Brambleside Counselling, Euxton

04/09/2026

Therapy Room Truth: You don’t need to know what to talk about.

One of the worries I hear most often about starting counselling is, “What if I don’t know what to say?”, or, “I don’t even know where I’d start.”

And sometimes underneath that is an even quieter worry: “What if what I’m struggling with isn’t important enough? What if I’m wasting your time?”

You’re not.

You do not need to arrive with a perfectly organised story, a list of things to work through, or a clear explanation of what is wrong. You do not need to know which part to start with, or even be completely sure why you have reached out.

Starting with, “I don’t know what to say,” is completely okay.

So is sitting quietly for a moment. So is jumping between things. So is saying something that feels small and then realising it connects to something much bigger. So is coming in with something you have told yourself you should be coping with better.

There is no threshold you have to meet before you are “allowed” to have support.

If something is affecting you, taking up space in your mind, leaving you anxious, overwhelmed, low, stuck, confused, or simply not feeling like yourself, then it matters because it matters to you.

You are not wasting my time by bringing something that feels messy, ordinary, difficult to explain, or “not serious enough”. My role is not to decide whether your feelings deserve space. It is to give you somewhere safe enough to begin exploring them, at your pace.

And sometimes, the beginning really is just:

“I don’t know where to start.”

We can start there. 💜

If you have been thinking about counselling but feel unsure about taking that first step, I offer a free 30-minute introduction session. There is no pressure to commit to anything afterwards; it is simply a chance to meet, ask questions, and see whether talking with me feels comfortable for you.

03/09/2026

What does “being yourself” actually mean?

I think sometimes we hear phrases like “just be yourself” and imagine that it means being completely confident, outspoken, unfiltered, or somehow reaching a point where you no longer care what anybody thinks.

But authenticity doesn’t have to look like that.

Being yourself can be much quieter. It can simply mean feeling safe enough that you don’t have to constantly monitor yourself. You’re not analysing your tone, checking whether you’re being “too much”, editing your interests, softening your opinions, or trying to work out which version of you will be easiest for the people around you.

It’s being able to relax into who you are without feeling like you have to perform it correctly.

For me, part of that has been accepting that I like things other people might think are weird, strange, childish, too witchy, too nerdy, or just not their thing. And actually… that’s okay. If something brings me joy, comfort, meaning or interest, why shouldn’t I enjoy it just because somebody else doesn’t understand it?

The same goes for all of us. The books you love. The hobbies you lose hours in. The music you play on repeat. The clothes you feel good in. The collections, routines, interests and little things that make your world feel more like yours.

None of those things have to make sense to everyone else in order to matter to you.

Being yourself isn’t about becoming louder. It isn’t about refusing to consider other people. And it definitely doesn’t mean saying every thought that enters your head.

It’s about not having to constantly shrink, disguise, explain or edit the parts of you that are harmless and meaningful simply because you’re worried they might be judged.

You shouldn’t have to be afraid to be you.

And perhaps that is what authenticity really is: not becoming a different person, but gradually feeling safe enough to stop hiding the person who was already there. 💜

02/09/2026

Have you become disconnected from what you need?

It doesn’t always happen in an obvious way. Sometimes there isn’t a big moment where you suddenly realise you’ve lost touch with yourself. It can happen gradually, through lots of small habits that seem harmless on their own.

Automatically saying “I don’t mind.” Making decisions based around what works best for everyone else. Feeling guilty when you rest. Feeling flat without really knowing why. Constantly adapting yourself depending on who you’re with or what situation you’re in.

Over time, those patterns can make it much harder to recognise what you actually want, need, enjoy, or feel comfortable with.

And the answer usually isn’t to suddenly become more assertive, overhaul your life, or force yourself to have all the answers. Reconnecting with yourself can start much more gently than that.

It might be pausing before you answer a question instead of automatically agreeing. Choosing something simply because you like it. Letting yourself rest before you’ve reached complete exhaustion. Noticing which people and spaces allow you to feel most relaxed and least edited.

The important part is beginning to make a little more room for your own voice again.

If some of the signs in this carousel feel familiar, you don’t need to tackle all of them at once. Perhaps just notice one this week. Get curious about it rather than judging yourself for it.

You might be surprised by how much you begin to hear when you give yourself the space to listen. 💜

31/08/2026

Coming Back to Yourself

Sometimes, when we feel disconnected, overwhelmed, flat, or just a bit lost in ourselves, the instinct is to think we need to change something big. We start looking for a new routine, a new mindset, a new version of ourselves who is somehow more organised, more confident, more motivated, more together.

But often, you don’t need to reinvent yourself at all.

Sometimes, you’ve simply spent so long listening to everything around you that you’ve stopped being able to hear yourself clearly. Other people’s expectations, responsibilities, work, family, relationships, the endless list of things you should be doing or feeling — all of that can get very loud. And when it does, your own needs can become quieter and quieter in the background.

