Hayley Perkins Counselling, Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Services

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Hayley Perkins Counselling, Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Services Sometimes it is difficult to say what is on your mind. Talking to a therapist can help you cope with difficulty and make positive change.

I talk a lot about the inner child…But let’s not forget her slightly moodier sibling — the outer teen 😏You know the one....
29/10/2025

I talk a lot about the inner child…

But let’s not forget her slightly moodier sibling — the outer teen 😏

You know the one.

The part of you who rolls her eyes when someone tells you what to do.

Who says, “I’m fine,” when she’s definitely not.

Who craves independence but secretly just wants someone to notice she’s struggling.

Who wants to be seen, heard, and validated, but on her terms, thank you very much.

The outer teen is that in-between part of us, not quite the innocent child, not quite the fully-formed adult.

She’s figuring herself out, rebelling a little, trying to find where she fits in the world.

And she still shows up in our adult lives more than we realise.

She’s the voice that says:

“I don’t need help.”
“I’ll do it my way.”
Or, “Don’t tell me what to do!” (while secretly wanting someone to guide us).

When your outer teen runs the show, you might:

Resist authority or feedback.
Sabotage things that are too good.
Avoid responsibility but get annoyed when no one steps up.
Pretend you don’t care… when actually you care a lot.

But here’s the thing — your inner teen isn’t bad.
She’s just misunderstood.
She’s trying to protect you, to find your voice, to be seen as capable and worthy.

So maybe it’s time to check in with her.

Ask her what she needs.

Let her roll her eyes, listen to some moody music, or scribble her feelings in a notebook.

She’s got wisdom too, if you let her speak.
Because healing isn’t just about nurturing your inner child.

It’s about meeting your inner teen, the rebel, the dreamer, the part of you who’s always wanted to belong and break free.

So tell me…

What would your inner teen say if you actually let her speak today?

I became a therapist because I wanted to help people.At least, that’s what I told myself.But if I’m honest and I think w...
24/10/2025

I became a therapist because I wanted to help people.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

But if I’m honest and I think we all need more honesty in this space, what I didn’t realise at the time was that “helping” was feeding a part of me that needed to feel useful.

Worthy.
Important.

Helping became the mask my ego wore so beautifully.

The rescuer role.
The fixer.
The one who could make things better.

It looked noble on the outside and in many ways it was, but underneath, it was also about soothing me.

The part of me that found safety in being needed.

The part that measured value by how much I gave.

And when I look around the therapeutic and coaching space now, I see it everywhere.

Healers burning out.
Coaches over-delivering.
Therapists carrying the emotional weight of their clients like it’s their own.

All falling on the sword of “helping.”

But here’s what changed everything for me:

I’m not here to help you.
I’m here to support you in helping yourself.

That difference changes everything.

Because when I help, I position myself above you, as if I know more, as if I can save you.

But when I support, I stand beside you.

I trust your capacity.

I hold space for your unfolding rather than trying to direct it.

H 🙏🏻🙏🏻

I was energetically scattered — are you?I used to think I was tired because of everything I had to do. The workload. The...
20/10/2025

I was energetically scattered — are you?

I used to think I was tired because of everything I had to do. The workload. The clients. The house stuff. The endless list that never seemed to end.

Something I realised, it wasn’t the work that drained me, it was the parallel process running alongside it.

The overthinking.
The self-judgement.
The constant replaying of conversations in my head.
The worry about what people might think.
The guilt for not doing enough.

That’s what really burns us out, not the thing itself, but everything that happens around it.

It’s not the meeting that exhausts you, it’s the anxiety before and the over-analysis after.

It’s not the boundary you set, it’s the guilt that follows.

It’s not even the work you do, it’s the pressure you pile on yourself while doing it.

Those are the invisible energy leaks, the open loops that keep your system running on high alert.

When you start noticing the parallel process, you start to see where the real fatigue lives.

It’s not in your schedule, it’s in your head, your heart, your nervous system.

And when you bring awareness there, something beautiful happens.

You stop fighting yourself.
You start conserving energy.
And little by little, you come back to calm.

H 💛

Call to action:

Today, choose one loop to close or one parallel process to pause. Tell me in the comments what you’re choosing or DM me if you want support creating calmer rhythms.

My morning reflection 💚I had an emotionally wobbly day yesterday, anxious, feeling untethered, like a boat without a rud...
15/10/2025

My morning reflection 💚

I had an emotionally wobbly day yesterday, anxious, feeling untethered, like a boat without a rudder.

But I reached out.

A 90-minute call with Lisa Monger was an absolute tonic—deep, real, soul-steadying.

Back-and-forth messages with Nicola Noel always lift my spirits.

And then Julie McLean surprised me with a freshly baked sourdough loaf. Her kindness (and bread-making magic) warmed me right through.

Then as I was doing my pre bedtime scroll I saw this - “I hope that when people show you they love and care for you, your heart is soft and trusting enough to believe them.”

I'm getting a lot better at believing.

It’s funny, isn’t it—how the right people, in the right moment, can become anchors when you’re drifting?

