The current Covid-19 lockdown situation in the UK and around the world, is seeing our day to day lives turned upside down. Routines and daily tasks have had to stop or at least, the way we undertake them adjusted, affecting our mood, motivation and connections with others. As well as the comfort and stability we find in relevant certainties and structure. The unfamiliar and uncertain world we are now placed in, can cause our anxiety to increase. We are living outside our norm. This is why I have written this blog post. A 5 minute escape from reality. It may speak to you in a helpful way, it may not. But you may find in it reading it, you have just been present and mindful for 5 minutes, before you can go about your day.

Mindful. Org uses the definition of ‘Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us’.

‘Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it’.

Mindfulness is the psychological process of actively bringing your attention to the present moment. Sitting with your feelings and being at one with your senses. How does your body feel? What can you hear or smell? These practices can be fine tuned through the use of meditation, in which there are lots of YouTube links and apps such as Headspace for you to try. This is a means to reconnect with our bodies and to the sight, smell, taste and touch of the present moment, when it is so easy to race ahead, forward thinking and concentrating solely on the future, of what ‘may’ be, leading to catastrophising thoughts and rumination.

Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre explains that ‘ It is easy to stop noticing the world around us. It’s also easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living in our heads’ – caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour’.

Maybe this is a place to start.

https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/resources/questionnaires-researchers/mindful-attention-awareness-scale

This link will take you to the mindful attention awareness scale, which is a 15 item questionnaire that researchers put together to allow us to see how mindful we are. The higher the score the higher your ability to be mindful. If it is lower than you’d like, maybe it’s a great time to start practising some mindfulness techniques.

Meditation is a great start and is where the key principles of this psychological process have evolved. But being mindful doesn’t have to just be during the 1 hour session a day that we may meditate. It is great to bring a more formal approach to mindfulness into our daily life including meditation, yoga and tai-chi, however once the techniques have been discovered the process of mindful thinking can be integrated into your daily routine. Activities such as colouring or drawing, walking or running, mindful eating and body scanning. This allows us to be more aware of our thoughts and feelings, identifying patterns of thoughts that are not productive or helpful. With practice, we can begin to have a heightened sense of awareness and ability to notice when thoughts are taking over and that we do indeed have control over these thoughts, they do not control us. It can allow us to acknowledge when we experience feelings of stress and anxiety and subsequently deal with them proactively. It is a way of escapism. It is not ruminating on the past nor worrying about the future.

Keeping to a routine to some extent can be useful during these uncertain times. It can give us back a sense of control and purpose for each day, therefore helping with our overall mental wellbeing. Maybe you could try and allocate a certain time during your day to be mindful, keep that slot a regular fixture and keep it up. These are unprecedented times, however the benefits to mindfulness are relevant during a global pandemic or not. I just felt that now more than ever, these techniques could become helpful. For people who have possibly never experienced anxiety before or usually feel they manage their stress levels well and feel now that their coping strategies are being called upon to an extreme, without the possibility of being able to do some of the things that usually help us to cope. This is a new way, a new string to the bow. An option to draw upon in a toolbox collection that may be expanding during this time. Try new things, embrace some of this extra time that we have right now, to potentially take new skills back into the old world again when this is over.

In saying this, I have found during lockdown I have placed what I see now as ‘pressure’ on myself to use this time to better myself in some way. To learn a new skill, exercise, bake, read, keep busy and not ‘waste’ a moment. However, it was in the slowing down that I realised how it is OK to pace myself, to do nothing and become OK with just being. Mindfulness has really

helped to slow me down. To allow me to be in the present and focus on myself. Life is about balance. We need structure and routine but not so rigid that restricts us to also rest and feel OK with doing so. Some busyness in my life is used as a distraction away from my thoughts and feelings, I wonder who can relate? I have now learned the importance of also reconnecting with my body, with my feelings and thoughts and the outside world. To sit and to notice. It has helped ground me when things have quite frankly been overwhelming. I have noticed shifts in my mood from one day to another and have become more aware of feelings building.

The two take away thoughts from my lockdown experience that I’d like to share is the importance of connection and speaking with others, through whatever means that may be. Be that family, friends or a professional counsellor, like us at BrainHub. It is so important to talk about how we are feeling.

