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drangelamooney

Some Key Steps: • Is your current career the rig

Some Key Steps:
• Is your current career the right one for you? Spend time contemplating and working through with your therapist if your career is one that you love and want for your future.
• Find a mentor who is successful and in a similar career to you. Meet them every 3 months. Don’t bore them by talking about yourself. No one will want to meet up with you if it’s just about you. Ask them about their life and how they developed their career to date, what pitfalls they encountered and what they learned from it, their big challenges to succeeding etc. Most successful people have mentors.
• Network with meaning; in other words, don’t just meet people who you think will be an asset to you. People can see through this type of personality trait and it’s not endearing. Instead, develop relationships with people in your work field who you genuinely like, respect and feel you can help too. Helping those in your work field, if you are able to, helps you to feel professionally fulfilled and generates lasting success.
• Spend time every day doing something productive toward your future career goals.
Many of the clients I have worked with over the years who have reached the peak of their career paths have similar traits:
1. They think about and discuss their career a great deal within the therapeutic process.
2. They always help others in their work field and show benevolence.
3. They have a high EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and continue to develop this through their therapy.
4. They acknowledge and spend much time contemplating their mistakes and find better ways of working as a result of this.
5. They keep their egos in check and try to be humble at all times.
6. They don’t make rash decisions based on what only benefits them or their status, but on what meaning they want from their life and their future.
7. They are rarely driven by money, but more existential meaning and happiness.
8. They don’t make the same mistake twice. They think creatively and are always goal oriented.
9. They are eternal optimists
#chelseapsychologist #coaching #relationaltherapy #career #meaningoflife #mentoring #lifegoals #happiness
#depression #anxiety

What is it and are you in it? • Addiction is fun

What is it and are you in it?
• Addiction is fundamentally something that you cannot stop doing, whether it is functional or dysfunctional.
• Often it is a survival mechanism to overcome depression, anxiety and/or trauma.
• Sometimes it can be learned from early life templating of a parent or other times it is stumbled upon when young or during life stress.
• The biggest hurdle to overcoming it is admitting that you have a problem and that you may not recover without help.
• Quite often addiction is further exacerbated by other undiagnosed issues such as ADD/ ADHD, OCD, dyslexia, or ASD.
How to overcome it..
• Be honest with yourself: ask yourself if your addiction has a negative impact on your present life, your future goals, or others around you.
• Are you a functional or dysfunctional addict?
• Can you hold down a job, friendships and relationships well?
• Is it impacting your life and future happiness?
If so, you need to either start an intensive treatment program such as rehab, or initiate good therapy.
• Choose a clinician carefully. Addiction is one of the areas of psychology practice that has a poor reputation and sometimes for good reason. Ensure that the Psychologist/ Therapist you seek is not only experienced in working with addiction but is also highly qualified. Some think that if they have had a past experience with addiction themselves, this makes them an expert in helping others with addiction problems. An excellent understanding and qualification in addiction therapy, psychotherapy, neurobiology, attachment and developmental psychology are also important pre-requisites to working with addiction.
Finally, start to replace your maladaptive addictions with good ones. Anyone who has recovered from addiction will tell you that good therapy and lifestyle changes are the key to staying free from it.
#chelseapsychologist #depression #anxiety #addiction #stress #therapy #ADHD#ADD #ASD #foodaddiction #alcoholaddiction #drugaddiction #sexaddiction #loveaddiction #mentalhealthmatters #health #brain #Lifestylechange #psychodyanamicpsychotherapy #freedom #happiness #12stepprogram #relationaltherapy

Really good to read an article about young people'

Really good to read an article about young people's mental health and the benefits of taking up lifestyle pursuits.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/25/young-people-offered-surfing-dancing-nhs-help-anxiety

