In Courage Counselling & Coaching

J U S T A S K It’s the simplest of questions and one that we are too often afraid to ask for fear of ‘upsetting someone further’ or ‘opening a can of worms’. But asking this simple question can be a lifeline; indirectly ‘giving permission’ for someone to answer honestly. One of the key things is to pause (as in the picture), as the pause allows space for thoughts to follow, rather than changing the subject and cutting off the opportunity to connect. . Be brave and ask someon...e if they are doing ok... . #areyoudoingok #justask #counselling #therapy #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mind #body #soul #conversation #relationship #connection #friendship #quote #psychology #monday #mindful
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➳ U N F * * K Y O U R S E L F For those of you who prefer a no bullsh*t definition of what counselling and therapy is all about...this sums it up pretty well. Happy Friday! . #unfuckyourself #counselling #therapy #shine #light #consciousness #self #awareness #reflect #reflection #meditation #meditate #visualise #loveyourself #selflove #compassion #forgiveness #freedom #life #lessons #personalgrowth #moveforward #courage

➳ S U I C I D E Suicide is not as ‘simple’ as someone deciding to just end their life. So often it’s that people don’t know how to cope with their overwhelming thoughts and feelings, and when isolated and withdrawn, suicide can feel like the only way to ‘kill off’ what feels like is killing them. . Every 90 seconds a person takes their life in the UK; suicide is the leading cause of death in 20-34 year olds, 75% of which are men. And whilst men may be less inclined to ask for... help, suicide does not discriminate and anyone can find themselves in a dark place contemplating whether it is worth going on. But the story does not have to end that way... . “A semicolon is used when an author could've chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life”... . 〄 If you feel alone and like no one cares...you are not alone and I care 〄 If you feel like your head is going to explode...talking can help release the pressure and we can find space between our thoughts 〄 If you feel like it’s all too much and you can’t carry on... you are stronger than you think and feelings are always fluid 〄 If you can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel...I will sit in the darkness with you until you find the light, it does not have to be the end. . If you are feeling suicidal, or you suspect someone that does, seek support. The first conversation may be the hardest, but it is nowhere near as hard as the grief left behind from suicide. . You can call the @samaritanscharity for advice and support, or take the courageous step with counselling support to write a whole different chapter to your story @in_courage_counselling . #worldsuicidepreventionday #suicideawareness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalillness #mind #body #soul #health #depression #anxiety #suicide #healing #counselling #therapy #support #therapist #selfcare #yourstory #newchapter
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➳ S P I K Y & S W E E T Sunday musings...humans are much like pineapples! . In order to survive, we all develop a spiky parts that are actually designed to protect what is inside. .... The trick is learning that we are not our spikes; we are all the juicy fruity sweetness in the centre! . And when we are ripe and ready to, sharing this with the world is what brings joy to ourselves and others 🍍 . #pineapple #musings #life #quotes #smile #sweet #kind #loving #love #juicy #empowerment #healing #self #selflove #fun #therapy #counselling #courage #sunday #sundayfunday
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➳ T R Y - A N G L E The best and most successful way to approach your problems does not lie in your situation, circumstance or external resource... . It lies in your own willingness to try! .... #try #willing #lifelessons #reflection #meditation #meditate #innerpeace #consciousness #vibe #weekendvibes #therapy #coaching #coach #therapist #spirituality #spiritual #energy #life #purpose #value #gratitude #growth
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➳ L I F E T E S T Sharing one of the pieces of artwork from the @in_courage_counselling summer hut - a true #lifequote worth remembering! . Taken from the world renowned book The Alchemist, @paulocoelho urges us to respond to life’s challenges with courage and the willingness to change and adapt! .... “The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.” . #quote #motivation #life #challenge #art #counselling #therapy #psychology
