Author: Bob Brotchie

We are pleased to be sharing the first part in a series by Anne Marie McKinley on the theme of maternal mental health. Anne Marie is a Midwife and Birth Trauma Specialist who, over the coming weeks, will be introducing us to maternal mental health and its related aspects.

For every year of births, the estimate long-term cost to society of Perinatal Mental Health in the UK is 8.1 billion pounds (Bauer, 2014). ¹ This estimate is based on the costs of mental health care of women through pregnancy and beyond, and it follows the trajectory of the cost of health-related ‘quality of life losses’ over the lifetime of mothers and their children’.

NHS England defines perinatal mental health problems as occurring during pregnancy and in the first year following the birth of a child. This NHS definition embraces a wide range of mental health conditions and it is estimated that 1:5 women will be affected.

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Traditional school subjects like English, maths, science and the arts are an important part of a child’s upbringing. But as the Mental Health Foundation Scotland (MHFS) points out, so too is a child’s mental health. The national charity is calling on schools all across the UK to give mental health the attention it deserves. The charity, in fact, believes it should be a key part of the curriculum, on par with literacy and maths – something I strongly agree with. [Read more…]

As another year ends, we can be grateful.

Some, however, will not be feeling a desire to express gratitude as 2018 was yet another year of psychological pain and turbulence. They wonder if these symptoms will ever leave – and peace and non-suffering will ever come to them.

We know there will always be suffering but to what extent, is in our own hands. The world may often be chaotic, but we can remain separate from that chaos if we elect to skilfully and mindfully observe more, and judge less.

We are continuing with the theme of music and adding a little mindfulness meditation with our guest, Marquis, highlighting the benefits of combining music with meditation.

Meditation is a way of expression that increasingly finds its place in scientific research. The practice has numerous benefits and one of these benefits is to release the mind and body from negative emotions. It can help us to be more resilient when it comes to depression or anxiety, it can help slow down the ageing process and contribute to our overall happiness. Similarly, music is something that can bring a reassuring and relaxing feeling as when we listen to music we begin to feel pleasant changes in our body! [Read more…]

When I think of the changes I’ve gone through since childhood, it really does show how malleable the mind is to patterns of ways of thinking, behaviours and being. I think we can connect neural pathways to create more or less positive/negative thinking and bias. Kristin Savage covers this topical subject and provides some excellent tips on how we can deal with negative thinking. She has had a most colourful career in writing for Pick Writers as she majored in Germanic Languages, speaks German and Dutch fluently and is now studying Spanish and planning to obtain her PhD in Applied Linguistics since she is interested in how to use language processes in everyday life.

Do you frequently catch yourself thinking negative thoughts? Do you tend to see everything in the worst possible light? Do you beat yourself up over your mistakes? No one can think positively all the time, but to lead a more contented life, it’s important for us to break any negative thinking patterns we may have. [Read more…]

As I grow older, I’m much more aware of the importance of keeping a healthy and active mind. Over the last few years, in a professional capacity, I also see the concerns of my clients as they are much more aware also. It seems we all want to know how we can reduce our chances of contracting dementia and keeping active mentally, not just physically. So, this overview from our guest Holly, of how meditation can help us, is thought provoking not only for seniors but also for those of us approaching our senior years to appreciate how living mindfully and meditating can help us build a foundation now.

Transitioning from working full time to retirement, and living in a senior home, comes with a lot of challenges, and many seniors find it very overwhelming and stressful. However, meditation is a wonderful tool that can be used to reduce some of this stress and make life easier and more comfortable. I’m going to touch on how meditating for a few minutes each day is often enough to help keep us centred and how it can help us approach our day with more focus and confidence. [Read more…]

Music is a universal language and medium that is evocative, expressive, creative and therapeutic. Who couldn’t use a little music? We welcome back Will, who shares a brief overview about music therapy which is based upon his excellent 7-parter written for My Audio Sound.

Music is a universal language which means we can communicate using it regardless of the country we come from or our native tongue. Music uses emotion to connect with us, and that is why so many people have such a deep connection with it. This is one reason why music therapy is such an interesting and successful form of counselling. But, what exactly is it and how is it able to help us?

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Dealing with an addiction or addictive behaviours are some of the most difficult to process, accept and work through. Our guest, Kevin Repass is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic and has written many articles to help others. Here, he briefly shares his journey through treatment and recovery in the hopes to encourage others who are experiencing a struggle with drugs and/or alcohol to seek support.

From the age of 14 until 30, I struggled with drinking and drug use – for half my life basically! A lot of people tried to tell me I had a problem, but I always failed to listen and regardless of the consequences, I didn’t care. Ultimately, it was an idling and failed three-year relationship, a battle with severe depression, suicidal thoughts, my family watching me drink myself to death, an overdose of pills and a trip to the emergency room that led me to agreeing to go into a detox and treatment centre. My drinking and drug use had already ruined half my life and it almost ended me for good. [Read more…]

From the time spent with Arthur, our rescue Lurcher, I know only too well the joy and benefits that owning a dog can have. Our guest, Will, here shares some of the benefits having a four-legged friend can have with regard to our mental health which is based upon his excellent 12-part article written for Dog Owner.

Mental health issues can affect anyone – it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do for a living. It can be hard to talk about our mental health with those closest to us, and the fear of being judged or labelled as something we are not (lazy, entitled, high strung) is often enough to deter us from fully sharing the way we feel. However, many of us have our dogs, or the option to visit one.

They offer the love, a listening ear when we need it and can benefit a myriad of mental health issues.

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A lovely piece from Charlotte Underwood who needs little introduction. As a mental health advocate, raising awareness about suicide and mental health issues, Charlotte shares her thoughts on the importance of talking.

As a sufferer of mental illness for as long as I can remember, I’ve built up quite the onion of layers. I spent so many years not feeling able to talk about my feelings and perhaps not understanding what mental health was. So, what came as symptoms of distress as a child, turned into an adulthood with much more complicated and worsened mental health. [Read more…]