Or so Ken Dodd would have us believe, but how much time do we take to really acknowledge and celebrate this wonderful gift? And what do we mean by ‘happiness’ anyway?
Look into any newspaper or watch the television news and you might think that there is nothing to be happy about. It seems as though each day brings with it some new piece of research telling us how miserable we are. Headliness such as “Stressed-out adults spend 36 minutes a day in despair” (Daily Mail, 1st June 2011) and “Six in ten of us have faced mental issues such as stress or depression” (Metro, 7th March 2010) leap out at us as we eat our breakfasts, suggesting that happiness is far from the ‘norm’.
On Monday 6th June 2011 Radio 4's You and Yours Programme highlighted the intention of the Ministry of Defence to support its military personnnel suffering from PTSD ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). They are agreeing a three year contract to fund clinicians to provide EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing ) a form of psychotherapy recommended by NICE the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as a suitable treatment for psychological trauma.
The Radio 4 programme interviewed people who had been treated with EMDR, one of whom was the mother of a murder victim who had been unable to move past the horrific details of her daughter's death to rebuild her life.
I studied Counselling under the University of Manchester for three years and since then have worked within NHS Adult Mental Health, Secondary & Sixth Form Education and Central Cheshire Alcohol Service. I currently work for the NHS within a GP Practice and also in Private Practice at The Hope Street Centre and I also provide onsite psychological support for a large company.
My route into Counselling and therapy grew from a keen interest in nursing which I have had from a young age, however, rather than become a nurse I wanted to help people more emotionally than physically, as I believe this is just as important and the two most certainly impact on each other.
People drink for many reasons, to be more sociable, to reduce stress, to cope with difficult feelings, or sometimes just out of habit. Some people are able to drink safely in moderation, while for others almost any alcohol can cause a problem.
Whatever your difficulty with alcohol, talking to a counsellor or psychotherapist with experience in the field can help. The following are some of the reasons people give for seeking help with their drinking:
What is counselling?
Counselling (or counseling) is a term which has become very familiar through the media, usually mentioned in the aftermath of disasters ("…the survivors have been offered counselling…"). Although it has been portrayed as a panacea for all emotional distress, the reality is somewhat different.
Brightstone Clinic is a new community based service – aimed at making counselling more affordable and accessible. In February, the Clinic opened its doors for the first time.
Maurice explains how Brightstone Clinic came about: “Jessica and I have decades of experience in this field and are aware of how therapeutic services have changed. It can be quite difficult for the general public to access anything other than very brief interventions. The choice of therapies is also becoming restricted. We knew there was a need out there that was not being met for good quality counselling tailored to people’s needs and we were also being approached by counsellors in training looking for a safe place to practice under the supervision of qualified and experienced therapists. So we set up Brightstone Clinic as part of our not for profit Community Interest Company.”
Brightstone Clinic is a new community based service – aimed at making counselling more affordable and accessible. In February, the Clinic will open its doors for the first time.
The launch of the Clinic will take place on 18th February 2012. Both founding Directors Jessica Woolliscroft and Maurice Tomkinson will be attending with their team to answer questions and talk more about the Clinic’s aims and objectives.
Maurice explains how Brightstone Clinic came about: “Jessica and I have decades of experience in this field and are aware of how therapeutic services have changed. It can be quite difficult for the general public to access anything other than very brief interventions. The choice of therapies is also becoming restricted.
For many individuals, the point at which they choose to begin counselling is also the point in their lives when their thinking is not as clear as it would normally be. This may be due to a trauma, crisis, depression, or any other factor that led them to make the decision to seek support.
However, it is at this point when taking a step back and considering the counselling options available to you could really tip the balance between a positive experience and one that is not so positive. Getting a referral from a friend, colleague or a healthcare professional is a route that many people take when choosing which counsellor or therapist to work with. Whilst this is a good place to start it does involve a degree of luck, as the type of counsellor your friend, colleague or GP found useful might not work for you.
You cannot touch it but it affects the way you feel.
.....You cannot see it but it's there when you look at yourself in the mirror.
..........You cannot hear it but it's there every time you talk about yourself.
...............What is this important and mysterious thing?
....................It's called your self-esteem.
I frequently get enquiries about children who are angry and displaying aggressive behaviour. The parent is at their wits end having tried everything in their power to stop the outbursts, the school is threatening to exclude the child and with this there are many fears and fantasies about the youngsters’ future.
Just as with adults it is important to teach the child that anger (the feeling) is a natural emotion telling us something is wrong but the aggression (behaviour) is not an OK way of expressing it.
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