Christmas, and all the festive lead up, can be a rollercoaster of emotions and overwhelming for many of us. It’s a time associated with celebrations and warm gatherings. Often, being invited to social events and the pressure of living up … Continued
We tend to associate cold weather with despondency and warm weather with happiness. For many people, this rings true. Winter can cause many people to experience genuine depression. But for others, it’s summer, not winter, that can contribute to feeling … Continued
Clinical Psychologist, Tony Bates, gives insight to the importance and benefits of ‘opening up’ for our mental health in this RTE podcast https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21918524 How can counselling help? Most of us, at some time in our lives, have periods when it … Continued
If you think you may be suffering from depression, or know someone who may need your help, here’s a list of the most common symptoms of depression from Tony Bates, one of Ireland’s best known psychologists. Don’t be afraid to … Continued
As of May 18th 2020 we will begin a phased return to In Person counselling sessions. In line with the Irish Government’s “Return to Work Protocol: Covid-19 Specific National Protocol For Employers and Workers” and the NSAI “Covid-19 Workplace Protection … Continued
Learn to recognise and challenge these 10 thinking patterns before they send you spiraling into depression, anxiety, worry and stress. 1. All-or-nothing. At the core of perfectionism is the tendency to evaluate ourselves in terms of absolutes and nothing in … Continued
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. T S Eliot
The following styles in thinking can be subtle yet very powerful in causing us to experience needless emotional distress. Interestingly, the more distressed we become, the more our thinking can become narrowed and focused, making it difficult to think in … Continued
As we move from one season into another, I thought about sharing a favorite poem, good for ‘challenging days’ or any day – The Guest House, written by the 13th century Persian poet, Rumi, it is one of the most … Continued
“We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. … Continued