You’ll know if your psychologist/ therapist is a

You’ll know if your psychologist/ therapist is a good one, if at the beginning of your therapy journey they ask you in detail about what structures you have in place to support your therapy. They should ask about your friendships, relationships, family, diet, lifestyle and importantly, what kind of and how much exercise you do in a week. Although therapy alone can elicit deep change, for some their lifestyle, diet, etc. can be poor as a result of low mood, anxiety or stress, resulting in weight gain and other health problems. Poor emotional wellbeing can become a perpetuating factor in not living life to the fullest to enable the therapy insights to take effect and therefore create permanent changes to the brain chemistry.
Health and Sports psychology research have conducted a multitude of studies over the years that highlight the positive and life- changing impact of sporting activity.
Developing a passion for exercise or sport will help distract you from your day, give you something to look forward to, regardless of how often or not you do it. Most importantly it takes you ‘away’ from your mind and into your body, allowing a rest for the brain from over- thinking and ‘burnout’. Being in your body also helps you to ‘feel’. A key component of therapy is fine- tuning your intuition, through insight. To do this you must move away from your intellect sometimes, to a more felt sense of ‘being’.
For me, surfing has been life changing. It has helped me to appreciate the serenity of being in the ocean whilst keeping fit. For others they say similar things about climbing, golf, tennis, running, yoga, resistance training, dance etc. I say try all of them to find what suits you.
Much has been written about Flow State and Mindfulness and its benefits on sleep/delta wave activation in the brain, creating a myriad of mental health benefits. Sporting activity is an instant way to achieve this.
@playfinder/tennis
@golfnow
@ericeirasurfcamp
@resurfaceuk (includes group therapy)
@surfschoolSri-Lanka
@londonclimbingguide
#chelseapsychologist #depression #anxiety #stress #lifestyle #sportformentalhealth #therapy #surfing #yinyoga #climbing #golf #tennis #selfcare

THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A DOG ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A DOG ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
The Research Findings:
1.       Dogs give unconditional love, as they are empathic animals. It’s important to gaze at them to teach them how to read your emotions and create a positive attachment to you. The mirror neurons in your brain will also be activated, creating empathy and love in you for yourself and others. Psychologist call this ‘Theory of Mind’.
2.         They produce oxytocin (euphoric/love chemical) when you do and visa-versa.
3.         They reduce your anxiety (and reduce toxic chemicals such as adrenaline and cortisol, which deplete your immune system) when you stroke them.
4.         They lift your mood when you feel low as they can smell your emotional chemistry and will try and cheer you up. By attending to them you’ll be distracted from your mood and have a sense of respite.
5.         They teach you the importance of touch. This increases serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain, lifting your mood.
6.         They keep you healthy as you need to find a daily walking routine, which should be a key part of your daily mental health ritual.
7.         They want to be near you to look after you, creating a bio-directional ‘affect’ in you- teaching you the importance of being cared for by another/ creating a desire in you to care for another.
8.         The essence of having a dog is the positive emotional connection. Psychologists call this interspecies emotional contagion.
9.      Children and adults with ASD/ Asperger’s have seen significant improvements to anxiety, depression and relating to others as a result of having a dog as a pet.
It is vital that you choose a breed of dog that suits your personality and lifestyle. Do your research for a while, speak to an experienced vet (@DrMarvinFirth- my friend and amazing vet) or borrow a pet from a friend . There are also important considerations, such as what you do when you go on holiday. Dogs require care and love but could have significant benefits to your mental health.
#chelseapsychology #mentalhealth #love #therapy #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #selfcare #dogsaspets #depression #health #wellness #anxiety

The Collins English Dictionary describes Bliss as

The Collins English Dictionary describes Bliss as ‘perfect happiness’, however, many people experience it as the rare few seconds that they experience a feeling of deep contentment.

The road to good emotional well-being can be difficult. Bliss is an important component to keeping that journey alive. Everyone, at some point in their life feels the pain of trying to get through the day when times are difficult. Try these 8 rituals each day as a Step 1 to discovering Bliss.