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{ S U F F E R I N G } So this weeks #transformationtuesday is all about pain and suffering... not a light subject I know! But understanding the difference between pain and suffering can be the grounds for life changing perspective - and it starts with new definitions! . So long as we are human and on this Earth, physical pain is inevitable. Suffering however, can be defined as the emotional reaction or response to that which is causing pain. .... When our needs are not met or abused as child, we experience a very real pain because our survival is dependent on others . We do not have a choice in what pain is suffered as we do not have the physical or emotional capacity to care for and heal ourselves. . The problem arises in adulthood when we do not address our pain/wounding and unconscious or unresolved emotional suffering becomes a way of being in life. . Either we live trapped and suffer meaninglessly at the hands of own limiting coping mechanisms, or believe the world is against us, blaming everyone else and get caught in self-fulfilling victimhood. . Both kinds of suffering will never help us reach a deeper level of self acceptance because there is no space for self reflection and self awareness. . However, cultivating curiosity and open exploration of our internal experiences of pain and suffering can help us to consciously understand the root cause. . When we make meaning of our emotional suffering and come into relationship with it, often the physical pain associated dissipates. . In this sense, we can be in relationship with our suffering, without it always having to be painful. . When we recognise psychic suffering as a signpost that we have unresolved emotional ‘pain’, we can use this as a guide to exploring our internal world, and ultimately bring us back in alignment with our true self. . #suffering #pain #psychology #counselling #explore #therapy #guide #life #value #meaning #purpose #innerpeace #meditate #meditation #consciousness #self #selflove #lifelessons #emotions #feelings #mind #mindful #holistic #spiritual #spirituality
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D R E A M F O R E V E R 💫 Embracing the #waltdisney #bankholiday #weekendvibes with this magic quote from the man himself. . Love it or hate it, Disney captures the hearts of children and adults alike. But the real magic isnt confined to theme parks or fairytales... .... The real magic lies in that no matter what your age, no matter how serious or stressed your job, no matter what your beliefs or life situation, laughter, imagination and dreams are the antidote to life’s side effects of depression, sorrow and negativity. . As we grow up and become more exposed to the harsh realities of life, we can lose our inherent creativity and aspirations of our inner child. Connecting back to to our inner child can be a great way to bring us back joy, what inspires us and what captivates our zest for life! . #magic #laughter #smile #happy #happyplace #happyheart #joy #gratitude #creative #imagination #inspiration #motivate #innerchild #love #psychology #fun #play #thankful #true #self #disney #disneyworld #disneyland
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A T T I T U D E 🔹 “Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal” . What is your current attitude? .... #truth #attitude #adventure #challenge #obstacle #mind #body #feelings #spirit #will #psychospiritual #wellbeing #journey #psychology #psychotherapy #qotd #quote #lifequote #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #life #consciousness #meditation #tb
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T H E F I R S T T I M E 🙌🏼 Thursday calls for an #oprah #quote and this one sums up what it’s all about... . As we become more clear on who ‘I am’ - rather than defining ourselves by the our history and past events, or the perceptions and projections of others - we are able to know what is right for us, because we really actually KNOW ‘us’! .... And the more we really listen to our true selves, the more we know what is best for ourselves without having to repeat old patterns and without having to learn the hard way. . Being self aware is not just understanding how we have come to be from our past experience, but in becoming the truest, fullest expression of our selves in the present moment and as we move forward. . #thefirsttime #knowyourself #thursday #wisdom #becoming #whoyouare #iam #lifequotes #livingmybestlife #selfconfidence #life #consciousness #energy #vibe #innerpeace #calm #self #love #selfcare #instagood #instadaily
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E N L I G H T E N ✨ We do not become enlightened or evolve closer to our Higher Self by only associating with the light and denying the darkness. . If we simply deny, repress or reject the darkness (that exists both in ourselves and others), then we risk colluding in spiritual bypass - using a belief system or spiritual practise to side step or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues and psychological wounding. This can present as a sense of ‘achieving’ moral superiority; o...ver-identification with belief system/religious constructs, projecting judgement/blame of darkness onto the ‘other’ rather than self reflecting on the difficulties personally experienced. . Darkness is half of our human experience and if we choose to deny it, then we are denying very real parts of ourselves that hold the richness to our self discovery. . Therefore, to be enlightened is not to blindly transcend to the light, but to make the darkness conscious - to be self aware, conscious and curious about our struggles, our difficult emotions, our conflicting thoughts. . The darkness is where the most opportunities for transformation lay! . #weekendvibes #enlighten #quote #qotd #counselling #thoughts #mind #mindful #conscious #therapy #psychology #lifequotes #self #selflove #vibes #instagood #instadaily #transformation #trust #wise #wisdom
