The TLC Counselling Hub

21/08/2025

Absolutely my friend ✨

Good luck to everyone receiving their GCSE results today! 🎓📚

I want to share a quick reminder, I didn’t really get any GCSEs at all when I was your age. School didn’t click for me back then. It was only later in life, when I discovered what I was passionate about, that I went back to education.

These days I have all my GCSEs, a couple of A-levels, a foundation degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and I’m still learning every single day.

So whatever happens today, remember this: your results don’t define you. What matters most is finding what excites you, what drives you, and being willing to put in the work when the time is right.

Your journey is just beginning and there are many paths to success. Believe in yourself, back your passion, and never stop learning.

21/08/2025

Thursday Thoughts✨

So it’s GCSEs Results Day and unfortunately I’m seeing more young people than ever walk through the Hub doors with anxiety, panic attacks, burnout, depression, self harm and very low self esteem and self worth.

Why I will give one explanation why!
Back in my day (yes it was a long time ago I know) I sat a maximum of 8 exams.

For an undiagnosed neurodivergent teenager it was extremely tough particularly the maths which actually I failed!

Teenagers of today can sit anywhere between 18-30 exams!! No wonder their anxious. I see them either just about to sit them or when they feel they can’t cope to pursue their A’levels they literally are burnt out at 16 or 17 years old!!

Here’s a quick breakdown:

📚 Typical GCSE Load

• Students usually take 9 GCSE subjects
• Each subject typically has 2 to 3 exam papers
• Some subjects (like Combined Science) can have up to 6 papers

🧪 Example Subject Breakdown

Subject Number of Papers
Maths 3
English Language 2
English Literature 2
Combined Science 6
History 2–3
Geography 3
Modern Languages 4
Art/Music 1 (plus coursework)

So if a student takes 9 subjects, they might sit between 18 and 30 exams in total. It’s a hefty load and for some it can lead to burnout.

So be kind to the younger generation, they have a lot to offer (they are our future after all!) and it’s not all about how well they did or didn’t do today!!

Awareness = Choice = Change

20/08/2025

🎨 Counselling Through Creativity & Connection

Since 2019, I’ve been building a counselling practice that embraces difference, not just in how I work, but in how I connect.

As a neurodivergent practitioner, I bring a unique, intuitive approach to therapy, blending traditional techniques with creative mediums like art, symbolism, and self reflecting exploration.

This isn’t just about making therapy “fun”, it’s about helping clients see their stories from fresh, empowering angles. By working visually and experientially, we uncover layers of meaning that words alone can’t always reach.

Authenticity is at the heart of everything I do. I believe that being real, emotionally attuned, and professionally grounded is what fosters true therapeutic alliance.

My award winning practice, has grown from strength to strength, and I’m proud to continue offering a space where difference is not just accepted but wholly celebrated!!

Awareness = Choice = Change

14/08/2025

Still time to nominate the unsung heroes of our fabulous town ✨

14/08/2025

✨So it’s A’Level results day✨

If like me you struggled at school please remember those results really do not define you!!

🌱 1. Identity Is Multifaceted

• You are not your grades. Academic performance reflects a narrow slice of your abilities, often just how well you performed on a specific day under specific conditions.
• Counselling emphasizes holistic identity: your creativity, emotional intelligence, resilience, relationships, and values matter far more in shaping your life.

🧠 2. Emotional Health > Academic Metrics

• Obsessing over results can lead to anxiety, low self-worth, or burnout.
• Counsellors focus on emotional regulation, self-compassion, and growth, helping individuals understand that setbacks are part of the journey, not the end of it.

🌍 3. Life Paths Are Nonlinear

• Many successful, fulfilled people didn’t excel in school — or took unconventional routes.
• Counselling encourages exploration: finding purpose through passion, relationships, and lived experience, not just academic achievement.