Yesterday reminded me that even when the waves feel big, I’ve got so many amazing people on my side… and I’m learning to be on my own side too. 🙏🏻

Today I’m anchoring back into self-kindness, connection and trust.

H 💚

Just because…Just because someone says they’re kind doesn’t mean they are.Just because someone claims integrity is their...
14/10/2025

Just because…

Just because someone says they’re kind doesn’t mean they are.

Just because someone claims integrity is their highest value doesn’t make it true.

Just because someone says a thing… doesn’t make it so.

Here’s something that woke me up a few years ago and changed everything:

How can I say kindness matters if I won’t offer it to myself?

How am I “in integrity” if I abandon myself daily?

How do my values count if they only apply to other people?

Words are easy.

Congruence is the work.

If you value kindness—it has to start with you.

If you value integrity—stop leaving yourself behind.

If you value honesty—tell yourself the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Powerful question for today:

Where am I preaching a value I’m not yet practising with myself—and what’s one small act I can take today to close that gap?

You're welcome!

H x

What’s Lurking in Your Shadows!! 🖤🖤If you’re trying your hardest but still not moving forward, you can be certain there’...
13/10/2025

What’s Lurking in Your Shadows!! 🖤🖤

If you’re trying your hardest but still not moving forward, you can be certain there’s a shadow at play.

The shadow is that invisible force that stands in front of your spirit, blocking the light and the life you’re trying to step into.

It’s the subconscious voice that whispers —
“you can’t,”
“you won’t,”
“you’re not good enough.”

It fuels self-doubt, fear, overthinking, procrastination, and perfectionism.

It keeps you almost there… but not quite.

Maybe you’ve noticed it when you shrink your truth in a conversation.
Or when you say yes when everything inside you screams no.
Or when you sabotage the very thing you’ve been asking for — because deep down, part of you doesn’t believe you deserve it.

That’s your shadow.

It’s not trying to ruin your life, it’s trying to protect you from pain you once felt. But protection becomes prison when it stops you from growing.

When you learn to bring your shadow into the light, to meet it, understand it, and integrate it, that’s when everything starts to shift.

You stop fighting yourself.
You stop chasing alignment and start embodying it.
You align your energy with transformation.
You finally start living the life your soul has been asking for.

So… what’s lurking in your shadows?

What’s the part of you that’s quietly calling the shots behind the scenes?

Because when you meet her with love instead of fear,that’s where your freedom begins.

Ready for that call?

https://calendly.com/adifferentpath101/new-meeting

The first no is not rebellion. It is self trust waking up.You spend a lifetime saying yes.Keeping the peace.Making it ea...
13/10/2025

The first no is not rebellion. It is self trust waking up.

You spend a lifetime saying yes.
Keeping the peace.
Making it easier for everyone else.

Then one day you hear a tiny no rise in your chest.

It feels wrong.
Like you are breaking a rule everyone agreed to but never spoke about.

Guilt burns in your stomach like a small fire that will not go out.

Please remember....

The first no is not defiance.
It is self trust waking up.

There are parts of you that know it is safe to choose you.

There are parts that are wired to keep you exactly where you have always been.

Both are trying to protect you.

Only one will let you grow. 🙏🏻

So try this today.

Before you answer, breathe.

Ask: is this a real yes or a peace-keeping yes.
If it is a peace-keeping yes, try a gentle no and notice what rises.

Tremble if you need to.
You are allowed to tremble and still choose you.

Small boundaries build strong roots.
Strong roots hold bigger changes.

Where is your next tiny no waiting to be spoken?

Tell me and I will cheer you on. 🙌🙌

My morning reflection 💛💛Designing a life you actually want starts with taking things away.Before you add the shiny new h...
11/10/2025

My morning reflection 💛💛

Designing a life you actually want starts with taking things away.

Before you add the shiny new habits and goals, clear out what leaks your energy, the shoulds, the over-giving, the noise, the people/places that leave you flat.

Then, with that space and a calmer nervous system, add back what genuinely lights you up.

Most of us skip the clearing and just keep adding… and wonder why nothing changes.

Subtract first.
Add second.

Space is where we create the new.

H 🙏🏻

A Hug She Always DeservedFor so many years, my inner child needed a hug from me. She needed to know she was safe, seen, ...
04/10/2025

A Hug She Always Deserved

For so many years, my inner child needed a hug from me. She needed to know she was safe, seen, and loved. But she never got it.

Instead, what she often received was neglect, criticism, and a complete lack of kindness. All the while, she watched me give all of that warmth, care, and compassion to everyone else.

No wonder she began to hide away. No wonder other parts of me started searching for validation, acceptance, and love in all the wrong, often painful, places.

And then, everything changed.

I’ve explored countless therapies and personal development avenues over the years, all in an effort to "fix" myself. But nothing, absolutely nothing, has connected me more deeply to the core of who I am than inner child work.

Reparenting my inner five-year-old in a new way, one where she is unconditionally important, truly seen, and wholeheartedly loved, has been the ultimate game-changer. This work isn't about being perfect; it's about being present.

And yes, I hug her every single day and it's why inner child connection is at the fore of my work.

