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Disability pride, in the tradition of the movement that produced the social model and the Disability Discrimination Act, is the refusal of shame. It is the claim that there is nothing wrong with being disabled, and that the difficulties disabled people face are not personal failings but the predictable result of a world that was not designed to include them.

Extreme heat has a way of stripping life back to essentials. Writing from the middle of a heatwave in France, I reflect on what happens when the body removes the option to push through. From rest and performance to sensory overload, capacity, and the inner critic, this is a personal and professional reflection on what being in the red zone can teach us about our limits.

If you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, you will know that not every space that calls itself welcoming actually feels that way. There is a difference between being tolerated and being genuinely accepted. Between a space that will not be hostile to you, and one where all of who you are is simply taken as given. That is what this post is about: what it means to find support where your identity is not a problem to be managed.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 focuses on Action, but meaningful action is not always loud or visible. Sometimes it looks like rest, reaching out, setting boundaries, asking for help, or allowing yourself to slow down. This article explores mental health, grief, neurodivergence, connection, and the small actions that can create a little more capacity and support wellbeing, even when life feels heavy.

Death is the one experience that will reach every single one of us. We will all lose people we love. Most of us will face our own mortality. And yet, as a culture, we have become skilled at talking around it rather than about it. This week is Dying Matters Awareness Week, run by Hospice UK, with the theme ‘Let’s Talk About Death and Dying.’ For many people, conversations about death are among the hardest to start. Feelings get bottled up, needs go unspoken, and the conversati

You know that feeling when everyone else seems to have received an instruction manual for life that somehow never made it to you? When you’re constantly translating between how you naturally think and how the world expects you to be? Maybe you’ve always noticed patterns others miss, struggled with certain social situations, or felt overwhelmed by sensory experiences that others seem to shrug off. Perhaps you’ve even wondered whether you simply aren’t trying hard enough. For m

Online counselling offers a flexible and accessible way to access emotional support from the comfort of your own space. Using video or telephone sessions, it provides a confidential environment to explore your thoughts and feelings. This blog explores how online counselling works, its benefits, and what to consider when deciding if it’s right for you.

There's a question that seems to surface time and again for many neurodivergent people, though it's rarely asked directly at first: "Who am I when I'm not masking?" It can emerge gradually. Feeling drained after social situations, constantly checking and rechecking what they've said, a persistent sense that everyone else received a manual for being human and their copy must be lost in the post. Underneath it all, there's the feeling of being a stranger to yourself. This is wh

If you’ve watched Netflix’s Wednesday, you’ll know it’s not your average teen drama. Wednesday Addams walks through life with sharp wit, creativity, and a strong sense of self. She doesn’t hide who she is. For many neurodivergent viewers, Wednesday’s refusal to mask or conform really stands out. In real life though, masking - the suppression of natural neurodivergent traits in order to be accepted in a neurotypical world - is something many rely on to navigate environments t

Perhaps the most important lesson I've learned is that independence isn't about doing everything without assistance. It's about having autonomy to make choices about your life. My mobility aids don't represent dependence; they represent freedom. They allow me to move through the world on my terms and live fully. When I use my walking stick, my crutches, or my wheelchair, I'm not giving up or admitting defeat. I'm being strategic about managing my pain, being kind to my futur

If you've recently experienced a loss, you might be wondering if what you're feeling is "normal." Maybe you're angry when you think you should be sad. Maybe you feel nothing at all when everyone expects you to be crying. Or maybe you're exhausted in a way that sleep doesn't fix, and you can't understand why choosing what to have for breakfast feels impossible. Here's what I want you to know: grief is messier, more complicated, and more individual than most people realize.

You might be curious about counselling but unsure what it really involves. You might be wondering how therapy works, whether you'd be expected to bare your soul to a stranger, or even if your worries are "big enough" to justify seeking support. Counselling can be many things; a space to reflect, a place to process something painful, a chance to feel more connected to yourself.

In the therapy room when talking about self-care with a client I often use the example of the oxygen masks on an airplane. If you’re on a flight and the oxygen masks drop down, we’re told to put on our own first before assisting anyone else. If you were to try to help others first it's likely you'll quickly lose consciousness, and then not only will you be unable to help anyone but you’ll be the one needing assistance. The same goes for self-care...