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S T A Y O P E N The mind is like a parachute - they only function well when they are open... How open-minded are you today? . #wednesdaywisdom #open #mind #body #soul #feelings #reflection #meditation #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #psychology #thoughts #qotd #parachute #heart #life #happiness #therapy #counselling #psychosynthesis #instagood #instadaily

S P A C E S O P E N 👥 The weather is turning and so we often experience a type of SAD syndrome. It is no myth and whilst we genuinely experience an uplifted-carefree attitude during sunny spells, unresolved issues such as anxiety, depression, confidence and relationship problems, tend to resurface again as the weather takes a turn. . Don’t wait until you feel yourself creeping lower to the point of despair, get the support you need now and prioritise your mental health. If y...ou find yourself unusually low, or struggling day to day, this is not how you are programmed to live. Your symptoms are not who you are; and you do not have to suffer in this way. . I currently have spaces that have opened up over the summer and offer free 30 minute initial sessions for those who wish to get a sense of what counselling is like. . See my website (link in bio) for more details or email/DM direct on here. . #counselling #support #therapy #insight #reflection #talking #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mind #body #soul #mentalillness #depression #anxiety #relationships #psychology #help #mondayblues #bedford #coach #guide #letstalk #timetotalk #selfcare #confidence #selfesteem #life
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U N P R O C E S S E D ➰ Do you carry an underlying pain that you have felt so long that you aren’t even sure where it comes from? You may have resigned that this is just part of who you are now, or think that nothing can help, or perhaps have turned to medication to at least dull the feelings down...but it’s important to realize that this pain is something that needs to be acknowledged and processed. . The longer we sit on it, the harder it is to work through, and the more li...kely it is that we will be forced to acknowledge it as it makes itself known to us in ways we can’t predict. . Rather than waiting for this to happen, we can empower ourselves by identifying the pain and resolving to take action toward healing it. . Counselling is an empowering process of personal reflection; a journey to making our unconscious pain conscious, so that it’s story may be told and it’s pain be heard. . What pain do you carry? What untold story needs to be heard? . #pain #story #process #reflection #tellyourstory #speakyourtruth #empower #empowerment #counselling #therapy #sunday #meditation #consciousness #unconscious #psychology #dailyom #energy #transformation #healing #quote #quotes #qotd #depression #anxiety #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness
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M O R N I N G ☀️ When you arise in the morning, take a moment to think what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to have joy, to love - then make the day count! . #gratitude #weekend #mindfulness #precious #life #privilege #present #moment #conscious #consciousness #aware #self #selflove #energy #morning #goodmorning #goodday #breathe #pause #meditation #reflection #counselling #therapy

C O N F I D E N C E 💫 We can mistake the notion of being confident in associating it with being liked, praised or performing. And we are often too quick to label confidence based only on external behaviour, appearance and beliefs and not consider what it truly means to be confident. . Confidence is something much more internal and spiritual than it is external and behavioural. It is about being comfortable in your skin from the inside out, not the outside in. Confidence does ...not come from being liked by others, it comes from liking yourself; self belief does not come from outside of us, but from within us. . We become more confident when we spend more time caring and exploring what we think about ourselves, than exerting energy on the perceptions and approval of others. . This is effectively what counselling is...getting to know your true self. . #confidence #wednesdaywisdom #counselling #therapy #psychology #psychology #evolution #thoughts #mind #spirituality #lifequotes #perception #belief #self #selfconfidence #believeinyourself #love #selflove #wednesday #wisdom
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S T O R M S ⛈ Sometimes we need the storm to clear the air, clear the path and clear our head. . Perhaps we should change our perspectives and spend less time anxious about the calm BEFORE the storm, and be more present in the calm AFTER the storm. .... #storm #calm #rain #refreshing #transformationtuesday #peace #fresh #air #present #moment #relax #counselling #insight #therapy #reflect #conscious #consciousness #awakening #meditation #meditate
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M O N D A Y ☕️ Who’s got the Monday blues? It is always hard to leave the weekend behind, but this weather makes it even harder to step out of the sunshine and into the office! . May your coffee be strong and your Monday be short! .... #mondaymotivation #weekendblues #coffee #backtowork #stayfocused #bepresent #monday #vibes #newweek #newgoals #strong #summer #quotes #quote #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mind #body #counselling #therapy #psychology #wellness #wellbeing
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