Secondly, how mindfulness is a developing skill that we could all utilise and benefit from. That it is OK to have days where you feel you are doing nothing, you may be doing more than you think. If any of this interests you, you want to know more or want to know how we can support you through these testing times and beyond, then please get it touch.

References: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mindfulness/

https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu

https://www.mindful.org

The post Mind Full to Mindful appeared first on BrainHub Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing.

and

Wellbeing when Working from Home

How can we look after our Mental Health and Wellbeing when working from home?

With the current COVID-19 situation many of us are now working from home, which, as amazing as it might sound, the new experiences, the isolation, lack of contact and the change of routine can result in struggles with our mental health and wellbeing.

Whilst there is no right or wrong way to self-care when working from home, some of the following ideas have been recommended by a range of mental health professionals which hopefully might help during this difficult period or for those who work from home in general.

Routine

Most people will have a workday routine and this structure is important to our mental health and wellbeing. Wherever possible it is a good idea to stick to a routine when working from home. This routine does not have to be the same as your normal workday, however, whatever your “new” routine is, it is good practice to stick to it.

Get Dressed

When people first start to work from home, often they will see it as a perfect Pyjama Day/s opportunity. Whilst the odd PJ Day is fine, getting up, washed and dressed will help improve your state of mind it also helps to prepare you psychologically to start your working day. You may need to still dress in business attire if you are conducting any webcam work, or you may be able to dress more casually. Whichever is applicable for you, the act of getting changed out of clothes that you associate with sleep and rest and being forced to shower or wash will kick start your brain into work mode.
In a similar vein, especially if you are wearing formal attire to work from home it can help our brains switch off and relax if we change out of our work attire at the end of the working day.

Boundaries

It is important to set and maintain boundaries when working from home. These boundaries include;
Structuring your day – schedule breaks, time to move and importantly a start and finish time to your day.
Sticking to your working hours – it can be hard to stop when working from home as the work is still there. If possible, use a separate space to work from and when your “workday” finishes tidy away papers, divert your phone to its answering service and put away your laptop.
Family and friends – ensure they know that you are working from home and that you are not available between certain times, unless an emergency. Keeping this this boundary not only allows you to focus on work, but also prevents any awkward situations arising.
Space – Having a dedicated workspace can be beneficial to mental health and wellbeing. It gives you a space to work, but more importantly a space to move away from, for breaks and at the end of the day. Often one of the biggest stressors of working from home can be the fact it is hard to separate from work and it can feel like you can’t “get away” from it. This is eased by having a dedicated workspace.

Online work – It is also important if you work using online cameras to make sure this workspace is as neutral as possible, for your protection not having photos of family or children visible or personal details that people can see. If you use “Zoom” you can create your own artificial background.
Don’t overcompensate – Often people will feel the need to be seen to be working or communicating when working from home. This can result in people putting extra pressure on themselves, which over time can wear us down.

Exercise

Whether self-isolating or restricted to you one exercise session a day it is important to try and include some exercise within your day. Sitting in front of a computer or paperwork for long periods of time can be draining on both physical and mental health. Making sure you move regularly is important. Whether going for a walk, doing some yoga, or following an exercise program at home, you will produce hormones and neurotransmitters called endorphins, these have positive effect on memory, mood, energy levels and sense of wellbeing.

Food and Drink

Eating and drinking healthily all the time is always great for your mental health and wellbeing but this becomes especially important when working from home. It is easier for us to snack or “graze” when we work from home.

It can also be tempting to work through particularly when it makes for an earlier finish time. Don’t! A day of no food is a sure way to burn out! It reduces brain activity, decreases concentration and leaves you reaching for the junk food. Managing your diet to eat at regular intervals, healthy food, including fruit and veg, protein which contains amino acids and healthy gut foods including wholegrains, pulses and probiotics.

Limiting caffeine intake and drinking plenty of water are also highly recommended. It can also be tempting to open an extra bottle of wine, or an extra beer when we know that we don’t have to “go in” to work the next day. Limiting your alcohol intake is important for mental health and wellbeing. Drinking regularly or to excess decreases the levels of serotonin, a key chemical relating to depression. Alcohol can also interfere with sleep patterns, make our bodies work harder to process the alcohol in our systems and depresses the central nervous system which can make our moods fluctuate, combined with the extra stress of working from home and the current situation, reducing rather than increasing alcohol consumption would be beneficial.

