’t know if I can handle everything—but I’m still here today.”

Sometimes the goal isn’t hope or strength. Sometimes it’s just making the moment quieter: one less expectation, one small kindness to yourself, one thing you don’t have to carry alone.

22/01/2026

The “darkest 10 weeks of the year” are over.

Sunlight affects mood and energy, which is why this time can feel slow and introspective—but it also marks the turning point, when the light begins to return.

Here comes the sun (hopefully) ☀️ ☀️

21/01/2026

Pizza won’t replace therapy, sleep, or support — but enjoyed in moderation and without guilt, it can absolutely contribute to emotional comfort, joy, and social wellbeing. So enjoy the pizza and support the scientific research 😀

A study from the University of East Anglia found that the aroma of freshly baked pizza can help calm nerves and improve mood. A biometric analysis showed that many people reported feeling comforted by the smell, and some experienced a noticeable uplift in mood, effects linked to activation of the brain’s emotional centers and the release of feel‑good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. 

The comforting effect appears to come not just from eating pizza, but even from smelling it. Researchers believe this response engages the limbic system, the part of the brain that handles emotions and memory, helping reduce stress and anxiety. Whether it’s the scent of baking dough or the anticipation of sharing a slice with friends, pizza seems to offer both psychological and social comfort when you need a moment of relief.