To start off with, I’d like to acknowledge how difficult it can be to take that first step in recognising that you may need some support and a helping hand. It can take great courage to admit it to yourself. However, it’s ok if you need someone to help you bear the heavy weight that you may be carrying. I believe that many of us need this from time to time in our lives.
As a professional Counsellor I work to the BACP Ethical Standards and am committed to working with every client in a respectful way. I recognise that each and every one of us has walked a different path in life; hence, as my client, I will aim to empower you towards your desired goals.
So, if life feels a little too much for you at the moment and you feel stuck, feel free to send me a message and we can arrange a complimentary 15 min introductory session, where you can get to know a little more about me and the therapy that I offer. We will also be able to get more of an understanding of each other and how we can best work together.
Therapy can open lots of doorways to yourself that you never knew were there. It’s not always easy but it’s very enriching to life.
My Story
As a professional Counsellor I work to the BACP Ethical Standards and am committed to working with every client in a respectful way. I recognise that each and every one of us has walked a different path in life; hence, as my client, I will aim to empower you towards your desired goals.
Witnessing a client grow in strength, courage and trust, and begin to believe in themselves is so rewarding. I’m grateful to each and every one of my clients for sharing my journey and allowing me the opportunity to share in yours.
I’ve been reading The Science of Stuck by Britt Frank, and a chapter on friendships landed really deeply for me.
The author talks about how adult friendships naturally become more complex than childhood ones which makes so much sense when I think about the responsibilities, commitments, and emotional load of adult life. Add neurodivergence into the mix, and everything becomes even more layered.
Through my own therapeutic work, I’m realising how my capacity for unconditional positive regard has sometimes shaped unhealthy dynamics. I can see now how certain friendships created unspoken roles expectations about who I should be for them, and perhaps who they thought they needed to be for me.
I’ve become more protective of my availability, not out of disconnection but out of self-awareness. The author describes the “Scorpion friend,” and I felt so seen someone who doesn’t need constant contact and who can easily become socially saturated.
I’m also noticing how this hasn’t always aligned with what others wanted from me. Some people needed me to be someone I’m simply not. And masking myself to meet those expectations is something I’m no longer willing (or able) to do.
This chapter helped me see, with more clarity and less self-blame, that some friendships were shaped around what I could provide financially, practically, or emotionally. Those dynamics were transactional.
Stepping back is allowing me to see who remains because they value me, not what I can offer. And if some people drift away, that simply creates space for relationships that feel mutual, nourishing, and authentic.
The author’s words gave me permission I didn’t even know I needed:
💜 Permission to see friends infrequently 💜 Permission to accept that friendships naturally ebb and flow 💜 Permission to enjoy different levels of closeness with different people 💜 Permission to disengage from relationships that are consistently high-conflict 💜 Permission to leave gatherings early or honour my social limits 💜 Permission to step back from friendships that drain my energy 💜 Permission to resist guilt or pressure to meet others’ expectations
Ultimately, I’m learning that protecting my energy, my authenticity, and my emotional wellbeing isn’t selfish it’s essential for building relationships that are healthy for everyone involved. ... See MoreSee Less
People told me I was “looking for perfect,” but I wasn’t. I was looking for respect, empathy, and care and that is not perfection. That’s the minimum.
When women are told their expectations are “too high,” it’s often because they’ve stopped settling for the bare minimum. It’s a symptom of a patriarchal mindset: we’re conditioned to shrink ourselves, soften our needs, and accept less than we deserve. When we do that, we lose our voice.
We need friends who support us, who remind us to listen to ourselves, not silence us. Friends who understand that expecting to be treated well isn’t unreasonable it’s healthy.
When someone tells a woman she expects too much, it usually means she has finally begun expecting enough.
My eyes began to swell as they struggled to witness what was unfolding infront of me a reality denied by friends and family.
Since away from the abusive relationship my eyes haven’t done this I’ve not felt on egg shells constantly know this isn’t normal.
Emotional abuse isn’t as damaging I think this picture says enough don’t be alone let’s empower and hear those that need us.
Humpty Dumpty sat on his wall, Thinking everything was perfect and all. Holding it together, hoping he wouldn’t fall, But time passed, and the thoughts grew heavier. Unable to stay balanced, he grew wearier, Until he cracked and hit the ground with a whack. Silence builds pressure until something cracks Those around us aren’t our glue, but they might give us a clue. Look for what they show you. What does it reveal for you? I need to be liked? A diluted voice, in case it stirs a fight. A need to say yes, because ‘no’ might not be liked. ... See MoreSee Less
When did we start to believe that to make children behave the way we want, we must first make them feel bad?
Think of the last time you made a mistake. What helped you learn more? Being shamed and punished for what you did?
Or being taught the skill you needed to learn so you didn’t make the same mistake again? Let’s extend the same grace and teaching to our kids that we hope others will give us.