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COVID-19 and your mental health

Mental Health and COVID-19

COVID-19 AND MENTAL HEALTH An unprecedented time shrouded in anxiety and fear. How do we cope? My advice - focus on today. TODAY, as in RIGHT NOW, is the only certainty that we have. Yesterday is a memory and tomorrow is not given - so, for your mental health and sanity - focus only on today. 'Today I can get some groceries'. 'Today I can call my bank'. 'Today I can finish that last invoice'. 'Today I have some form of control and TODAY I will focus on right now and get through the day'. And THAT is plenty. Don't invest precious emotional energy on what things might look like next week or next month. The reality is - we don't know what the future will look like. Right now, it...

black and white beach

Mental health decline in our kids

Why is there a mental health decline in our kids? And why does it seem to be getting worse? How often have you said or heard someone say - 'it wasn't like this when I was young'? So there we must start our inquiry. What has changed between now and then? Everything! When we were kids - we were allowed to get hurt. We were allowed to get dirty, to get cold, to explore, to climb, to run, to jump, to build, to fall - we were allowed to play. And when we were bored - we were left to be bored or think our way out of it. Boredom was our problem - not somebody else's. This developed neural pathways in our brains. And when we stuffed...

Shearing for mates!

I went to a fabulous event yesterday - Music 4 Mates. Hosting a whole day of fun and providing lots of information, the main attraction was an amazing young man who completed a 12 hour Shear-a-Thon. Starting at 7am, completing 2 hour runs with a 1/2 hour break in between each and finishing at 7pm, Jarrod Edyvean shore for a mate. And he shore for us to start a conversation. The simple act of talking to mates and loved ones can save lives. Reach out to those around you and ask them if they are okay or if they need someone to talk to. Please don't be afraid that you will make things worse - you won't. Instead, you might just save a life. If Jarrod...

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Why do we experience anxiety?

Where does anxiety stem from? This is a question that comes up often and can be difficult to explain. I have been reading a fabulous book by Allan and Barbara Pease, and in it is one of the most simple breakdowns of anxiety I have ever come across. In their book, The Answer (2016), the authors take you back to our 'old' brain - the one we used to survive the wild. With continuing research, our 'old' brain is gaining more recognition for the huge role it continues to play in our lives. Historically, our 'old' primal brain kept us alive - we've all heard of the flight or fight response. In evolution it is what we relied on to know when to retreat from danger. These...

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Senior man sitting outdoors with dog

The importance of counselling in today’s society

We often attend mental health seminars provided for the general public. The immense turnouts are testament to the fact that more and more people are suffering with their mental health and more and more people are seeking support for this. Life is hard and with its hectic pace and tightening economy, it continues to get harder. By supporting each other and talking it through, we can help to alleviate the pressure within and make life better. Mental health is a statement of wellness. When we are suffering and things become too much, we need help to restore our wellbeing, just as we do for a broken arm. It is okay to ask for help. It is normal. It is what we NEED to do. There are many ‘labels’...

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