Happy New Year

My sister-in-law sent me this inspiring and kind quote today.Thought I will share it with my viewer's.



Make 2014 a year to make positive changes in your life. The greatest simple thing you can do is to be kind and thoughtful to one another. It can make such a difference and changes energy for you and others. May you have a peaceful and happy new year!
Best Wishes,
Karen x

Merry Christmas One and All.

Season Greetings,
As you can tell, It's been a while since I last published anything. I've been extremely busy with supporting my clients back to wellness. It's been a hectic but very productive time and I am now looking forward to the festive rest with the knowledge that my clients are going to have a more relaxed and happier Christmas. This for me is the best Christmas present as it puts a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart.
I would like to wish everyone a Relaxed and Peaceful Christmas.
Best Wishes,
Karen x

 

Good Evening,
A week ago I was interviewed by a Trainee Counselling Psychologist who works for the NHS Mental Health and teaches mindfulness for the purpose of the following research:

The research aims to find out what is the impact of mindfulness training on people with OCD. The objectives are to understand your experience of the mindfulness part of your treatment for OCD and what effect this has had on you and the symptoms of OCD.

Being interviewed allowed me to deeply reflect on how much I use mindful awareness in my day to day living in terms of being in touch with the Impartial Spectator (the Observer Self) and how conversely I choose not to be mindfully aware.
I have experimented with mindfulness meditation over the years and struggled to focus. Why is this so difficult for me and indeed some of my clients? Well thanks to the interview and the great investigative skills of Miya Bond (interviewer) I was able to articulate it in a way that never occurred to me before. In my experience; quietness, boredom and reflecting are triggers for my OCD. I believe, deep understanding, insight and acceptance of the obsession has to be developed before observation can take place. I am so good at refocusing my intrusive thoughts and not focusing on them that mindfulness meditation brings in a conflict that has the opposite effect of calm and tranquillity.
 Generally now a days I'm not obsessing when I practice mindfulness but my thoughts are so busy and random it's exhausting and I go from this crazy pinball machine to sleep. I am naturally a very proactive person. I enjoy doing! Giving myself something to focus on helps. Bringing myself back to the here and now if I'm ruminating helps. Strengthening my impartial spectator helps me to shift focus on constructive thoughts and behaviours. But mindfulness meditation for me isn't something I use to support my well being.
I would be very interested in your feedback on this subject.

If you would also like to take part in the research, please contact:
Miya Bond
Trainee Counselling Psychologist
Mob: 07979 260384
Email: miya2.bond@live.uwe.ac.uk

Paradox of our age

Good Evening,
Just finished work this evening. For your information I am also a fully qualified counsellor trained to work with an array of presenting issues from relationships to low self esteem to anxiety to depression to grief to stress the list is endless.
Mental illness is on the increase. Why? Well we live in very uncertain times, being perfect and the media are constant reminders that we aren't good enough. Global financial concerns, loss of collateral, jobs are no longer for life, pressure to perform at school and gain grades as well as in the work place, keeping up with the Jones's and lets not discount global warming......... I could go on and on.
All of this is having a negative impact on our well being.
Did you know 1 in 4 of us in anyone year is suffering from a mental illness?

The 1 in 4 statistic

1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
This is the most commonly quoted statistic, and the one which has the most research evidence to support it. It came initially from a large scale study published first in 1980, then updated again 1992[i]. This figure is further supported by the results of all three Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys[ii]
The breakdown below gives an overview of what treatment those who experience mental health problems are likely to seek and get:

• around 300 people out of 1,000 will experience mental health problems every year in Britain
• 230 of these will visit a GP
• 102 of these will be diagnosed as having a mental health problem
• 24 of these will be referred to a specialist psychiatric service
• 6 will become inpatients in psychiatric hospitals.

Karen here!
This is my first time blogging. I'm hoping to use this facility to send out useful updated information about OCD and some more!
It's also an opportunity for you to gain information about OCD and associated disorders.

Good Morning everyone!