1. Wake with the sunrise, if possible. Spend a little time in bed after waking, considering how you’re going to make your day enjoyable.
2. Do an activity (even for a few mins) each day that brings you intense joy- a passion, sport, dance, hobby, past time etc.
3. Do (at least) 5 minutes of intense cardio activity. This is all it takes to trigger serotonin production (the mood chemical in the brain).
4. Try and have your morning coffee/ tea outside (in your garden/balcony/ open window/cafe before starting your day, experiencing fresh air and the environment around you.
5. Listen to your favourite music at some point in the day.
6. Do Yin Yoga for 10 mins each day. It’s to date the only form of yoga to have empirical research highlighting a reduction in plasma adrenomedullin, which helps increase psychological health.
7. Show love and kindness toward someone each day in some way.
8. Learn to appreciate and love yourself for who you are.

#chelseapsychologist #depression #anxiety #musictherapy #lifestyle #stress #therapy #isolation #yinyoga #selfcare #mindfulness #selflove #life #kindness #mentalhealthmatters #health #hobbies #sport #music #bliss #sportstherapy #freedom #happiness #psychology #brain

‘Red flag’ statements based on information fro

The latest published research carried out on a (ve

The latest published research carried out on a (very) popular dating app:

•People who scored high on using an app versus off- line dating scored low (showed higher levels) on social anxiety, self- esteem and social desirability on psychological questionnaires.
•Those with high self- esteem had more authentic profiles which presented them more accurately than those with lower self-esteem, which resulted in false or inaccurate profiles on Tinder.
•There is a high level of odd ‘adjustment behaviour’ (meaning false presentations) to present oneself more positively then would be the case offline.
•Men with high self- esteem had more success meeting and dating offline
•Women with high self-esteem found it more difficult to find matches as a result of how they write their profiles.
•High knowledge of the app and regular use of the app meant that the user may not be so successful in finding long- term matches on an online platform given the reasons above and more research is needed on trust behaviours as people optimise their traits.
•Older people using the app are less emotionally affected by being rejected than younger people who use it.
•Research showed that over 70% of those interviewed (between 37-50 y/o) who date online had avoidant attachment issues, hence; ghosting, disappearing after a couple of dates, not being interested unless they pursue you and you play hard to get, not texting you after a date, going off you if you show any sign of liking them.

#chelseapsychologist #onlinedating #love #sex #therapy #mendating #womendating #anxiety #love #selfcare #relationships #selflove #therapist #depression #anxiety #dating

Although low Vitamin D levels are not a cause for

Although low Vitamin D levels are not a cause for long- term depression, it is under publicised that below optimum levels in it can cause low mood, especially if you have not suffered in the past with depression or can’t locate any tangible reason for feeling low. Most know that vitamin D substantially boosts the immune system. If you do suffer from anxiety/ depression your immune system may be compromised due to stress which produces higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline (and other stress chemicals) which dampen your immune system. Taking/ increasing Vitamin D levels has been shown to improve low mood and energy levels. Many clients who have tried this have noted significant physical and mood benefits after only a few weeks. It is important to ask your GP for a blood test and health check-up to determine your levels first.

Vitamin D should not be used as a replacement for good regular therapy or effective antidepressant medication, which is vital if your mood is significantly low.

#chelseapsychologist #mentalhealth #health #therapy #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #motivation #depression #wellness #therapy #inspiration #healing

Everyone feels the pain and heartache of lonelines

Everyone feels the pain and heartache of loneliness at some point in their life regardless of whether they are partnered, have children or good friends.

An important part of overcoming Isolation and loneliness is the ability to learn how to enjoy a lifestyle that does not require the the need for others to help you to feel content. This takes more effort than people think and should be a daily pursuit, regardless of how busy you may be with work or family. Creating a lifestyle you enjoy requires the ability to learn how to experience small moments of pleasure and freedom from something that you have decided to do each day independently. Having autonomy over your ability to have these moments each day can be of the most liberating experiences in life. We are all relational beings and desire the need to feel loved and cherished, however an over-attachment or over-reliance on this can be distressing.

