Networking Evening Success

Thank you to all that attended our first networking evening last night, we had a group of around 20 turn up, luckily there was enough biscuits to go round (which is most important).

The great thing about these events is giving counsellors and therapists the opportunity to find work or placements, advertise their own events or courses and discover what's on that might be of interest to them.

This particular evening shed some light on what some of the more experienced counsellors felt was missing in the realms of support and connection locally...

It was put out there that there is a need for an online forum that delves into all aspects of mental health, primarily for local counsellors to benefit from, but also an access point for the public to ask questions and enquire from a large population of online counsellors. It would be the ideal site for counsellors to review courses, discuss ethical dilemmas, relay real life stories and experiences, advertise work, placements and volunteering roles, recommend certain services and find experts and specialists to refer to.

Therapy for Life will be looking into putting together such a site with advice and recommendations from our networkers, it would be beneficial to organise a brainstorming session with our web designer who can design the online forum for us.

We also discussed how so many of the interesting courses and CPD events always seem so far away and deter many of us in Essex from travelling there.

We shall look into this also, and utilise the conference rooms at Southend's University of Essex to run some interesting courses and hopefully get some guest speakers in.

So all in all a very productive evening, we shall run the next one in June, and see how we can really impact positively on mental health in Essex.

If you want to attend the next networking evening, just contact Sam at: sam.c@therapyforlife.net

www.therapyforlife.net

What would be the last straw for you to finally get some help with all that worry and anxiety?

Many of us trundle on in life with various life tribulations happening around us. Some people are unfortunate to have more negative events in their lives than others.

Why is that?

Are you just unlucky?

It’s possible that you really do have more unfortunate things happening in your life than most, but it could also be the way you perceive it all...

Do you find yourself often worrying or anxious about future events?

Do you find yourself imagining the worst?

If that’s the case, ask yourself...

 “What’s the worst that could happen?”

If you answered the question honestly with yourself, then ask yourself again

“If the worst does happen.... can I handle it?”

We humans are a resilient bunch, and quite often your answer will be...

“YES but it will be tough, uncomfortable, dreadful, scary, embarrassing and I’ll hate it... but I can handle it”

So, leading up to these events... how do you stop worrying about it in the meantime? 

The answer is by accepting that anxiety and worry is a part of our lives, and instead of avoiding the things that worry you most, find courage and face up to them head on with help and support.

By looking at events and situations as if through a friend’s eyes, what advice would they give you? What would they do in this situation?

By perceiving the problem as if from another person’s unaffected point of view, it gives us a moments ‘time out’ from the issue that is consuming us, and sometimes reveals new options and solutions.

It isn’t healthy mentally or physically for people to be in a constant state of worry or anxiety, but accepting that it’s part of life, and getting the help you need to reduce it to a manageable amount, is absolutely the best thing you can do for yourself. Afterall, all that worrying is taking up perfectly good hours that could be better spent feeling calm and happy.

At Therapy for Life we help you discover the root of your worry and teach you new techniques to get you coping and feeling better. If you would like to know more contact Sam for a friendly chat

Just the smell of alcohol can make it difficult to maintain self-control, new research has shown.

The smell of alcohol may make it harder for people to control their behaviour.

Just the smell of alcohol may trigger the cognitive response in the brain to want and need to consume it.

An experiment was carried out by a research team at Edge Hill University.

participants were asked to wear a face mask that was either laced with alcohol, or a non-alcoholic citrus solution. Participants were then instructed to press a button when either the letter K or a picture of a beer bottle appeared on their screen.

The researchers measured the number of times the participants incorrectly pressed the button causing a 'false alarm'. These false alarms indicate a reduction in the participant's power to inhibit their behaviour when they were expected to.

Dr Rebecca Monk, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Edge Hill University said that she and her fellow researchers found that the number of these 'false alarms' were higher in participants who were wearing the alcohol treated mask.

In other words, their behaviour was altered from the smell of alcohol alone.

Things that trigger alcohol consumption might be our state of mind and emotions, the environment we are in or the people in our company. This is the first investigation into other kinds of triggers - such as our sense of smell.

Although this was only an early lab based experiment into further triggers regarding alcohol, during the experiment it seemed that just the smell of alcohol was making it harder for participants to control their behaviour to stop pressing a button.

