Shane O'Byrne - Counsellor

15/05/2023

Folks,

Its that time of year again. SHEP has opened up its application form for the 2023 - 2024 Certificate in Personal Development course. This course is a year long with weekly sessions and weekend workshops and is highly beneficial for anyone who wishes to work on themselves.

The course is €790 for the year with bursary's and funding available in certain cases. There are in person courses available in the Cork, Kerry and Limerick regions and Online options for people if they require.

Application is easy today via our Online application form.

https://www.socialandhealth.com/online-application-portal/

Places are limited so early application is encouraged. If you have issues with technology please contact our office for a postal application form.

25/01/2023

January can be a month of change, restarts, setbacks, and GROWTH. It's likely that this month is a hard one for many. It can help to seek the support of the Grow Mental Health community in making changes and as you learn to rely on your own personal resources. To find a peer-support group near you or online or to learn more about our programs of growth and recovery, visit grow.ie.

16/01/2023

If you would like to learn how to manage feelings of stress, anxiety or depression, you might be interested in Aware’s free six-week Life Skills Programme. With expert guidance, learn how to better manage the stress of everyday life, recognise and manage unhelpful thoughts, learn new ways of thinking and ultimately begin the journey to a healthier and more confident life.
• Available virtually and in-person
• Choose from 23 available times, Monday - Saturday
• 90 min per week for 6 weeks
• Starting from 23rd Jan
• Register now - http://ow.ly/TE8N50MnH5F
Please note there is a no-quibble, fully refundable booking fee for this course (available upon request) - see booking page for details.

16/01/2023

Aware’s free Relatives & Friends Programme aims to help relatives/friends identify helpful options and actions available to them if someone they care about is experiencing depression or bipolar disorder.

Register now: http://ow.ly/jkC850MnFru
• Available virtually & in-person
• 90 min per week for 4 weeks
• Places are limited
• Starting from 23rd Jan

Content addresses the signs and symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder, offers practical advice on self-care, teaches coping tools, communication skills and addresses the issues that arise for people who are supporting a loved one.

19/11/2022

27/10/2022

22/10/2022

22/10/2022

Aware’s Relatives & Friends Programme aims to help relatives/friends identify helpful options and actions available to them if someone they care about is experiencing depression or bipolar disorder.

Register now: https://bit.ly/RelativeFriend

• Available in person & virtually
• 90 min per week for 4 weeks
• Starting beginning of Nov

The content addresses the signs and symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder, offers practical advice on self-care, teaches coping tools & communication skills, and addresses the issues that arise for people who are supporting a loved one. At the end of the programme, you will take away a personalised action plan.

This programme is free. However, there is a refundable booking fee of €30 to register your place (or €10 if you are a student, unemployed, over 65 or hold a medical card).

03/10/2022

How mindful practices give you the space to respond differently under pressure—plus, a meditation for lowering stress levels.

17/09/2022

Burnout is a state of physical and mental exhaustion. It is our bodies reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress. Burnout can also be caused by our lifestyle.

Symptoms of burnout include:
➡️ Feeling tired and drained most of the time
➡️Everyday feels like a bad day
➡️Frequent illnesses
➡️Sense of self-doubt and failure
➡️Feeling alone
➡️Taking longer than usual to get things done.
➡️Changes in eating and sleeping habits

Ways to handle burnout:
➡️Get support from family, friends or a professional
➡️Try a relaxing activity. Either something new or something you used to enjoy in the past
➡️Prioritise sleep and self-care
➡️Exercise
➡️Identify the areas that are causing stress and possible changes to improve your situation

01/08/2022

Break the cycle 💞

17/07/2022

Explore these five mindfulness practices to help you uncover and untangle from the feedback loop of negative thought patterns.

17/07/2022

Did you know Aware's lectures are all available as on YouTube (http://youtube.com/aware?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=) and on SoundCloud (soundcloud.com/awareireland) too?

Watch or listen to them at a time that suits you.

04/06/2022

Whether you prefer remote or face-to-face, Aware has three options for our Support & Self Care Groups: . We are expanding the number of face-to-face locations, so keep an eye out.

Register for a group now: http://bit.ly/AwareGroups?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=

06/05/2022

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/serotonin-the-natural-mood-booster

...

24/03/2022

Acceptance can be defined as fully acknowledging the facts of the situation we find ourselves in and not fixating on how things should be different. Accepting a mental illness allows us to move away from self-criticism and avoiding the problem. It does not mean that we are giving up and resigning ourselves to be in constant emotional distress.
Acceptance is important for our mental health for a number of reasons:
➡️ It makes it easier for us to do something constructive about the problem.
➡️ It can lead to greater self-compassion.
➡️ We have a lot more energy to deal with the situation rather than waste it denying or avoiding reality.
➡️ Encourages inner peace.
➡️ Helps to reduce negative thinking.

07/03/2022

There are a number of simple things that anyone can try.

02/03/2022

Some practical ways to help yourself and others affected by the conflict.

