What Therapists Really Think When You Cry
Crying happens regularly in therapy. As therapists, we are used to it. We are not alarmed by it, and we certainly do not see it as something to apologise for. Often, the person sitting opposite us is allowing themselves, perhaps for the first time, to share something difficult that has been bubbling away under the […]
Don’t Let Panic Attacks Control You
If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you’ll know how convincing it feels. Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, your breathing shifts, and your mind races to the worst possible conclusion. Many people are certain they are about to die, collapse, or lose control. And yet — if you’re reading this — you have survived […]
Mental Health News Roundup 2025
A staggering one billion people worldwide live with a mental health condition. That’s one in eight of us. And we simply don’t have the resources to cope. I don’t support the use of AI as a replacement for therapy. But when demand so vastly outstrips supply, it’s hard to argue against reinforcements in the form […]
Are you SAD this Xmas? Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder
For many people, Christmas is wrapped up in images of sparkle, laughter, connection, and comfort. But for some, this season feels very different: heavier, quieter, lonelier, or simply harder to get through. If your mood dips as winter draws in, your energy fades, or the simplest tasks feel harder than usual, you aren’t weak or […]
AI Therapy: Can Chatbots Support Mental Health?
As tools like ChatGPT and Claude become more woven into daily life, many people are quietly asking a new question: can AI help with emotional wellbeing, and should it ever replace therapy? With millions of users turning to AI every day, it’s clear these platforms are becoming a source of support as well as information. […]
Why it’s okay to take medications for mental health
doAfter years of work as both a medical journalist and psychotherapist, I’m convinced that medications can play a valuable role in treatment. I didn’t always feel this way. The evidence never felt watertight, and I doubted whether pharmaceutical companies could be trusted—I still do. For example, antidepressants such as SSRIs were sold on the idea […]