Stepping Stones Psychology

I will be unavailable from Thursday 19th July until 5pm on Monday 23rd July. There will be no services at Stepping Stones Psychology during this period. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused.

National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) is a London-based charity supporting recovery for those who have suffered from child abuse.
They have launched a weekly support group for adult survivors of child sexual abuse. It will start on 10.09.18 and will be running for 12 weeks on Mondays at 6pm-8.30pm. Please follow the link for further details and to register: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/7ZZ0F/
Rachel Grant from Rachel Grant Coaching provides some exce...llent resources for trauma healing from CSA. Please follow this link should you wish to find out more: http://www.rachelgrantcoaching.com/
You might find this blog with tips on using yoga postures to support healing from sexual trauma helpful too: http://rachelgrantcoaching.blogspot.com/‚ Ķ/yoga-postures-to-‚Ķ . They can be practised at home.
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I will be unavailable from today until Wednesday 11th for face-to-face therapy. However, if anything urgent, I will be available during the following hours for online consultation and sessions:
Thursday 5th July: 5pm onwards
Friday 6th July: 9am-2.30pm
... Saturday 7th July: 8pm - 10pm
Monday 9th July: After 6pm upon arrangement
Tuesday 10th July: After 9pm upon arrangement
Wednesday: Services will have returned to normal hours.
Thank you, and I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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In addition to traditional therapy models such as Couple Therapy, Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Adult Therapy and Child Therapy, I offer specialist psychological interventions based on a variety of attachment-based and trauma-informed approaches.
The foundation of my therapeutic work and philosophy is rooted in the field of Trauma and Attachment. Working with Developmental Trauma/Complex PTSD, attachment issues, parenting difficulties, children, teenagers, and families are... areas I consider to be my specialism.
Referrals are now being taken at the new venue based at The Sheffield Wellness Centre.
For further information, please visit my website.
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‚ÄúThe only difference between Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones is in the way which we use them‚ÄĚ
~ Unknown

Please note, that my working hours and the venue of my private practice have changed. The new venue is The Sheffield Wellness Centre on Abbeydale Road in Sheffield. It is a holistic clinic offering a variety of wellness services for the body, mind, and soul. These range from yoga, mindfulness, massage, life coaching, and much more, provided by other professionals who work as associates at The Sheffield Wellness Centre. Here, I will continue to offer psychological services in form of consultation and therapy. Please get in touch if you like to book a session, thank you.

UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENT on Sunday 16th of October at 14:30‚Äď22:00. The venue will be The White Lion in Sheffield.
Mums In Need (MIN) do great work supporting vulnerable woman as they take the huge, brave step to leave an abusive partner. Should you wish to know more about MIN please check out the following link: http://mumsinneed.com
The Mads DJs will provide their usual family-friendly GUMBO! fun, food, activities and live music as part of Sheffield Mental Health Week 2016.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO VISIT MY PAGE. THE SERVICES ARE TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE AND STEPPING STONES PSYCHOLOGY WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL JANUARY 2017. THE SERVICES WILL RESUME AS NORMAL FOLLOWING THIS PERIOD. PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.

