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Cultivate & Motivate
Life Learnings, motivations & tips to reference during difficult times, stressful workdays and moments when manifesting your most authentic self.

Guilt After Euthanasia: Processing the Weight of “Did I Do the Right Thing?”
The question “Did I do the right thing?” is rarely answered with a neat yes or no. More often, the truth sits in the complexity: you made the best choice you could, with the love and knowledge you had at the time.
Your guilt is not evidence of failure—it’s evidence of love. With time, compassion, and support, that love can become a source of comfort rather than pain.

Sleep, Shame, and Spirals: Understanding the Night-Time Weight of Depression
Depression is heavy – and shame convinces us we have to carry it alone. Reaching out, however, can begin to break the cycle. Speaking with a counsellor gives space to unpack the guilt, shame, and spirals that feel overwhelming at night.

Why Saying “I’m Fine” Is Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode
Saying “I’m fine” may feel easier in the moment, but every time you silence your truth, you reinforce the walls around your pain. By allowing yourself small acts of honesty, you take steps out of survival mode and into a life that feels fuller, more connected, and genuinely yours.

High-Functioning Anxiety and the Myth of ‘Having It All Together’
High-functioning anxiety thrives in silence. The myth of “having it all together” might keep you looking fine on the outside, but it doesn’t bring peace within. Recognising the gap between the mask and the reality is the first step toward change.

How to Rebuild Your Intuition After Narcissistic Manipulation
When you’ve been in a relationship with a narcissist—whether romantic, familial, or professional—one of the deepest wounds left behind isn’t always visible. It’s not just the arguments, the gaslighting, or the erosion of confidence. It’s the subtle but profound disconnection from your own inner voice—your intuition.

When Grief Is Dismissed: Why Losing a Pet Hurts More Than People Expect
Sometimes, the loss of a pet can awaken other unprocessed grief - such as the death of a loved one or a major life change. If your emotions feel “bigger” than the situation seems to warrant, there may be more beneath the surface. That’s okay. Our minds don’t compartmentalise grief the way we want them to.

The Mental Load of Masking Depression: Smiling, Coping, Surviving
If you’ve been performing okay-ness for so long you’re not even sure how you really feel, you’re not alone. Masking depression is often a learned survival strategy. It makes sense. But survival mode isn’t meant to be permanent.

The Cost of Constant Productivity: Why ‘Doing’ Isn’t Always Coping
Doing can be comforting. It gives you something to focus on, to control. But it’s not the same as healing, and it’s certainly not the only measure of your worth.

The Anxiety of 'What Ifs' - When Your Brain Won’t Stop Forecasting Doom
Anxiety doesn’t need to run the show. If your thoughts feel overwhelming or you’re struggling to function in daily life, professional support can help. At The Counselher, our therapists are experienced in helping people untangle anxious thought patterns and build a life based on clarity, not fear.

Why Narcissistic Abuse Doesn't Always Look Like Abuse
Narcissistic abuse might not leave bruises, but it leaves deep psychological scars. Just because it doesn’t look like the abuse we’re taught to recognise doesn’t mean it’s any less real or damaging.
You deserve clarity. You deserve to be heard. And most of all, you deserve healing.

The Power of Saying No: How Boundaries Can Reduce Stress
Every time you say no to something that drains you, you say yes to your mental health. Your time, energy, and emotional wellbeing are finite. You don’t owe them to everyone who asks.
Boundaries aren’t selfish - they’re essential. They are the foundation of healthy relationships, sustainable ambition, and a calmer nervous system.

Why High Achievers Struggle with Imposter Syndrome (And How to Break the Cycle)
The next time that voice creeps in - the one that says you don’t belong - pause and consider this: imposters don’t feel imposter syndrome. Only capable, self-aware, intelligent people do.

Why Grieving a Divorce is Normal (Even if You Initiated It)
Maybe you stayed too long. Maybe you left too soon. Maybe you’ll never know. What matters is: you’re here now. You made a decision that prioritised your long-term wellbeing, even if it broke your heart.

Caring for a Loved One with Dementia: Managing the Emotional Toll
It's easy to forget that while your loved one is going through something difficult, so are you. You might be holding it all together on the outside - but internally, you’re carrying a massive emotional weight.
You don’t have to carry it alone.

The Science Behind Anger: What Happens in Your Brain and Body
Anger can feel like it comes out of nowhere - heart pounding, fists clenched, breath shallow. But behind this powerful emotion lies a complex series of neurological and physiological processes designed to protect us.

Stress vs. Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference and Manage Both
Stress and anxiety are not personal failures. They are signs that something in your life, body or mind needs care and attention.
You don’t have to grit your teeth through it or pretend everything’s fine. You can choose a different way—one that centres calm, clarity, and connection.

Overcoming the Fear of Being ‘Exposed’ as a Fraud
You don’t have to “fix” yourself to be worthy. You don’t need another qualification, more experience, or a gold star to belong.
You are allowed to take up space, make bold choices, and be seen - not in spite of your doubts, but alongside them.

How to Navigate Co-Parenting Challenges Without Conflict
You don’t have to like your co-parent. But you do need to find a way to work together for the sake of your child—and for your own peace of mind.
It’s not about winning. It’s about raising your child with as much emotional safety and consistency as possible.

The Emotional Cost of Caregiving: When Guilt and Resentment Collide
You can love someone and still feel like it’s too much. You can be proud of your caregiving and still grieve what it’s taken from you. You can be compassionate and still need space.
Your emotional health matters too.
If you’re ready to talk, we’re here to help. You don’t have to carry this alone.

From Explosive to Expressive - How to Communicate Anger Constructively
Communicating anger constructively is not about bottling it up or pretending you’re okay when you’re not. It’s about honouring your emotions and advocating for your needs in a way that supports connection, rather than conflict.
When expressed with clarity and compassion, anger becomes a tool for setting boundaries, deepening relationships and standing up for what matters most to you.

Start your journey
Be brave. Talking is one of the oldest therapeutic methods on the planet, sometimes all we need is another person who listens and gets who we are.