Andrea Sowden, Psychotherapy and Counselling Services

03/05/2026

Sending love out to all you beautiful souls tonight. This is just a little reminder that I feel many of us need from time to time. Just because there are others who may have it ‘worse’ than you does not mean your struggles, your pain, your feelings aren't just as valid and important.

So whether you've been told to basically suck it up because others have it worse, or you do it to yourself, please stop dismissing what you're experiencing because of some idea that you don't have a right to feel what you are feeling. You always have a right to what you feel!

Saying or thinking that you don't would be like saying or thinking that you can't be happy because there are others that are happier, or grateful because others have more to be grateful for. Does that make any sense at all? No? Good! So honor your feelings because it's not a competition and each of our experiences are unique to ourselves.

If you're struggling tonight we want to remind you that you are not alone, you are so very loved and if you need a hand just reach out—we got you!

🩵 Leila

14/04/2026

🌟

13/04/2026

25/03/2026

Keeping

Thank you for the image andedoodles

23/03/2026

You know it's right...

31/12/2025

-compassion, and are 3 gifts we can give ourselves when we find ourselves flinching in this way.

Step into making positive, life affirming with people we can as an antidote.

Thank you

31/12/2025

Take this skill with you into 2026, and let's see what shows itself.

#2026

30/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/14RoYmsuKSt/

21/12/2025

Each and every day!

17/12/2025

Many of you will soon gather around tables with friends and family. Some will have watched you grow up, others you have only just met. Each holds a surface-level understanding of who you are. Some celebrate your success, while others are unsettled by the confidence you have earned. But no one can fully grasp everything you have lived through to become who you are today. And while many versions of you exist in their minds, you hold a depth and essence that surpasses them all. That is the nature of authenticity.

Authenticity is often mischaracterized as a bold declaration of individuality. Something loud, defiant, or performative. In truth, living authentically has little to do with how you are perceived, judged or misunderstood. It is not about being praised for standing your ground or criticized for moving differently. Authenticity is about your relationship with yourself. It is an inner alignment, not an outer performance.

When you choose to stay rooted in the best within you, other people’s negativity loses power. When you prioritize common ground, disagreements no longer shake your centre. And when you hold genuine intentions for others, their reactions no longer dictate how you show up. Authenticity says, “I remain myself, regardless of how you see me.”

This is not closed-mindedness. It is freedom. You are not being stubborn or stuck in your ways. You are simply refusing to shrink into the emotional limitations of others. As the heart expands, the world’s noise loses its grip. Instead of being loyal to the ego that takes offence, personalizes everything, and clings to expectations, you move from spirit. And when you follow that spirit with courage, the opinions of others begin to dissolve in significance.

By choosing authenticity, you learn to observe life without absorbing every projection. The need for validation fades as self-acceptance deepens. And the good energy you carry becomes easier to maintain, because you no longer hand over your peace to people who were never meant to understand you in the first place.