Red Arm Chair In Middle of the Road - Does Therapy Work? Yes It Does, And Here's The Evidence - Sandra Harewood Counselling

Does Therapy Work? Yes It Does, And Here’s The Evidence

Does therapy work?  Absolutely. Yes, it does

But you would expect me to say that that, wouldn’t you! What therapist would say otherwise?

Black Woman With Afro Smiling - The Power of Owning Your Suppressed Anger: Reclaiming The Goddess

The Power of Owning Your Suppressed Anger: Reclaiming The Goddess

In a healthy relationship, you would with your partner, be able to express your feelings openly. You would say what bothers you about what is going on or what happened.

Woman Hiding Behind a Smiley Face Picture, Behind Bars - Coercive Control: 7 Reasons Why Women Don't Leave - Sandra Harewood Counselling

Coercive Control: 7 Reasons Why Women Don’t Leave

When Sally Challen walked free from the High Court in London last Friday, many saw this as a landmark decision for how the legal system treats domestic abuse. European countries, including England and Wales, are taking the lead on redefining domestic abuse.

Frightened woman with her arm outstretched with the word stop written on her hand. The Honest Truth About Your Partner's Anger Issues. Sandra Harewood Counselling

The Honest Truth About Your Partner’s Anger Issues

You can usually tell when someone is angry. It’s visceral. A raised voice, trembling, fidgeting, fast speech, heavy breathing, the furrowed brow, the clenched hand or maybe flared nostrils. But equally, it can be the opposite. Silence or sudden disappearance.

Old Gas Lantern In A Window - Gaslighting 101: What Is Gaslighting And What You Need To Do -Sandra Harewood Counselling

Gaslighting 101: What Is Gaslighting And What You Need To Do

Gaslighting is a sophisticated, subtle form of emotional manipulation which is so effective that you accept whatever the gaslighter presents as the truth.

Couple Gazing At Water - 5 Subtle Signs Of A Controlling Relationship That Look Like Care

5 Subtle Signs Of A Controlling Relationship That Look Like Care

When in your relationship do you feel cared for?

Sometimes we feel embarrassed about our wish to be cared for. But Rick Hanson PhD says that wanting to be cared for is natural, and deeply rooted in evolution. Care is a symbol of love. And love, generally speaking, has been the primary driver of the development of the human brain over millions of years. Care is crucial to survival.

Mirror on the wall - 3 Reasons Why It’s Important to Own Your Projection

3 Reasons Why It’s Important to Own Your Projection

Whether it’s wanting them to be more emotionally responsive, more attentive, reliable and financially responsible or just that they wouldn’t squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube, it seems that we can spend years trying to get our significant other to be different.

Autumn Leaf With Word Thanks On Top - Make Gratitude Your New Year's Resolution for 2019

31 Journal Prompts For When Gratitude Is Hard

2019 didn’t start the way I planned.  It was certainly difficult to see any colour other than grey. Gratitude doesn’t seem to fit with pain, suffering and fear. When you’re struggling and survival mode, it doesn’t feel as if there’s space to look beyond what’s necessary to keep you going.  Life isn’t easy sometimes, and in those moments it feels as if it’s working against you, not for you. The feeling is one of resentment, not gratitude.

A woman wearing red gloves holding a gift wrapped in brown paper - 5 Great Gifts To Give Yourself This Christmas - Sandra Harewood Counselling

5 Great Gifts To Give Yourself This Christmas

It’s always nice to receive a gift, especially when it’s a surprise. A well-chosen gift can let you know that you have been deeply heard and profoundly understood.

Black Woman Holding Her Head In Her Hands -What A Blue Fish Tells You About Your Anxiety - Sandra Harewood Counselling

How To Tell If Your Relationship Is Causing Your Anxiety

If the story of your relationship (maybe it feels more like a drama) is punctuated with narcissistic behaviours sadly, anxiety will likely also play a part.

Yellow Caution Tape - 9 Warning Signs of Narcissism In Your Relationship - Sandra Harewood Counselling

9 Warning Signs of Narcissism In Your Relationship

When the need for self-confirmation becomes excessive, then you enter the realm of potentially unhealthy or pathological narcissism.

Butterfly on a woman's finger - Scared of Being Vulnerable? Here's the Truth-Sandra-Harewood-Counselling

Scared of Being Vulnerable? Here’s the Truth

Vulnerability does make you more susceptible to hurt, heartbreak and disappointment, there’s no getting around that.  But when you shut down the possibility of being vulnerable, you can’t experience the joy and pleasure of life or be our authentic self because we shut down those things too.  Everything gets shut down.