Imagine someone faced with the daily torment of wanting to drink but had faced health problems from alcohol consumption and depression resulting in drinking, they had been sober for weeks, months or even years, when one day their cognitive trigger is set off by just walking past a busy pub.

People who have suffered from alcoholism and addiction problems (if this test is proven further), would need to avoid pubs and bars and many other social occasions not only to resist temptation from environment and peer pressure, but now also for protection from just the sheer smell of alcohol alone!

If you or someone you know is suffering from substance abuse, please contact Sam or Jackie at Therapy for Life for immediate help and support.

source

Incentive to encourage people's kindness to help friends with mental illness

Let’s face it... it’s uncomfortable for people to talk about Mental Health Issues. There is still a fear and stigma ingrained when discussing things like depression, anxiety, stress, grief, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. 

One of the ways we have started to reach out is through our clients. Many of us know someone who might be in need, finding life difficult to cope with or always seem stressed and find daily catastrophes ruining their lives.

"The pressures of life and the pressures we put on ourselves can be overwhelming, after all the biggest wall we will ever climb is the one we create in our minds".

At 'Therapy for Life', our clients at the end of therapy not only go away feeling good and have acquired new skills to cope with life, but their awareness has increased. Once their own problems become manageable, often their new heightened self-awareness abilities allow them to begin to empathise with others in difficulty.

We offer our clients a ‘Therapy for Life’ silicone wristband to wear with pride, to remember their own achievements during therapy, but also for when they recognise a fellow human being in need.

The idea is that they give their wristband to their suffering friend/colleague/family member who hears how 'Therapy for Life' can help. 

The suffering friend then contacts us and gains the help and support they need to head towards the life that they want.

As a reward, Therapy for Life sends a money gift of £30 to the referee for their kindness to another. It’s our way of saying ‘Well done, feel proud that you have helped someone’. It also encourages communication and connection within the community and begins to lift the stigmas around mental health issues replacing the fear with courage.

Terms and Conditions Apply*

If you or someone you know is distressed and not coping with life, contact Sam 07546 917252 or Jackie 07492 360357 at Therapy for Life.

At Therapy for Life, we are working towards encouraging communication and connection, relaying the importance of members of the public noticing a fellow human being in need, and then being brave enough to offer them help. This can go such a long way to improving lives and making a difference. Our aim is to support healthy lifestyles, aid people in getting back to work and to improve interaction within the community through working on client's setbacks in mental illness.

*Once the referred client has attended 3 sessions, the referee is then entitled to the reward and is contacted regarding the transfer.Client must have wristband and referees details.
Does not apply to concessions - see website

Are you on a waiting list? Don't wait for help any longer

Forget waiting lists for therapeutic counselling, if you are struggling to cope, speak to us now, no sense delaying. 

"Stress, depression & anxiety doesn't just melt away."

We have helped many people who are on benefits and are low earners, and we are able to negotiate a payment plan to suit you.

We know the basics in life always take priority like "the kids, the pets, household food, the bills", but your mental health is suffering, and all these challenges in life become unmanageable....

"Time to put your health first"

"Believe it or not, if you are healthy minded, everything and everyone around you will benefit as well as you."

We have childcare options in the room next door at an additional cost if you are really stuck. 

There's no excuse, start taking care of yourself today and give us a call. You'll be so glad you did...

Call Sam on 07546 917252

or Jackie on 07492 360357

Where do your priorities lie?

I have had clients addicted to various substances and behaviours in my counselling experience. When it comes to paying me for my services to help them they sometimes say...

“I can’t afford to pay you this week, can I pay next week?”
- OR -
“ I have no money, but can I still come to the session?”

It’s an unfair position to put the counsellor in; the dilemma is that within a helping profession such as this, it is difficult to turn a client down who needs help. It goes against my nature to turn someone away. I allow the unpaid session and I realise as their story continues, that they are infact under the influence of a substance (that they purchased this morning), or did infact deplete their finances to fuel their addiction the day or weekend before they came. This is typical behaviour for people suffering with addictions, logic has trouble prevailing and the fact that they had taken advantage of you can get missed with the condition.

