Ida_therapeutic_counsellor

21/08/2025

“There is always hope”

21/08/2025

“If I've learned anything from life, it's that sometimes the darkest moments can bring us to the brightest places.
I've learned that the most toxic people can teach us the most important lessons; that our most painful struggles can provide our most needed growth; and that the most heartbreaking losses of friendship and love can give way to the most wonderful people.
I've learned that what seems like a curse at the moment can actually be a blessing, and that what seems like the end of the road is actually just the discovery that we're meant to walk a different path.
I learned that no matter how difficult things seem, there is always hope.
And I learned that no matter how helpless we feel or how horrible things seem, we can't give up. We must continue. Even when it's scary, even when all our strength seems gone, we have to keep picking ourselves back up and moving forward, because whatever we're fighting right now, it will pass, and we'll make it. I've come this far. We can get through whatever comes next. "

Source: Daniel Koepke & Selena Xenakis

16/08/2025

This is my latest blog I’ve written about when Summer does not feeling as sunny 🌞 . I hope you like it.Have a great Saturday wherever you are in the world 🌍.
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If your summer feels a little less sunny than you'd hoped and you find yourself Googling 'Counselling Wilmslow', I’d be honoured to support you.

12/08/2025

I have just landed back from a few weeks away in the U.S. 🇺🇸 I reflect, how fortunate and thankful I am to have had time with my family and to visit parts of America I’ve only read 📖and watched in films 🎥 .

Being thankful, and practising gratitude is a part of my life now, something I began to focus on more over the last two years. It has helped negativity, fears and anxiety. Being thankful is a choice; it is looking for the positives in our day, no matter how big or small. Gratitude supports happiness as the brain learns to seek out things to be grateful for, building new neural pathways that make noticing the good more automatic. Over time, this promotes a shift in habits - in perspective and your perspective and experience of life will be brighter and more positive✨ . Try it and see for yourself.. it doesn’t happen automatically but over time, and with practise, it will. I know it’s helped me and has now become a way of life. Thank you for reading this post, I am 🙏🏻 grateful.

08/08/2025

Summer isn’t always sunny ☀️🌧️

Summer can feel like it should be joyful — holidays, family time, sunshine, longer days. But for many, it’s a season that can also contain loneliness, grief, illness, disappointment, sadness, emptiness and exhaustion and much more. (This is not an exhausted list).

When families are separated. Summers can be difficult and evoke anxiety. I understand this myself through early childhood experiences. You may also be holding stress — worry, like waiting for exam - university results, your own or a member of the family. I know this first hand as one of my children is waiting for GCSE results, and the anticipation can stir up a lot of negative emotion and fear.

This is where seeing 🛋️ a therapist is beneficial. Therapy provides the time 🕰️ and calm 🧘space to think and reflect. 👂🏻A moment to pause, address what is bothering you and be heard. 💛A chance to feel understood — especially when summer isn’t what you hoped for or you may need that extra listening ear away from familiar people. 🛋️In session, we also discuss strategies to help support your wellbeing, challenging behaviours and habits that aren’t always positive or helpful.

If you’d like more information or support, you are welcome to book a session with me at Ida therapy. I look forward to connecting with you.

📩 Email: natalie@idatherapy.co.uk
📱 Call/Text: 07712 542365

29/07/2025

While attending a yoga class on holiday this morning, I heard a poem for the very first time, I love ❤️ a good, thought provoking poem and this did stop and make me think.

“Autobiography in Five Short Chapters”
by Portia Nelson.

In just a few short verses, it speaks to the heart of the matter of personal growth: the way we repeat patterns without realising it… until we eventually do! Or we may need help, guidance and support with identifying this at first or the hope to change. Then slowly—sometimes painfully—we begin to choose differently.

It reminded me of the gentle, often non-linear journey of counselling and healing that I witness in my own life and in the lives of the people I work with.

We fall in.
We get out.
We begin to see.
Eventually, we take another path.

If you feel you are in the middle of the same old street with the same old hole—be kind to yourself. Awareness is change for beginning and wanting change is a great first step towards altering behaviours, habits and unhealthy patterns.

💬 I would love to know—have you heard this poem before? Do you like it? Does it speak to you? What chapter are you in today?