💬 4. Self-Worth Isn’t Conditional

• A core principle in therapy is unconditional positive regard, the belief that everyone deserves respect and love regardless of performance.
• Your value isn’t earned through grades; it’s inherent.

🔄 5. Growth Is Lifelong

• Exams measure a moment, not your potential.
• Counselling promotes a growth mindset: failure is feedback, not a verdict. You can always learn, evolve, and reinvent yourself.

🕊️ In Summary

Exam results may open or close certain doors, but they don’t lock you into a single destiny. From a counselling lens, what matters most is how you relate to yourself, with kindness, curiosity, and courage. Life is vast, unpredictable, and full of second chances.

Awareness = Choice = Change

05/08/2025

It’s TestimonialTuesday

Read what our latest happy client had to say…

Counselling Andover, counsellors Andover mental health Andover ADHD assessor Andover mental health anxiety depression neurodiverse depression

03/08/2025

I’m very proud to sponsor this award with my good friend ✨

🎨🏆 Spotlight on the Arts – Sponsored with Heart 💫
We’re proud to announce that this year’s Sports Award – Arts Category is sponsored by two incredible champions of wellbeing and creativity: The TLC Counselling Hub and Caroline Maitland of Mysia Wellness.

This award honours those who demonstrate outstanding artistic skill, dedication, and a positive impact on their community or team — inspiring others through creativity, teamwork, and leadership.

💙 TLC Counselling Hub, founded by the award-winning Nicky Bates, offers compassionate, trauma-informed therapy in Andover and beyond. With a focus on neurodiversity, mental health, and creative healing, TLC empowers individuals to unlock their potential and find balance in life.

🌿 Caroline Maitland, wellbeing and life skills coach at Mysia Wellness, brings expertise in autism, ADHD, and PTSD. Her trauma-informed approach creates safe spaces for families and individuals to reset, reflect, and grow.

Together, these sponsors embody the spirit of this award — celebrating resilience, creativity, and the power of community.

03/08/2025

Can you support my pal?

A view from tonight’s bedroom in The Alps. Final kit checks this evening and then off into the mountains to train for Antarctic Odyssey 2025. If you would like to support me, all donations go direct to Army Cadets UK official charity ➡️ https://armycadets.enthuse.com/cf/antarctic-odyssey

Headline Sponsor:
🧡 Dyno-Rod

Support Sponsors:
🇦🇶 Bremont Watches
🇦🇶 Huel
🇦🇶 ADHD360
🇦🇶 Birchman Group

Find out more at www.jordanwylie.org

03/08/2025

Love this

www.nicounselling.co.uk

03/08/2025

Sunday is for sharing…

Whilst I have been away by the sea this week it inspired me to write this article.

Why the sea feels So Healing: A counselling perspective on negative ions and well-being. As counsellors, we often explore how certain environments can support emotional regulation, mental clarity, and a deeper sense of finding inner calm. One such environment that frequently comes up in conversation...

15/07/2025

✨ It’s Chooseday — see what I did there? 😄
A new day, a blank page, and a fresh opportunity to choose how you show up.

Today, I’m choosing:
💛 Kindness
💪 Hard work
🥗 Nourishing food
🏃‍♀️ Movement and exercise
😊 And a little bit of fun along the way!

What will you choose today?

Because…
Awareness ➡️ Choice ➡️ Change

11/07/2025

✨Friday Feels✨

Yesterday was all about self-care, slowing down, switching off, and reconnecting with nature on my paddleboard.

My work can be incredibly rewarding but also deeply challenging. I support people struggling with suicidal thoughts, anxiety, trauma and self-harm from all walks of life.

Whilst I’ve built strong tools and boundaries over the years, I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t sometimes take its toll.

That’s why I have to actively let go. When I reach the water’s edge, I mentally take off the weight of the week and leave it behind.

Out there, floating on the water, it’s just me and the present moment. And honestly, what else do we ever truly have but now?

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” — Anne Lamott

Awareness = Choice = Change