Whether or not you’ve noticed, you, like me and every other human being, move through each day leading on a constant inner conversation. We talk to ourselves about what’s happening and what it means. We judge ourselves in how we to react to others. We notice that today’s events link to yesterday’s struggles and tomorrow’s possibilities. Some of these thoughts are favorable but many are highly self-critical. We give meaning to emotional suffering, dreams, yearnings and discomf

Are you fed up of suffering with emotional pain? Do you wonder why you still hurt so much and can’t control it? Part of being human is to suffer emotional pain. After all, everyone encounters it and no one gets away with it. Here we talk about how to transmute that pain and turn it into joy. It is possible, without doing anything else, to see pain in a new light and lift that blanket of suffering. We Can't Control Our Pain The first thing we have to accept is that negative em

We live in world where what we have, who we know and how others perceive us is supposed to bring us great success. Consequently cultural messages are if we don’t have those in place, then we can’t be truly happy. The problem with that memo is that, no matter how much money or success we have, there is always something better. Even after we purchase a new house, car or wardrobe, the appeal of these new acquisitions lose their charm because the truth is that happiness doesn’t c

How do we get in our own way of achieving what matters to us the most? Many of us are familiar with the pattern of taking one step forward, two steps back when it comes to our own happiness. **We want to lose weight but we find that after having lost a few pounds and start feeling happy, we put the pounds back on again. **Or we begin a brilliant yoga class only to find months later that we haven’t made any time to go. **Maybe we fall in love then find reasons to pull away. **

Depression is very misunderstood, especially by those who’ve never suffered. It’s so much more than simply being sad and unmotivated. The symptoms of depression have a way of affecting everything, from the smallest, most unsuspecting part of life, to the largest and most significant aspects of life. Trying to explain this feels like trying to hold onto a live eel; as soon as you start to grasp it, it slips from your grip. Here’s how some people describe their depression: Want

This article is a follow up to the depression test you can take here: Depression Test Severe Depression I’m so glad you submitted your details to receive this report on depression. It seems that, from the questionnaire, you’re probably severely depressed. The good news is that, you’re not alone. Severe depression was definitely my issue and I know many others who have faced the same symptoms. I’m always relieved when I hear that I’m amongst friends and not isolated with the w

This article is a follow up to the depression test you can take here: Depression Test Moderate Depression I’m so glad you submitted your details to receive this report on depression. It seems that, from your answers, you’re probably not severely depressed but might suffer from moderate depression. The good news is that, so do other people from time to time. I’m always relieved when I hear that I’m amongst friends and not isolated with the way I feel. I hope you do too. Still,

This article is a follow up to the depression test you can take here: Depression Test Mild Depression It seems that, from the questionnaire, you’re probably not seriously depressed but suffer from mild depression. The good news is that, so do many people from time to time. I’m always relieved when I hear that I’m amongst friends and not isolated with the way I feel. I hope you do too. Still, you maybe having a few bad days because you took the time to fill out the questionnai

Depression is so common that it’s sometimes referred to ‘the common cold’ of mental health. Unlike a common cold, suffering from depression can be extremely debilitating – and feel so shameful – that many people don’t seek help. I know when I was in my darkest place I couldn’t leave the house let alone book an appointment to see a specialist. For this reason you may want to find out if you are clinically depressed, or just having a bad few days, before you visit a doctor. Her

On the on hand we need friends to help us through the dark days when the only relief from the depression is the thought of ending it all. On the other hand, we don’t want to share our misery with our friends for fear they’ll judge us and/or run away. Good friends want us to be happy and they want to help us be happy. They don’t like us sad and depressed. But, they may not be the best people to help us. Let’s weigh up the options. How Depression Affects Friendships In A Negati

We’ve all had those days when depression keeps us firmly stuck in bed. We know all the things we ‘should’ do to feel better but, realistically, we’re not going to make a kale smoothie or soak in a soothing bath. We’re not alone. There are many of us who have had zero motivation to get out of bed and crack on. We’ve hopelessly thought about the futility of life, questioning the point of it all and perhaps had suicidal thoughts. What Is Depression? Depression is described in t

What Is A Dysfunctional Family? There’s no government benchmark on what constitutes a dysfunctional family. However, if you identify with any of these characteristics, as an adult, you may have been raised in one. Some characteristics of being raised in a dysfunctional family: Feel isolated Unable to express feelings Depression Feelings of shame Frightened of criticism High levels of anxiety especially in relationships Low self esteem Think things are your fault Have a fear o

Men Don’t Have It Easy I was at dinner at a friend’s recently. Sat around the bbq, a couple of my men friends were talking about work. They were regaling stories about pressures, extra responsibilities for the same wages, expected to travel, how they had no choice but simultaneously trying to keep their family together. They were trying to please everyone but they were sinking fast. Both these men commute and, when they were in the country, don’t get home before 9 p.m. At the