The person staggering around in the street has clearly had more than a few to drink and you silently wish them a safe journey home and hope they’ll wake up tomorrow in one piece and having done no harm to anyone else. The teenager buying some gum and a pack of salty snacks is trying to act normal but has forgotten what normal is. They’re clearly on another planet through some drug or other, and you wonder why they do it and wish they wouldn’t because it makes you uneasy – these people can be unpredictable. You say nothing because if someone is misusing drugs or alcohol it’s none of your busin ..read more

A marriage is a union between two people that is built on love, trust and understanding. Unlike what the fairytale tells you, a marriage is not always a picture of pure happiness, and can and will be challenging at times, on both sides. Think of a marriage like a garden - roses will not always grow in it, sometimes there will be unwanted plants or weeds popping up, sometimes there will be unexpected problems like floods or droughts which will require extra effort and attention to sort out. You need to put in time and effort if you want to maintain your garden year in, year out. Your marriage ..read more

Deciding to start therapy can be a massively daunting prospect for some people. Equally, so can deciding to stop it. There are many different reasons for stopping therapy: maybe you feel like you've achieved your goals, maybe it's a financial issue, or perhaps you feel that visits to your therapist simply aren't benefiting you anymore. Whatever the reasons, how do you know when it's ok to stop therapy? You have committed to attending regular therapy sessions for a while now, and you have found a safe place to explore your emotions and feelings with somebody who is always there, ready to liste ..read more

How Do I Know My Therapy Is Working? Getting therapy for mental health issues can take a lot of courage and sometimes persuasion. Maybe you resisted for a while because you were determined to tough it out and get through this on your own. Maybe you weren’t really convinced you had a problem, but other people talked you into seeing a therapist and you went along with it. On the other hand, perhaps you went for help off your own bat, because in this day and age, it’s nothing to be ashamed of and just plain makes good sense. Whatever your path has been, you’re doing it, but there’s an extra thin ..read more

 I’m Struggling - But Do I Need to Consult a Psychologist? The world has seen great advances recently in openness about mental health issues. It has become a topic of conversation rather than something to be swept under the carpet, and much of this is due to information about famous people and their struggles. When an internationally famous tennis player, for instance, pulls out of a tournament because they have a mental health issue, we may look at them and think how much we have admired them, not just for their talent and expertise in their sport, but for their ability to deal with the ..read more

At the practice, we are hearing a lot of clients describing experiences of heightened anxiety.  Given the current uncertainty as we come out of isolation, this is not surprising.  This post is designed to give you some tools in deep listening to help manage your anxiety or support another who might be struggling with some overwhelming feelings.  What is anxiety? For a moment, let us understand anxiety.  Anxiety is natural response that is designed to help keep us alive.  At times this response serves us well, but there are other times when anxiety can become overwhelm ..read more

In response to COVID-19, many clients are finding themselves having to move to an online platform for their therapy appointments.  For some, the idea of moving online can be a little challenging, especially if online counselling was not the forum that they had originally chosen to engage with their therapist.  This post is designed to take away some of that fear and to give you some tips as to how to make the online counselling experience really work for you. The elements of in-person therapy Many of our clients at The Grove, love coming to our practice and often describe the space ..read more

At the Grove, we are hearing from many of our clients that they are worried about their elderly parents and grandparents, especially those that live alone or in aged care facilities.  The mental health of elderly people was already an important issue before this crisis, but with the isolation and fear present right now, it is crucial that we find ways to connect. I know for me that visiting my mother was a special time for both of us, but now that it is no longer possible, we have to readjust so that we can maintain our relationships with loved ones. It’s important to touch base with yourself ..read more

During this period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of discussion about self-care.  Meditation & grounding are often referred to as excellent self-care measures, especially in response to anxiety.  For many however, the notion of grounding is not fully understood.  Below I have outlined a simple grounding technique that use every day with my clients in practice.  This is something you can do too.   When teaching clients this process, I encourage them: to try doing it every day for a week, ideally at the start of the day, often after some gentle movement, but before their mind becom ..read more

As therapists, we are often working with clients who find life challenging.  The most common affliction being anxiety.  As COVID-19 had made its way around the globe, anxiety is rife. As a part of our contribution, over the coming weeks, we will be regularly posting articles to help us all manage the stress and subsequent anxiety of living amidst COVID-19.  Create structure where you can  Anxiety is often related to a sense of feeling loss-of-control of our own experience and more deeply our own livelihood.  Unsurprisingly, in recent weeks, stress & anxiety have been particularly apparent ..read more