12/02/2022

Men have emotions. Men have bad days, weeks and months. Men cry.

If you are struggling with your mental health and someone tells you to "man up", walk away. They do not understand. They will not help you.

Surround yourself with people who will listen to you when you are depressed, angry or worried. Surround yourself with people who will hold you while you cry.

07/02/2022

Are you concerned about your mental health but don't know where to go for help? There are many options open to you.
➡️ Talk to your GP. Ask about the mental health services available in your local area.
➡️ Contact one of the various mental health helplines (Samaritans, Aware, Pieta House, etc).
➡️ Join a support group (Aware, Grow). Chat with people in the same situation as you.
➡️ Sit down with a trusted friend or family member. Talk about your thoughts and feelings. Ask them to help you find the help you need.
➡️ Search online or in business directories for counselling services.

30/01/2022

Do you regularly find yourself assuming that the worst will happen? Do you make mountains out of molehills? This is called catastrophising and is a common symptom of a number of mental illnesses including anxiety and depression. Left unchallenged, it can make the illness worse.

Try some of these tips to get it under control:
💭Analyse your thoughts. Do they bear any resemblance to reality?
💭 Write them down. Organise your thoughts and see them logically.
💭 Take a few deep breaths to relax and let go of the spiralling thoughts.
💭 Say it out loud. Do your thoughts sound irrational?
💭 See a professional. CBT can help you get your catastrophising under control.

20/01/2022

Aware run multiple programmes to help us understand and manage our mental health. Check out their website for full details.

Aware has a number of positive mental health adult programmes that teach us about how our thoughts work and how this can influence our behaviour.

11/01/2022

What do we do when a friend or family member is going through a difficult time? We show them love and kindness. We listen to them and help them any way we can. In other words, we show them compassion.
Self compassion is giving ourselves the same love and kindness when we are struggling. Practicing self compassion can have a positive impact on our mental health and our day to day lives.
➡️ Treat yourself as you would treat a friend.
➡️ Forgive yourself. We all make mistakes. Learn from them.
➡️ Nobody is perfect. Everybody struggles with something in life. You are no different. It's called being human.
➡️ Stop criticising yourself.
➡️ Practice self care.

07/01/2022

An interesting article on the link between our brain and our gut. Our mental health is not solely determined by what goes on in our head.

The next time you feel distracted, remember your mood is not all in your head—it's also impacted by your gut and your immune system.

24/12/2021

Helplines are open over the coming days. If you are in a dangerous situation please call Gardai immediately on 999. Know you are not alone, there are lots of people who want to help and support you. Reach out, make the call 📲.
🧡

22/12/2021

The "perfect christmas" does not exist.
❄️ Someone will not like their present
❄️ Children will throw tantrums
❄️ Relatives will pry into your life
❄️ The brussel sprouts will be over cooked
❄️ The cat will destroy the christmas tree and the dog will make itself sick by eating all the leftovers

Protect your mental health this year by lowering your expectations. Allow yourself to have a less than perfect christmas and enjoy it. We live in the real world, not a glossy magazine.

19/12/2021

Christmas can be a time of joy and happiness. For many, however, it can be a huge challenge; a stressful and emotional time of year that can lead to physical and mental illness.
Self care is even more important during Christmas. Try some of the following tips to help you survive the next couple of weeks.
🎄 Set yourself a budget and keep to it
🎄 Get enough sleep
🎄 Don't go overboard on alcohol and food
🎄 Do some activities that you enjoy
🎄 Take some time to yourself
🎄 Say no. Be selective about the events you go to
🎄 Spend some relaxing time outdoors
🎄 Talk about your emotions instead of keeping them bottled up
🎄 Ask for help if you need it

07/12/2021

We are bombarded by information every day; from social media, TV, newspapers, radio, 24/7 news channels and even gossip overheard in the supermarket queue. Sometimes fake information can have a negative impact on our lives and mental health. How can we tell what is true or false? How can we protect ourselves from malicious sources?

Ask yourself, is the information coming from a reliable source? Are they experts on the subject? Are you getting all the facts or is the information one sided? Can you get the same information from other reliable sources? Is the information backed up by quotes, facts, figures or independent opinions? Does it sound right? Is it too good to be true?

Do not take everything at face value. Do some digging. Ask your own questions. Use your own common sense to come to your own conclusion.

24/11/2021

Achieving goals give us a sense of accomplishment. This, in turn, leads to a boost to our mental health and increased self-esteem.
For anyone struggling with their mental health, it can be a huge challenge to get anything done. SMART goals can help to motivate us and get things done:
➡️ Specific - the goal should be clear and specific. A goal of being more physically active is too vague. Break that down into multiple SMART goals e.g. go for a walk 3 times this week.
➡️ Measurable - having goals that are measurable helps us to stay motivated and gives us a sense of excitement as we approach completion.
➡️ Achievable - ensure the goals are realistic and not too high.
➡️ Relevant - focus on something that fits in with the overall goal.
➡️ Time limited - set a reasonable time limit to achieve the goal.