Many clients report that they have felt less isolation having followed some simple pursuits:

1. Taking part in new group/ single sporting activity
2. Finding a hobby or a new passion
3. Learning to play an instrument
4. Reaching out each day to people. Don’t feel that you are bothering them…and don’t get upset if they don’t respond straight away. Be brave
5. Take trips on your own and learn to enjoy your own company when out of the home.
6. Be spontaneous. People rarely regret spontaneous acts of enjoyment.
7. Consider a new challenge or project.
8. Feel free to start conversations with people you haven’t met and enjoy getting to know new people.
9. Be curious about life and positive pursuits that you haven’t experienced yet. Try all of them.
10. Diarise each day to ensure that you have time to try new things.

#lifestyle #psychologist #mentalhealth #loneliness #therapy #isolation #selfcare #mindfulness #selflove #life #mentalhealthmatters #depression #health #anxiety #hobbies #sport #music #lonliness #liberation #freedom #chelsea

A NEUROBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE of Therapy… We le

A NEUROBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE of Therapy…

We learn ‘how to be’ from our past. This influences how the neurotransmitters fire in our brain, leading to the way we think and behave in later life. Therapy is about understanding new ways of ‘being’. This will change how your brain functions in the future, leading to long term change. It is never about blaming our past, but having a greater understanding of ourself and how our past informs our present.

Many people who enter therapy for the first time are unsure how it works. Some may have had a negative past experience of it, where they weren't challenged in a way that helped them to have good insight or elicit real change. Although therapy feels like a conversation, it’s real work is neurobiological. For change to be permanent the brain has to change.

#Goodtherapy #neuroscience #unconscious #mentalhealth #anxiety #depression #relationships #psychologist #compassion

Many clients come into therapy as a result of diff

Many clients come into therapy as a result of difficulties in a relationship or because of the various challenges of dating. The biggest indicator of problems for both men and women are feeling misunderstood by their partner. Quite often couples start to find out much later on in their relationship that they do not understand each other. A common reason is falling in love too quickly, without understanding if you are emotionally fulfilled or psychologically compatible with your love interest. Love and attraction releases some of the most powerful psychologically induced drugs the body can produce- the strongest of these being oxytocin. This is why it’s common to only discover as a relationship progresses past the ‘in love/lust’ stage, that you may be incompatible with your partner. Here is a 7-step guide to a healthy relationship:
1. Try and share both your thoughts and feelings on a regular basis with your partner to help create a dynamic that is open and emotionally intelligent.
2. Spend time reflecting on how your partner experiences you, to help you to take ownership of your part in the relationship dynamic.
3. Be kind in how you communicate and show appreciation for the qualities your partner has. This promotes a positive and open relationship style.
4. Don’t be afraid to air any frustrations you have with the relationship, but always give yourself time to process these frustrations prior to discussing them, to allow you to see both sides and any underlying deeper issues.
5. Use your intuition in a relationship, not just your intellect. This is where many relationships go wrong. Most couples may argue about something that has nothing to do with what their real concerns are. It’s important to voice these, if you want your relationship to continue in a way that has the ability to heal and evolve.
6. Remember that a good relationship is based on friendship and honesty, and the ability for both people to apologise for mistakes made.
7. Ensure that you don’t lose sight of the importance of regular and fulfilling intimacy. This is a vital part of keeping loving bonds strong.
#sex #couples #relationships #love #therapy #dating #psychology #compatibility

Self Care and and Happiness: Research findings o

Self Care and and Happiness:

Research findings on the importance of pleasant activities have shown significant results in reducing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, life stress, addiction, Alzheimers dementia, cancer, heart disorders and many other health conditions. However it's also one of the essentials to leading a happier, more fulfilled life.

Care for your emotional well-being by engaging in at least one pleasant and rewarding activity a day. It helps with daily stress and reminds us to be grateful, regardless of how limited our resources are, that we can find a way to be kind to ourself each day.

#psychology #therapy #mentalhealth #wellbeing #mindfulness #health #anxiety #depression #stress #happiness #addiction #selfcare

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