Many clients come to therapy struggling to cope with a difficult person in their lives. This might be a partner, parent, adult child or work colleague. For some, it can feel relieving to realise that the behaviour they are experiencing may be linked to narcissistic traits. People with narcissistic traits often hold an inflated view of themselves and can appear kind, caring and generous in public, while in private they may be emotionally abusive or emotionally unavailable . They rarely see...

In today's busy world, it has become more important than ever for us to protect our peace of mind by consciously choosing what kind of information and people are allowed access to us. We can be bombarded with information from our phones, the news and television. We can be available 24/7 on our phones if we do not put limits around how contactable we are. Never in human history have humans been as information-saturated and contactable as we are today. In working with clients, I notice an...

It is many years since I attended my first counselling session, yet I still remember clearly how nervous I felt walking through the door. At just 19, I was grieving intensely following the sudden death of my sister, Madeleine. I had no idea what to expect and I was afraid of being overwhelmed by emotion. Yet within minutes of that first session, I felt something shift. I began to relax, to breathe more easily, and to open up. That experience changed my life (and my future career path). It...