Paths - Ways to Flourish

08/10/2025

ADHD is short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and can result in a number of different challenges for adults and children who present with symptoms of ADHD. In this article by Gestalt Psychotherapist, Mel McElhatton, the symptoms and experience of ADHD are explained in greater depth, helping you understand if seeking an assessment may be an important step in supporting yourself better. Please click here to read more: https://paths.care/resources/recognising-adhd-in-adults/

06/10/2025

Each month we’re featuring a therapist-recommended book which we believe would be interesting for anyone wishing to enhance their knowledge of mental health and general wellbeing. This month, Systemic Family Therapist, Charlotte Schembri, talks about the book – ‘What happened to you? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing’. This book, by Oprah Winfrey and brain development and trauma expert, Dr Perry, offers a deep insight into trauma through the use of personal storytelling. It explores what happens to us in childhood and how such experiences shape who we become as adults. For anyone interested in learning more about trauma, this may be a great book for you.

05/10/2025

Self-love is often seen as narcissistic or self-indulgent, when it’s anything but. When you love yourself, this means treating yourself as you would someone you love, like a partner, good friend or child. It means listening to your needs and respecting them. If you’re tired, for instance, you may need to rest rather than waking up early to do extra work. It may involve replacing the critical inner voice with a more compassionate one after making an error.

03/10/2025

Meet Charlotte! Charlotte’s journey in the field of psychology and counselling began over 25 years ago, driven by a desire to understand her own personal story and to use her experiences to support others navigating their own. While living and working in the UK, she completed her first degree in psychology and a diploma in Person-Centred Counselling. She later went on to complete a Master’s in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice with the University of Malta, and also holds a Master’s in Education from the Open University focused on supporting students with disabilities and their families.

With many years of experience working with families, Charlotte has a special interest in relationships and relational work. This can include personal conflicts, couple conflicts, parent-child conflicts, as well as family cycle issues and life transitions, such as separation or the death of a loved one. She also has an interest in working with trauma and wellbeing. Charlotte works therapeutically with couples, families and individuals, including teenagers and children.

Charlotte brings a wealth of insight and experience to her therapeutic work with individuals, couples, and families, helping them navigate challenges and strengthen their relationships. Grounded in a systemic approach, Charlotte engages in a collaborative process with her Clients, integrating attachment, trauma, and emotion-focused therapies. This, together with her rich personal life story, informs a way of working that is deeply relational and respectful. Charlotte is committed to creating a safe, empathetic, and supportive space, grounded in compassion and a genuine respect for each person’s unique story.

02/10/2025

People with ADHD are often wrongly seen as being lazy or lacking willpower. For people with ADHD, neural messages for tasks they enjoy tend to be strong, causing enhanced motivation. For tasks they find less interesting, neural messages are weaker and not enough to activate a person, making them struggle to start and maintain effort to complete a task. For 80 – 90% of people with ADHD, medication can significantly improve such symptoms.

01/10/2025

Have you ever really acknowledged how amazing the human body is? As you read this, your heart is pumping blood throughout your body whilst the billions of neurons in your brain are co-ordinating your thoughts, behaviour and every movement and sensation. Your body allows you to walk, run, swim, dance and take care of your daily needs. If you notice yourself focusing on parts of your body you don’t like, stop a moment and think about your body in terms of the things it allows you to achieve and enjoy rather than its ‘imperfections’.

To really see what your body is capable of and maximise the gratitude you feel, set yourself some challenges. A few ideas include climbing, abseiling, swimming in the sea, jogging, daily walks, a dance class, yoga or Pilates. The more you engage in activities which allow you to get in touch with your body and experience the sheer brilliance of it, the more likely you’ll look beyond the superficial.

28/09/2025

You have a choice to think negative and destructive thoughts in response to an event or you can choose to be positive and accepting of the circumstances. You can let a flat tyre ruin your day, for instance, or you can feel frustrated but still trust that the rest of the day isn’t ruined. It’s not what happens, but how you choose to think about what happens which is important.

26/09/2025

Meet Karin! Karin Cassar is a Gestalt psychotherapist with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Malta (2020) and a Master’s in Gestalt Psychotherapy (2025). Her experience includes working with children presenting with behavioural challenges linked to trauma and mental health difficulties. She has also supported adults living with mental health diagnoses, as well as individuals affected by domestic violence, complex grief, su***de, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional overwhelm.

Karin works therapeutically with adolescents and adults experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, depression, domestic violence, eating disorders, grief, loss and trauma, as well as supporting clients wishing to work on self-growth, personal development and improve self-esteem.

Karin is calm and grounded, offering clients a supportive space to explore their experiences with openness and self-awareness. She is passionate about helping people gain insight into their patterns, with the aim of fostering lasting change that extends beyond the therapy room.

In her free time, Karin enjoys walking, reading, and exercising. She believes in the impact of nature on our mental health, and feels recharged when spending time in the sun and by the sea.

24/09/2025

Pride month serves as a reminder of the importance of embracing diversity and a commitment towards creating a world where everyone can feel safe to live authentically. By celebrating diversity rather than judging and condemning difference of any kind, we send the message to everyone, young and old, that they are loved and accepted exactly as they are.

21/09/2025

Over time, we’ve normalised prioritising our phones over the person sitting right in front of us. A message or notification comes in and we stop, mid-conversation, to look at our phones. This is reducing the quality of our communication and diminishing relationships. Today, practice being fully present with whomever you’re with. This may involve silencing your phone or putting it in another room while spending time with others.

19/09/2025

Paths has recently had the opportunity to collaborate with, and sponsor, Kevin Argelier, who represented Malta in the Kickboxing ISKA European Championships this year. Kevin is a paths' client as well as a keen advocate for mental health. In this video clip, Kevin discusses the importance of discipline and commitment in the achievement of his sporting goals.

18/09/2025