Plan something fun

Whilst this is difficult with the current restrictions on leaving the house and closures, try to plan an activity or hobby for the end of the day. Whether it be watching a movie, cooking a healthy meal, exercise or catching up with friends and family on the phone or using programs like Skype or Zoom. Having something to look forward to at the end of the working day is beneficial to our mental health and also helps make the split between work and your evening.

Selfcare and Mindfulness

Use of mindfulness techniques can also be used to help improve our own mental health. There are many free resources for these online including guided meditation on youtube. The following links provide a couple of options but it is worth finding the ones that work for you;
A short guided meditation for loneliness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2L_ynaW5CE

A guided mindfulness program for relaxation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyy0ra2WcQQ

Some Mindfulness tasks for working with anxiety: https://www.healthline.com/health/mindfulness-tricks-to-reduce-anxiety

Communication can also be beneficial to our mental health, but if you live alone it can be hard and lonely especially when seeing friends or family might be difficult. If you are finding this a challenge there are a number of services in Cornwall these can be found on the following link; https://www.supportincornwall.org.uk/kb5/cornwall/directory/results.page?qt=befriending&term=&sorttype=relevance
or if you have access to the internet there are a number of online communities like Elefriends; https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/support-community-elefriends/.

If you find that you need further help or someone to talk to BrainHub CPW are more than happy to discuss if we can help. Please contact Phil or Harriet or email us at admin@brainhubcpw.com.

The post Tips and strategies for Good Mental Health and Wellbeing when Working from Home appeared first on BrainHub Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing.

The Advantages of Instant Messaging Counselling:

IM Counselling can be held from any place that the client feels comfortable as long as there is good internet signal. This can be very advantageous for numerous reasons.

Accessibility: It can allow the client to choose a Counsellor they feel most suitable with anywhere in the world. Those who are physically disabled or unable to leave the house can still access therapy via this medium.

Anonymity: The fact that IM counselling removes the face to face contact that both in person or webcam work involves can sometimes aid clients in feeling that they can communicate more truthly and openly with the counsellor. It can help reduce any worries the client may have regarding bias on appearance, gender, age or race. The use of the internet is often seen by many as less threatening as it allows an invisibility and level of anonymity which some people will find empowering.

Convenience: There is the advantage for clients who might struggle with face to face interaction, whether that be due to social phobias, anxiety disorders or agoraphobia or because they struggle with talking to someone about the issues in person. This form of counselling relies purely on use of text, which can aid these issues for some clients.

It also loosens the restrictions on travelling and having to meet the counsellor somewhere or in BrainHub CPW’s case also prevent the need for a home visit with our Domiciliary service. It can then be fitted more easily into a client’s busy day.

Communication: The fact that IM messaging takes a written form can for many be an advantage. Sometimes clients will find it difficult to express their feelings or thoughts verbally, but it can be therapeutic for some to be able to write down their thoughts. It can also be effective for clients to be more self-reflective and can be used as a point of reference in the future for the client to return to.

Special Circumstances: In the current situation with much of the World under lock-down with COVID-19 it can be especially difficult to access mental health support. With IM Counselling it is easier to find a safe secure environment, without the risk of being overheard or text being seen on a phone.

The Disadvantages of Instant Messaging Counselling:

Whilst there are several pro’s to IM counselling, as with everything in life there are also potential disadvantages to using this medium for client-counsellor work.
Some of these include:

Difficulties with technology: Whilst “Signal” is as secure as you can get when it comes to instant messaging there are always concerns over security and confidentiality when using the internet. BrainHub CPW are regularly reviewing the security of the apps we use and ensure that we are up-to date with our programs. Our phones and laptops are securely protected as per GDPR instructions and client data is kept safely and securely. Your privacy, confidentiality and security are of huge importance to us and we do everything in our power to ensure that we offer the very best, secure service.
Other technological issues that can arise tend to evolve around the quality of the internet provision. We at BrainHub CPW ask for a 2^nd form of contact details so that if internet should drop out or there are other issues, we can contact our clients in another form. It can be difficult and distressing for clients if the session is disrupted and this has to be taken into consideration.