26/07/2025

26/07/2025

Yesterday, my family and I visited the 9/11 memorial museum. The heaviness and heartfelt emotions I experienced were present and the empathy towards the lives of others, their families and the impact on the world along with America was and is truly immeasurable and beyond comprehension.

In life, unfortunately there will always be unpredicted and immeasurable- life changing circumstances, threats and damages that are unimaginable and inhumane. But it is in the moving on that we learn how to continue, to live and to understand and somehow to love again- through the grief, mourning and complexity of circumstances beyond our control.

25/07/2025

For those who are new here or may not know me—I’m Natalie, the counsellor and psychotherapist behind Ida Therapy.

It can feel challenging at times to share myself in this space. As a therapist, the work I do isn’t about me—it’s fundamentally about you, the client. However, the journey I’ve been on, the experiences I’ve lived through, and the life events I’ve faced have all shaped the therapist I am today.

Grief, love, loss, hurt, sadness, joy, peace—my own encounters with these emotions, paired with four years of training and over 100 hours of voluntary client work at the beginning of my path, have provided me with a deeper, more compassionate understanding of the human experience.

Behind Ida Therapy is someone trained, skilled, and constantly learning—reading, listening, thinking, and quietly doing the work in the background to remain fully present for every person I sit with.

I’m truly glad you’re here. You are in good company. Welcome to my page.

— Natalie

21/07/2025

Recently, I’ve been thinking about how the unhealed wounds and the traumas of others can lead to personal outbursts and possible attacks and unkind words spoken; I am also hearing this spoken about more in my counselling sessions too.

🌍 “People speak from their own world.”
⠀
When someone judges, criticizes, attacks or misunderstands you, it’s easy to take it personally and wonder why? Why have they chosen me? This can then lead to internal reflection and can possibly cause negative thoughts - words towards ourselves. But here’s the important truth: other people’s words are often a reflection of their inner world ; how they are feeling about themselves and what is currently going on for them in that moment.
⠀
They may be speaking through filters of insecurity, jealousy, fear, or unhealed wounds. That doesn’t make their experience invalid—but it does mean it’s not your burden to carry.
⠀
🧠 Pause before internalizing.
Ask yourself: “Is this really about me, or is it a projection of their own struggles?”
⠀
💛 Reclaim your peace by remembering that you don’t have to own what was never yours to begin with.
⠀
✨ You are allowed to stay grounded in your truth, even when others can’t see it. Knowing that who you are and your self worth helps to stay focused, knowing that is it not about you, it never was!

21/07/2025

Recently, I’ve been thinking about how the unhealed wounds and the traumas of others can lead to personal outbursts and possible attacks and unkind words spoken; I am also hearing this spoken about more in my counselling sessions too.

🌍 “People speak from their own world.”
⠀
When someone judges, criticizes, attacks or misunderstands you, it’s easy to take it personally and wonder why? Why have they chosen me? This can then lead to internal reflection and can possibly cause negative thoughts - words towards ourselves. But here’s the important truth: other people’s words are often a reflection of their inner world ; how they are feeling about themselves and what is currently going on for them in that moment.
⠀
They may be speaking through filters of insecurity, jealousy, fear, or unhealed wounds. That doesn’t make their experience invalid—but it does mean it’s not your burden to carry.
⠀
🧠 Pause before internalizing.
Ask yourself: “Is this really about me, or is it a projection of their own struggles?”
⠀
💛 Reclaim your peace by remembering that you don’t have to own what was never yours to begin with.
⠀
✨ You are allowed to stay grounded in your truth, even when others can’t see it. Knowing that who you are and your self worth helps to stay focused, knowing that is it not about you, it never was!

05/05/2025

Yesterday, I shared a beautiful walk with my husband and Chester 🐾🐾our dog. It was one of those simple, soul-filling moments—just being together, moving slowly, and connecting in the calmness of nature 🪾🐏🐑.

Research shows that being outside will help:
•Lower stress and cortisol levels
•Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
•Enhance cognitive function and creativity
•Promote physical activity, which boosts overall health
•Foster a sense of connection, awe, and perspective

Even brief exposure—like a walk in the park or time spent gardening—can make a noticeable difference. Now the weather is improving, I may be taking my clients on more walks during our therapy sessions.

Wishing you a lovely bank holiday Monday and I hope you get outdoors at some point today.