Echuca Counselling

28/09/2026

The connection between breathing and anxiety
When anxiety strikes, your breathing may become shallow and rapid—a pattern called thoracic or chest breathing.2 This breathing style can actually intensify feelings of stress and anxiety, creating a troubling cycle.
Controlled breathing techniques work by activating your parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system.3 By deliberately changing how you breathe, you can interrupt the anxiety cycle, triggering calming responses throughout your body and mind.
Here are five effective breathing techniques to help manage anxiety in your daily life.
It’s important to note that not all breathing exercises are safe for all people. Consult a medical or mental health professional before making breathing exercises a part of your routine, especially if you have respiratory conditions or a history of trauma or panic disorders.
Exercise: Belly (or “diaphragmatic”) breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, involves breathing deeply into your diaphragm rather than shallowly into your chest.
This technique has been shown to reduce both physical and psychological stress in adults, including lowering cortisol levels (a stress hormone), blood pressure, and breathing rate.4
How to practice:
1. Sit or lie comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach expand (your chest should move only slightly).
3. Exhale slowly through pursed lips as if you’re whistling, feeling your stomach fall.
4. Repeat for at least five minutes.
Exercise: Cyclic breathing
Cyclic breathing (also called “cyclic sighing”) emphasizes a double inhale followed by a prolonged exhale, which can create a powerful calming effect on your nervous system.
Research shows that cyclic sighing is more effective at improving mood and reducing respiratory rate than both mindfulness meditation and other breathing techniques.5 These results also appear to last over time.
How to practice:
1. Find a comfortable position sitting or lying down.
2. Inhale slowly through your nose, feelings your lungs expand.
3. Take a second inhale to fully fill your lungs (this second breath will likely be shorter than the first).
4. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth.
5. Repeat for five minutes.

07/04/2026

The Psychology Behind Anger Management
Anger is often portrayed as a “bad,” reckless, or unhelpful emotion. But while anger can sometimes lead to more destructive behaviour, it has an important self-protective function that can help bring about social good .
Why do we get angry?
We get angry when we perceive an injustice, believe we have been wronged, or experience provocation that challenges our values or principles.
Hostility differs from anger and is generally understood as more of a persistent negative attitude toward others and the world.
Anger can range in intensity from low-level annoyance to fire-breathing fury and can bring about changes in physiology, such as increased blood pressure.
The origins of anger can be external or internal. Some examples of external anger triggers could be:
• Feeling unfairly treated by your boss
• Believing a romantic partner is taking you for granted
• Being denied equal access to a resource on illegitimate grounds, such as your gender, age, or race.
What exactly gets your blood boiling is unique, and many factors could influence how you feel, express, and manage anger, including:
• Learned behaviour (e.g., watching how parents express anger)
• Genetic predispositions
• Environment and experiences
• Difficulties with problem solving
Why anger is useful
Anger is a red flag that lets us know when something unjust has happened and action is required to remedy it. When appropriate and proportionate, anger can be useful if it motivates us to deal with a perceived threat or correct an unjust situation.
Anger can lead to violence, but these terms are not synonymous. People can harm others without being angry, and being angry doesn’t always end in aggression or violence. If anger can be communicated constructively, this could even reduce the chances of aggression if apologies can be made and relationships repaired.

07/04/2026

What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy, sometimes called somatic experiencing therapy, is a body-centered form of psychotherapy that helps you understand how past trauma or intense emotions like fear or anger can show up in your body. The word somatic means “of the body.”
This approach is based on the idea that trauma, chronic stress, and difficult emotions like shame, anger, or fear can linger in the body, showing up as physical symptoms such as muscle tension, shallow breathing, or fatigue, even long after the experience has passed.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, which focuses on the mind, somatic therapy starts with the body. It combines verbal exploration with gentle movement or touch to help you notice physical sensations and feel safe and present as you process emotions.
Somatic therapy can help with:
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• anxiety and panic attacks
• chronic stress
• depression
• complicated grief

28/02/2025

Hi all,
I was honoured to be invited by Rebecca East, the CEO of The Holistic Care Collective to appear as her guest on a radio program and the subsequent podcast. here is a link to the podcast if you;re interested.

In this week's episode, Bec and Darcy are joined by Vlad Kowel from Healthy Mind Echuca Counselling to dive into an essential topic - navigating relationships. They explore: The importance of good communication in relationships How to handle conflict with practical tips & tricks T

11/02/2025

This is a simple Grounding Technique. Grounding is valuable prior to meditating or dealing with anxious thoughts.

Take a deep breath and identify

5 Things you can FEEL
4 Things you can SEE
3 Things you can HEAR
2Things you can SMELL
1Thing you can TASTE

24/01/2025

Healthy Mind Echuca and Echuca Counselling are at a brand new location at 54 Nish Street Echuca.

Discover tailored counselling Echuca services for children, relationships, and family well-being. Professional support for a healthier, happier life.

10/10/2024

Feel Good Friday: What’s one small act of kindness you can do today? Whether it’s a compliment or helping a neighbour, let’s spread positivity! 😊



Visit us at: https://smpl.is/9p01a
Contact us at: +61 438 744 618

08/10/2024

Did you know? Regular exercise can boost your mood and mental health. Even a short walk can make a difference. 🏃‍♂️🌳



Visit us at: https://smpl.is/9p019
Contact us at: +61 438 744 618

06/10/2024

Welcome to October! 🎃
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Let’s take extra care of our mental wellbeing. What are you doing this month to prioritise self-care? Share with us!



Visit us at: https://smpl.is/9p005
Contact us at: +61 438 744 618