Lack of verbal and nonverbal cues: During face to face counselling, especially as the relationship between the counsellor and client develops, body language and other verbal and nonverbal cues can be essential in gauging the clients true feelings and can be picked up by the counsellor. With a purely text based therapeutic service like IM Counselling these cues are not available to the counsellor, or similarly for the client when the counsellor is responding.

IM Counselling also lacks expression of tone of voice, facial expression and eye contact, these elements can be helpful during therapy and the lack of them has to be understood by both counsellor and client when choosing to use IM as the medium for counselling. It is important to understand that some text can potentially be taken out of context and especially for the client to be aware that the counsellor may need to ask for confirmation of what or how something is meant.

Ethical Issues: The counsellor needs to ensure that they are working legally and ethically with clients. As the internet crosses international boarders, the counsellor needs to ensure that the client they are working with lives in a country that they are licensed and insured to work within. For example, BrainHub CPW can’t currently work in this way with anyone living in the USA.

There is also the ethical dilemma’s around not knowing who is at the other end of the chat and in a similar manner it is important that the client knows exactly who they are talking to. The more counselling via the internet, and especially IM Counselling expands, the greater the risk that the client can be exploited by inexperienced counsellors or more worryingly non-qualified counsellors, which could potentially cause harm. Therefore, it is important to ensure you carefully research the counsellor you are going to work with, and that people are referred to credible counselling agencies. For more information on both Phil and Harriet or on BrainHub CPW overall please use these links…… 

In Conclusion

IM Counselling offers a convenient and accessible form of counselling for people which can often be easier to fit into our busy lives. The current situation with COVID-19 also means that it is an option that can be used now for people to find the support they need without breaking the Lockdown rules, or needing to speak verbally when it maybe difficult with other people within the house. IM Counselling offers some unique potential and can be highly effective if used correctly with the right client. It does also present some difficulties and challenges and the client and counsellor need to be well informed of these prior to engaging in a therapeutic relationship.

BrainHub CPW would encourage anyone who is interested in potentially using the IM Counselling Service that we offer, to contact us and discuss your thoughts and worries with us, we are happy to answer any questions and to discuss whether this is an appropriate service for you. Equally if you are considering using IM Counselling with another agency, please ensure that you use your due diligence to ensure they offer a secure and ethical service.

References:
https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/24/21150918/european-commission-signal-encrypted-messaging

https://schools.au.reachout.com/articles/online-counselling-pros-and-cons

Counselling. Journal of Mental Health Counselling.

Shaw, H.E., & Shaw, S.F. (2006). Critical Ethical Issues in Online Couselling: Assessing Current Practices with an Ethical Intent Checklist. Journal of Couselling and Development,

Trepal, H. Haberstroth, S. Duffey, T., & Evans, M. (2007).Considerations and Strategies for Teaching Online skills: Establishing Relationships in Cyberspace. Cousellor Education and Supervision,

The post Instant Messaging Counselling: what is it and the advantages and disadvantages appeared first on BrainHub Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing.

BrainHubCPW; how we can help with the current situation involving Covid-19 (self isolating advice from gov.uk). With ever increasing numbers of people having to go into self-isolation, either for their own protection from the virus, or, because they are displaying symptoms this can be a highly anxious, lonely and depressive period. This can have a massive impact on our mental and emotional health. We all will suffer from loneliness at some stage of our life, be it a brief pang or more painful long term sensation. According to research once loneliness becomes onset and longer term it becomes difficult to treat, as people can get stuck in a circle of negative behaviour.

At this stage of the current situation we are hopefully looking at shorter term isolation for most, but if this time increases what can you do to try to ensure your mental and emotional health stay as healthy as possible?

• Keeping line of communication open
• Talk to people whether friends, family
• Use a befriending service which offers online or telephone support. A number of services in Cornwall can be found on the Care and Support in Cornwall website
• Or a number of online communities like Elefriends
• Ensuring that we get enough sleep
• Eating a healthy diet
• Avoiding drugs and alcohol

can all help ensure that we put ourselves in the best place to cope with this difficult period. Use of mindfulness techniques can also be used to help improve our own mental health. There are many free resources for these online including guided meditation on youtube. The following links provide a couple of options but it is worth finding the ones that work for you;

A short guided meditation for loneliness

A longer guided meditation for loneliness:

Mindfulness tasks for working with anxiety

Be Kind….