I’ve had clients spend £100’s to £1000’s on cocaine, alcohol and prostitutes just before their counselling session and then tell me they have nothing left to pay me with. I of course take the opportunity to challenge the client’s priorities at this stage and question whether they really want to continue counselling. It's a tough conversation for both of us.

On the other hand, away from addiction, in my experience working as a dental nurse for over 15 years, and being on Tax Credits, I have seen many patients on Income Support and Tax Credits who appeared to have either their nails manicured or their hair professionally styled and some even wearing designer clothing.... People on benefits seem to be able to save for and afford some occasional personal treats as I was also able to do.

Back then, if I had problems coping with life, I would certainly sacrifice certain treats to get the help I needed... Maybe I'm alone in this thinking...

Surely if someone feels their situation is becoming unbearable, thoughts are becoming too irrational and life is increasingly upsetting. Do you still get your acrylic nails done? Or do you put that off briefly and put that money towards some real help with your life? 

Isn't it a matter of Prioritising what finances you do have?

Yes a treat for yourself is certainly a nice quick fix to feel better, but it hasn’t resolved the depression, anxiety, stress or loss that you are feeling overall.

Your options are to just leave things as they are

- OR -

To pop along to the GP and refer yourself to the free NHS service and be put on the waiting list. (This can work for some)

- OR -

You could come along and see us immediately and get started on the road to recovery and wellbeing fast. The nice thing about our therapeutic counsellors is that we are willing to negotiate a session price based on your income to make it affordable for you.

Your decision really depends on:

How long you are able to wait for help with your problems

If you are willing or able to pay something affordable each week...

towards taking steps to improving your life for good.

"I have seen many clients on benefits and agree an affordable price they are happy with. Many have been on the NHS waiting list and couldn't wait any longer. They had only a few sessions with me and felt so much better having left with new skills and new hope. Even at the end of treatment, they still hadn't got their appointment through from the NHS - they were just glad to feel better so much more quickly."

Sam at Therapy for Life 

At Therapy For Life, we tailor your sessions to suit your needs. As integrated therapists we have access to many types of different therapies... And we can see you now!

New additions to our Therapy Room

 Jackie and Laura getting stuck into the new sand tray (toys are coming soon)  

 New Book shelf for all things Psychological

 

Glass Cabinet to show off the 'Herbalife' goodies

 

More candles and Mindfulness aids with the addition of a deep thought Buddha

We are always trying to improve the environment in our office for our clients and counsellors.

The sand tray contains Kinetic Sand which has a different texture to normal sand enabling more of a building type characteristic for the clients. Toys will be added soon in a separate box containing figures and furniture.

We hope you like it!

Sam & Jackie

Therapy for Life

Herbalife

The improvement in the quality of life in the older generation through Brain Training using Cognitive Skills.

A trial was carried out at King’s College London with nearly 7000 participants. It involved splitting the participants randomly into 3 groups that undertook different tasks.

1^st group: Reasoning and problem solving tasks.

2^nd group: Practicing cognitive skills like memory & attention training tasks.

3^rd group: Looking for information on the internet tasks.

The results were measured by participants answering questions from the

 “instrumental activities of daily living scale”.  

Devised by M.P. Lawton & E.M. Brody

This has questions such as:

When shopping how do you rate your capability?

1.     Take care of all shopping needs independently
2.     Shop independently for small purchases
3.     Need to be accompanied on any shopping trip.
4.     Completely unable to shop.

Each participant rated themselves on everyday tasks in the trial.

A team led by Clive Ballard at the University noticed after just 6 months of 5 sessions per week, the Cognitive Skills group showed improvement over the other two groups. These improvements really started to become apparent after only 3 months.

The benefits involved improved participant's short-term memory, judgements of grammatical accuracy and the ability to learn new words.

Because of the large number of people involved, this was a gold standard piece of research. Not only that, because of the sizable group of participants it had a reasonable chance of truly detecting any effects of the treatment if it was really there.

This proved that its possible that Cognitive training exercises can bring benefits to people amongst the older population with their everyday tasks and activities inducing an improved quality of life and independence.

Source: JAMDA

If you or someone you know is in need of some counselling in the Southend-on-Sea area, don’t hesitate to contact me by clicking here... Take care, Sam