Thank you, AI, for bringing this moment to life, seeing me hugging 5 year old me is incredibly powerful and I feel nothing but love for her.

Imagine how your inner 5 year old would feel if you gave them a hug 💛

H x

A client said to me the other day:“I just miss me..... I don’t even know who I anymore, I just need some space to think....
29/09/2025

A client said to me the other day:

“I just miss me..... I don’t even know who I anymore, I just need some space to think.”

I hear versions of this all the time.
Different words, same sense of disconnection.

Women who’ve spent years being everything for everyone and somewhere along the way, lost touch with themselves.

They’ve built the career.
Held the family together.
Ticked every box.
And yet… they feel empty.

Not depressed.
Not broken.
Just disconnected.

It’s that quiet ache you feel when life looks fine, but doesn’t feel fine.

When you can’t even answer the question, “who am I and What do I actually want?”

That’s where the Immersive Days come in.

They’re not about doing more, they’re about finally stopping.
Creating enough space for you to hear yourself again.

Because the truth is, you don’t need a plan.
You just need to pause.

And in that pause… you’ll start to find you again. 💛

What's involved:

Full immersive day with me in my home in Maxey
Followed by 30 days of integration support, including weekly online catch ups.

£750

Let's do this, call / message me 07961 001616

Hayley 🙏🏻

A few years ago, I reached a crossroads in my business.I’d spent over 20 years building my brand, creating success that ...
28/09/2025

A few years ago, I reached a crossroads in my business.

I’d spent over 20 years building my brand, creating success that looked great from the outside… but inside?

I was miserable and pretending I wasn’t.

For at least 18 months I ignored what my body was screaming at me to hear.

The fatigue.
The anxiety.
The restlessness.

That deep knowing that something wasn’t right, but the fear of making changes kept me frozen.

Because walking away from something you’ve spent years building feels terrifying, doesn’t it?

You tell yourself you should be grateful.
You convince yourself things aren’t that bad.
You keep pushing.
Until one day… you just can’t anymore.

And that was my moment.

I finally listened.

And what happened next changed everything.
When I stopped performing and started pausing, I found clarity.

When I stopped pretending and started feeling, I found peace.

When I stopped chasing the next goal and started listening inward, I found me.

Maybe you’re at a crossroads too.

In work.
In life.

In who you’ve become versus who you really are.

But you’re not giving yourself the time or space to explore what your next chapter might look like — or what’s quietly getting in the way.

That’s where I come in.

Through my Immersive Days, I hold space for you to slow down, reflect and reconnect, to finally see the patterns, the stories, and the protective parts that have been keeping you small.

Together, we’ll work through where you are, where you want to be, and what’s stopping you from getting there.

And it doesn’t end there — after your Immersive Day, we spend 30 days integrating the shifts, turning the insight into action, and grounding the change so it lasts.

💫 The outcomes?

Deep clarity about what you actually want (not what you think you should want)
A calm nervous system and renewed sense of energy

Self-trust — the kind that changes how you move through the world

Emotional freedom from the stories that kept you stuck

A vision that feels aligned, exciting and possible again

If that crossroads keeps calling your name… maybe it’s time to listen.

Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop pretending you’re okay — and choose to do something about it.

One day can change everything.

If this resonates let’s start a conversation 🙏🏻

Hayley x

Call or message 07961001616

I love that moment in a session when a client drops the pretence.When they allow the mask to slip.When the brave face th...
26/09/2025

I love that moment in a session when a client drops the pretence.

When they allow the mask to slip.

When the brave face they’ve been holding onto softens.

It’s not about opening up to me, it’s when they finally open up to themselves.

That’s when the real work begins. 💛

Because for so long they’ve been holding it all together… being strong, capable, “fine.” But underneath, their body and mind have been carrying the truth, their truth!

And when they let themselves see it, feel it, speak it, something shifts.

The weight lifts.
The clarity comes.
The reconnection begins.

That moment is pure magic.

Where in your own life are you still pretending you’re fine, when deep down you’re craving space to really be honest with yourself?

Hayley 🙏🏻

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Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+447961001616

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My Story

Hello, I am Hayley Perkins, Counsellor, Inner Child Mentor and founder of The Alternative Diet. Besides being an avid lover of good coffee and a hefty slice of lemon drizzle cake, I love nothing better than helping people who feel stuck in their lives.

I have been on this crazy ‘Life’ journey myself, the ups and the downs, and along the way I have learned a thing or two about what is really going on behind the scenes, and also realised that the key to true success is not going to be found by being slimmer, being richer, being more successful (even if we think it is) - it’s embracing who we are, changing those stories, beliefs and inner demons which hold us back, that really has the biggest impact.

I’m not here to fix you but I am here to help you overcome, work though and heal whatever is holding you back and stopping your from living your life to the fullest.

I empower men and women, like yourself, to explore and understand what is keeping them stuck, and support them in removing the blocks, changing the beliefs, re-writing the stories and healing the hurts which are holding them back so self doubt, resistance, self sabotage, procrastination, limiting beliefs, inner critic, feeling overwhelmed and inadequate become a thing of the past…..