It is also imperative that those who are not lonely or in isolation take on some responsibility for ensuring that our friends, relatives and vulnerable members of society are ok. Taking time to ring someone, ask if they need anything from the shops and delivering these to them. Remember that if you are showing any symptoms you should also be in isolation and definitely have no contact with those that are vulnerable. Talking therapies like those we offer here at BrainHub CPW can also offer a way to understand your feelings and make the changes needed to break the fore mentioned circle that results in chronic loneliness, anxiety and depression.

How can we help?

Here at BrainHub CPW, we are taking every precaution we can to prevent ourselves and those around us from contracting Covid-19, but are also here to support those that feel they need it. We offer a home visit service which will continue to run for any households not showing symptoms of the virus as long as your counsellor is symptomatic free too. We also offer phone or online services. These can be accessed by those struggling with their mental and emotional health whilst isolated that are showing symptoms of the virus. Please get in touch on admin@brainhubcpw.com or phone Phil on 07379116533, or, Harriet on 07928781807 or via our website; www.brainhubcpw.com (where our fees are fully displayed)  or our social media pages for more information on the services we offer or for advice on self-help. Finally, we like to pass on our best wishes to all those that are struggling at this difficult time with either physical, mental or emotional health. Please everyone take care and be kind to yourselves and those around you.

References:

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/the_lonely_society_report.pdf

Http://www.mind.org.uk

https://www.supportincornwall.org.uk

https://www.youtube.com

http://healthline.com

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

The post BrainHub CPW & COVID-19 How can we help? appeared first on BrainHub Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing.

Processing that grief and loss of someone so close is something I haven’t, fortunately had to experience as an adult before. I am also 250 miles away from my family and have been unable to make the trip for the funeral, which I have found particularly hard. Someone said to me a few weeks ago that, “we go to the bedside for the last few hours, or to a funeral, for ourselves not the person we have lost”. Today this really rang true for me. I haven’t been able to have that finality, that process of saying goodbye from a distance presents its own difficulties and challenges. There is the guilt of not being there to support other loved ones and a sense of helplessness which only adds to the impact of the grief and loss.

I realise that self-care is hugely important at times like this and this can be broken down in to 3 main areas.

Emotional Self Care – There is no “right or wrong” way to feel, you may feel numb or you may be completely overwhelmed with emotions. Make sure you stay patient with yourself. Finding activities that can help bring happiness can often be helpful, whether it is meeting with friends, taking the dog for a walk or playing a sport, having something to look forward too can make starting the day easier and help release endorphins which help to minimalize discomfort and promote happiness and general wellbeing.

Physical Self Care – Grief and loss can often result in stress which can result in poor sleep, changes in appetite and generally feeling aches and pains and tiredness. If you can set a sleep schedule it can help with improving overall energy levels and getting regular sleep, also a balanced diet, ensuring that you eat 3 meals a day, even when you don’t feel hungry will improve energy levels and can reduce stress. It is common to find that it can be difficult to focus or make decisions at these times, it is important to remember that just like your body, your brain can also need a break, be kind to yourself!

Social Self Care – Often when experiencing Grief and Loss people will become isolated and feel they have to cope by their selves. Processing grief and loss is difficult in itself but is much harder alone. Friends and family can offer emotional and physical support. Some may provide a shoulder to cry on, others might help with making life seem a happier, enjoyable place. It is important to be honest with yourself and those around you regarding your needs at this difficult time.

I am fortunate that I have an amazing social circle, including family and friends who have made this process easier for me and made me realize that where ever I am, I can say my goodbyes, I can mourn the loss of an amazing, supportive lady who I loved dearly, but I can also slowly start to move forward knowing that she would want me to be happy, successful and find joy in living my life, much like she did over the years.

However if you are working through your own grief and loss and need someone to listen, support and aid with moving through the process then please give us a call or email us today, Harriet has specialist training in working with bereavement and we are both here to support you moving forward.

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