emotions

Penni shares with us some useful strategies for coping with strong, negative emotions when they arise, and also suggestions for maintaining inner calm so that when difficult feelings do appear, they are less challenging to sit with and can be used appropriately in guiding us towards that which may need to be addressed.

Emotions

Emotions are a vital part of what makes us human; they are our guides and motivators and are essential in helping us navigate the world. They tell us what we do and don’t like and what we need. Sometimes, however, they can be powerful and overwhelming. Here are ten ways to cope with, and manage, intense feelings: [Read more…]

In this post, Penni Osborn, Counsellor and Therapist at Anglia Counselling (Newmarket), shares with us the Window of Tolerance; what it is, how stress can take us out of it and suggestions as to how we can get back within our own, unique ‘windows’ and thus restore calm and boost our ability to cope.

What is the Window of Tolerance?

The Window of Tolerance is a concept created by Dr Dan Siegel that can be described as the ‘optimal zone’ of nervous system arousal. When we are rational, emotionally balanced, flexible, responsive and able to successfully manage life’s day to day challenges without getting too ruffled, we can be said to be operating within our Window of Tolerance. [Read more…]

In this post, Penni takes a look at how healing from Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN) can begin by reconnecting to emotions with compassionate curiosity, uncovering the cause of those feelings and deciding thoughtfully how to act upon them.

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Suppressed emotions can have a significant impact on both the mind and the body. When we suppress our emotions, we are effectively bottling them up inside us, preventing them from being expressed in a healthy and natural way. This can lead to a range of negative consequences such as: [Read more…]

Do you know how to describe your emotions? Can you put words to the way you feel when you’re angry, sad, or happy? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Many people find it difficult to articulate their feelings. [Read more…]

With gratitude to our guest author, Pol Cousineau, from CPA (Quebec) and Soul Success Unleashed who discusses HSP.

Many individuals experience a range of emotions daily. Maybe you’ve asked yourself, Am I being too sensitive? Or how do I become less sensitive? 

It is human nature for some people to experience a high intensity of feelings regarding their situations or the experiences of others. But just like how tall a person is, there’s no right amount of sensitivity. Highly sensitive people are no worse off or better than any other individual, they just look at life from a different perspective. [Read more…]

At the time of writing, much of the planet is facing a ‘second-wave’ of COVID-19. The global economy is being challenged, the poor are getting poorer, the sick, sicker, and all our perceptions of thinking we have any level of ‘control’ are being fractured. But, is the outlook really all doom and gloom?

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As we take our first, hesitant steps towards a ‘new normal’, Penni Osborn shares with us a poem; the sentiment of which we feel resonates not just at this time, but for all time.

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A heartfelt piece from one of our in-house counsellors here at Anglia Counselling, Penni Osborn, as she approaches the next decade of her life!

Oh no, the ‘big five-oh’! As my fiftieth birthday looms, I’ve found renewed wonder in the beauty of the Suffolk countryside as it makes its annual transition from summer into autumn. With views of freshly ploughed earth against a background of brooding skies and the rich crimsons, coppers and golds of the trees, autumn brings with it the opportunity to consider the changing seasons and, for me, the changes I have seen in this world, those I’ve witnessed in the lives of others, and those that I’ve personally experienced over the last five decades.

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In part three from her series introducing us to maternal mental health, Anne Marie McKinley (who is a Midwife and Birth Trauma Specialist) guides us through ‘happiness’ – some of the research done, how it affects our lives and how it can shape our future generations.

Happiness has been studied in many ways. One study which looked at the biological factors that influence happiness and health and concluded that both biological and health factors underlie happiness. Genetics play a role too, and have a clear and significant effect on happiness (Dfarhud et al., 2014). ¹ Another study demonstrates that about 33% of the variation in human life satisfaction is explained by genetics (De Neve etal., 2012/2013). ² [Read more…]