Today’s blog is in honour of Looked After Children and Survivors of honour-based abuse / domestic abuse.
We often hear about young people who run away from home, about their homelessness, vulnerability and how their lives start taking the form of a downward spiral. We often see rude looked after children with challenging behaviour ‚Äď they might be school dropouts, teenage parents and surrounded to substance abuse. We might find their behaviour appalling and make a judgement ho...
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PARENTING WITH PTSD/COMPLEX TRAUMA
I am sharing the following blog which has been written by a parent who themselves lives with PTSD. Parenting in itself is a challenging journey however parenting whilst living with Complex PTSD would add to further complicated emotional issues. For instance, exhausting mental processes - including hypervigilance and almost constantly being in an aroused state of flight-or-fight mode.
Parents who are survivors of Developmental Trauma - such... as parents who have experienced abuse and neglect or/and exposed to domestic violence during their own childhood, would often go through a constant battle within themselves to break the cycle; to make a difference where they raise their children in a way they were not raised themselves. To be the parents they never had. Thus, they have to replace their blue print for their own behaviour and parenting as part of their healing journey to break the cycle in order to be the parent they so very passionately want to be.
"We are still learning, working, growing towards being more and more peaceful within my family. Emotions are big and strong and we deal with them and love them every day. We extend and expand on previous lessons and keep going.
Do not be afraid to celebrate the little and the big victories. The seemingly small changes that will unexpectedly erupt into bigger ones. Call it a win. Call it all a Win."
The following blog by Rose Birt might be helpful to many of you where she talks about her healing journey and her parenting journey whilst living with PTSD - as it might offer you all some hope : https://healingeverydaywithreiki.wordpres s.com/…/where-the…/
I have also written a blog on this topic which can be found within the following link: https://www.facebook.com/…/pb.141237563 9…/1522410208062677/…
©2016 Stepping Stones Psychology. All Rights Reserved
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HEALING JOURNEY / TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS / DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES
Following is a deep and beautiful blog by Mindfulness Coach Saddhamala (Nancy Nicolazzo) which might be helpful to people who have experienced toxic relationships/ dysfunctional families:
"As I started saying ‚Äúno‚ÄĚ to unreasonable parental expectations and abuse I felt a huge sense of loss. Because I understand unconditional love, the love I have for my children, I realized that I never had unconditional love as a... child.
Finally I realized that the anger I felt was telling me that I valued kindness, fairness, respect, and unconditional love. I finally realized that I value myself as a human being worthy of respect, love, kindness and concern.
Along with the loss comes relief, clarity, positivity and strength. Realizing that I no longer need to put myself in situations of abuse has helped the anger subside and compassion arise.
I have found Thich Nhat Hanh‚Äôs quotation ‚Äúwhen another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over‚ÄĚ to be true and when I keep it in mind I can let go of anger and embrace compassion."
For the full blog please follow this link: http://www.filmsforaction.org/…/when-an other-person-makes-…/
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UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENT
Thank you to all who supported the Cabaret night in aid of the charity organisation, Mums In Need (MIN) last month from which we raised £1000.
We'll be having another fundraising event on 20th of March at 15:00‚Äď21:00 at :
... The White Lion 615 London Road, S2 4HT Sheffield
MIN helps mums (and their children) to get the help they need to get their lives back on track after suffering emotionally abusive relationships.Should you wish to know more about this charity please visit: http://mumsinneed.com We do not have any funding, all the money we have to run the charity from come through fundraising. We would be very grateful if you could support us.
Freshly cooked food will be available, as well as fun, prizes, activities for all the family before 7pm. After 7pm, the organiser Mads n da Bads would bring you the Funk!
Please invite your friends and family to help support this important cause. Many thanks
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A beautiful blog by Dr Gretchen Schmelzer from Emotional Geographic about parenting through healing wounds.
It is written by a psychologist for parents who have experienced trauma and who, as a result, might be suffering from PTSD/Complex PTSD.
"The biggest casualties of a difficult childhood are the emotions. If you grow up in trauma you survive by shutting your emotions down, and then you have kids, and man, kids are nothing if not emotional. And they can trigger yours. Ho...w do you suddenly learn to manage your emotions?......Parenting with a trauma history is one of the bravest things that people can do‚ÄĒand it is invisible. If you are doing it well, nobody knows. Nobody cheers. If you had been physically disabled by a past trauma and chose to run a marathon‚ÄĒpeople would call you brave. But we don‚Äôt do that with emotional wounds. They are invisible and the parents who rise to the occasion‚ÄĒand parent with love and purpose‚ÄĒwho give what they never got‚ÄĒthey are unsung heroes."
You can read the complete blog here: http://www.emotionalgeographic.com/…/pa rents-corner-the-cou…
I have also written an article on this topic which you might find helpful. You can read it on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/notes/1445073379 129694/
I wish each and every one of you all the very best in your parenting and healing journey.
©2016 Stepping Stones Psychology. All Rights Reserved
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In 21st Century it is seen as the norm for many children and families to spend more and more time on digital devices and gadgets. This often means that children spend less time out in the nature and generally less time actively engaging in sensory-boosting activities and quality-time as a family. The situation is so concerning that many schools have started to intervene. They are offering training to parents in order to help them to help their children learning to play, espec...ially imaginative and cooperative games rather than purely solitary play.
Imagination Gaming in the UK offer not only fun but educational and brain-boosting games for families and schools. Here is a list of some of the games they sell which are great to use for quality-time as a family: https://www.iqgaming.co.uk/collection/fam ily-education
Here is some information from a recent 2-year study indicating the concerns of children not engaging with nature: http://www.theguardian.com/…/concerns-r aised-over-amount-of…
Furthermore, the following is some information on the phenomenon called, Nature Deficit Disorder: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environ ment-17495032
In the UK, there are family holiday packages with their focus on family team activities out in the nature, including sensory-rich activities. Some of them are PGL , Kingswood and Real Family Holidays.
©2016 Stepping Stones Psychology. All Rights Reserved
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Very important and wise words by Dr. Deborah MacNamara about children's emotional health and well-being and how we, as adults, can support them with their emotions:
"A child who cries and tells you they are sad, afraid or even worried isn’t in trouble emotionally despite the troubles they face. Their upset is a sign their emotional system is working hard to find an answer to the distress they are under.
It was never our job as parents to calm kids down but to restore emotiona...l balance and to transform their feelings when needed. The kids who lack upset, who appear to be the most ‚Äėcalm‚Äô or quiet may actually be the ones who are the most defended against their vulnerable emotions. I don‚Äôt long for calm in my children but the emotional storms that are part of life so that I can help their heart understand it can survive distress. Our children will face adversity ‚Äď they just weren‚Äôt meant to face it alone and if there were one secret to keeping their hearts soft it would be this."
For more please visit the attached link: http://macnamara.ca/…/hardened-or-hardy -how-to-hold-a-chil…/ This article also includes information about the neuroscience of the emotional system.
The following article might be helpful to parents who struggle to find empathic ways to manage their angry children. It offers 13 responses which each reflects attunement rather than shame and blame: http://lemonlimeadventures.com/13-helpful -phrases-calm-ang…/
©2016 Stepping Stones Psychology. All Rights Reserved
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A simple, yet comprehensive 5-minutes video offering explanation by Dr Dan Siegel about the anatomy and functions of the human brain

DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA / COMPLEX TRAUMA
"The human brain is a social organ that is shaped by experience, and that is shaped in order to respond to the experience that you’re having. So particularly earlier in life, if you're in a constant state of terror; your brain is shaped to be on alert for danger, and to try to make those terrible feelings go away. The brain gets very confused. And that leads to problems with excessive anger, excessive shutting down, and doing things like ...
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There will be no service at Stepping Stones Psychology in the following period:
* 25/01/2016 - 29/01/2016 * 02/02/2016 - 04/02/2016 * 08/02/2016 - 10/02/2016... * 13/02/2016 - 15/02/2016
Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.
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