Coming back to yourself doesn’t have to mean making huge changes. It can be much gentler than that. It can look like noticing what you actually want before automatically saying, “I don’t mind.” It can mean recognising when something doesn’t feel right, even if you can’t explain it yet. It can be remembering what makes you feel calm, interested, comfortable, excited, safe, or simply a little more like you.

It can also mean giving yourself space where you don’t have to perform, achieve, explain yourself, keep everyone else happy, or make yourself easier to be around.

You don’t need a dramatic fresh start. You don’t need to become a “better” version of yourself. You might just need enough space, quiet and permission to hear yourself again.

So maybe the question this week isn’t, “Who do I need to become?”

Maybe it’s, “What helps me feel more like myself?” 💜

31/08/2026

Have you ever felt anxious… but couldn't actually tell yourself what you were anxious about? 💜

Nothing is obviously wrong. There isn't a crisis. On paper, everything might even seem fine — but your mind or body seems to have missed that particular memo.

Anxiety doesn't always arrive with a neat explanation. Sometimes it's accumulated stress, mental load, masking, overwhelm, or simply everything your brain and body have been quietly managing in the background.

My latest Wellbeing Library article explores why we can sometimes feel anxious for "no reason" — and why not knowing the reason doesn't make what you're feeling any less real.

🌿 Read the full article below.

Feeling anxious when nothing seems wrong can be confusing. Explore why anxiety can appear without an obvious cause.

30/08/2026

💜 **Progress can be quiet and still be real**

As August comes to an end, it can be tempting to look back and focus on everything you did not manage to do, the goals you have not reached yet, or the things that still feel unfinished.

But progress does not always look big or obvious.

Sometimes it is noticing a pattern a little sooner. Setting one boundary you would usually avoid. Resting before you are completely exhausted. Saying no without explaining yourself quite so much. Asking for help. Speaking to yourself with a little more kindness than you did before.

Sometimes progress is simply recognising that something no longer feels right for you.

These shifts can be easy to overlook because they do not always come with a dramatic before-and-after moment. Often, change happens quietly in the background, through lots of small choices, reflections, and moments of noticing.

You do not need to have transformed your whole life for this month to have mattered.

So before August disappears completely, perhaps take a moment to ask yourself: **What feels even slightly different than it did at the beginning of the month?**

It might be smaller than you expected.

It still counts. 💜

28/08/2026

💜 **A little update on counselling availability**

At the moment, most of my counselling appointments are in the **evenings**, which works really well for people who prefer sessions after work or later in the day.

From **mid-September**, I’ll also be opening up some **daytime appointments**, giving a little more flexibility for people who would rather come during the day.

That might suit you if evenings are difficult, if you work shifts, have caring responsibilities, prefer appointments while children are at school, or simply find that daytime gives you more space to focus on yourself.

You do not need to wait until things feel overwhelming before reaching out, and you do not need to know exactly what you want to talk about before getting in touch.

If you have been thinking about counselling and would like to know what availability I currently have, you are very welcome to message me. I also offer a **free 30-minute introductory session**, giving us a chance to have a gentle chat, talk through what you are looking for, and see whether working together feels like the right fit.

**Evening appointments available now, with new daytime availability opening from mid-September.** 💜

27/08/2026

26/08/2026

St Catherines is a wonderful place, I had the pleasure of volunteering there for a couple of years - if you have anything you'd like to donate, it would be so welcome! 💜

25/08/2026

💜 **High-functioning anxiety can still be exhausting**

From the outside, someone with high-functioning anxiety may look like they are coping really well.

They might be organised, dependable, productive, always on time, good at their job, and the person other people rely on. They may seem calm and capable, even when there is a huge amount happening underneath the surface.

Internally, it can feel very different.

There might be constant overthinking, replaying conversations, worrying about getting things wrong, feeling responsible for everything, struggling to switch off, or putting enormous pressure on yourself to keep performing at the same level.

Sometimes anxiety hides behind perfectionism, people pleasing, over-preparing, or always needing to stay one step ahead. You may keep going because stopping feels uncomfortable, or because you worry that if you slow down, everything will catch up with you.

And because you are still functioning, it can be easy to dismiss how difficult things actually feel.

But being able to cope does not mean something is not taking a toll.

You can be productive and anxious. You can appear confident and still doubt yourself constantly. You can be the person everyone relies on and still feel completely exhausted by the pressure you place on yourself.

You do not need to wait until you are visibly struggling before your experience matters.

If anxiety is taking up a lot of space in your mind, affecting your energy, or making everyday life feel harder than it needs to, counselling can offer somewhere to slow things down and explore what is happening underneath the surface, without judgement or expectation.

You are allowed support even when you still look like you are coping. 💜