by Bill Sheate
Blog 2/2 A practical approach to treatment
In the first of these two extended blogs (Eco-anxiety: what’s in a name?), I noted the way we define emotional responses to environmental change makes a difference to how we might view ourselves and our approach to treatment. Perhaps in contrast to some other therapists, I approach eco-distress as a manifestation of anxiety, anger, sadness etc in a particular context, rather than as something that is exceptional, unusual etc. Some might even say treatment is not appropriate given anxiety and anger are quite rational responses to the climate emergency. While that may be true, it is problematic, and therefore worthy of ‘treatment,’ when the emotional responses lead to such distress that life loses its meaning, that there is no joy in life any more, and that everything that once seemed important has faded from perception…… [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Blog 1/2
In this first of two blogs, I’m looking at the words we use to describe emotional responses to environmental and climate change, and why it might matter what we call it. In the follow-up blog I’ll look at my own approach to treating eco-anxiety.
Eco-anxiety or Eco-distress?
There is now ample evidence for the prevalence of eco-anxiety (often among young people in particular), with vigorous debate among academics as to our understanding of the relationship between observed emotional, behavioural and cognitive responses to the impacts of climate and environmental change more generally. Discussion ensues over terminology, categorisation and taxonomy of the psychology associated with climate change and what seems often to be a significant focus on ‘grief’……. [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Online 90-minute workshop 16 August 2023, 6.00-7.30pm
This introductory workshop provides an opportunity to share experience and begin to develop a deeper understanding about what eco-anxiety is, and how you can better manage and re-frame your approach to it. It acts as a standalone workshop but also offers the precursor preparation to subsequent individual one-to-one or small group therapy for eco-anxiety if desired.
Programme:
by Bill Sheate
It’s Mental Health Awareness week (15-21 May 2023) and the spotlight is on ‘anxiety’.
How can CBH help you with anxiety whatever walk of life you are in?
CBH draws on tried and trusted evidence-based techniques for managing stress and anxiety, for changing your approach to stressful situations and building greater psychological flexibility for long-term resilience. Below I’ve provided the links to just a few of my popular blog post topics, the things that often initiate people seeking out therapy or support. If something resonates for you don’t hesitate to get in touch to arrange an assessment and conceptualisation session - no obligation to further sessions. But it might just help you to understand better what is going on and why. Clients often find that first session can be so helpful and therapeutic in its own right…… [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Career change - stressful or exciting?
There can be many reasons to make a career change or change your job. Stress and work/life balance may be a strong motivating force. Sometimes, however much you try to manage the stress and anxiety, changing the principle stressor in your life - your job - may be the only real option. That can seem even more scary than the stresses your current job is putting you under. But it need not be. Maybe the stress is exactly the impetus you needed to step back and look anew at what’s really important to you and where your job fits into your wider personal values…….[Read more]
Today - Monday 10 October 2022 - is World Mental Health Day.
Periodically, I post on my blog short articles on key aspects of stress and anxiety, and mental health and well-being, especially related to higher education. Below are just a few of the resources on this blog - clustered in one place so they’re easier to find - that you might find helpful: [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
But surely its HOT - there's a heatwave emergency?
The problem with the language of heatwaves is that it can cause more anxiety than necessary, when the actual purpose of heatwave planning and heat-health alerts is to encourage people to take preventive action, provide advice and mobilise support, especially for the most vulnerable, for whom prolonged high temperatures can be dangerous. But the language and the reporting invariably frames such weather in a highly negative way that creates unhelpful levels of anxiety among many, let alone those who may already experience eco-anxiety.
‘It's hot’ is a judgement……..[Read more]
by Bill Sheate
The ‘stickiness’ of labels…..
When we’re looking at anxiety or low mood, low self-worth or depression there is a wide range of so-called ‘disorders’ that can be found when searching the internet to try to self-diagnose, as many people will do. DSM 5 - the American Psychological Association (APA) diagnostic reference manual - lists a very long list of disorders and this list has grown with each update to the DSM over the decades, as more issues become classified or re-classified.
For some, getting a diagnosis of a specific disorder is key for opening up treatment and resolution, for example it may confirm something they have long wondered about. But for others, labelling something as a disorder can be a barrier to resolution……… [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Online 90-minute workshop 13 December 2022 6.00-7.30pm
This introductory workshop provides an opportunity to share experience and begin to develop a deeper understanding about what eco-anxiety is, and how you can better manage and re-frame your approach to it. It acts as a standalone workshop but also offers the precursor preparation to subsequent small group therapy for eco-anxiety if desired.
Programme:
by Bill Sheate
The peculiarities of doing a PhD
Back in June 2021 I posted a blog on Rising to the mental health challenges of doing a PhD and how the peculiar circumstances of being a PhD student can affect how you respond to stressful situations. In December 2021 a new report (Hazell et al, 2021 [1]) was published that highlighted once again the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among PhD students in the UK, in line with recent studies in the US, Europe and internationally (e.g. Levecque et al, 2017; Satinsky et al, 2021).
So what's going on? Does it really mean that doing a PhD is bad for your mental health?……. [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Here we go again…..
My last blog post on Covid-19 (Coronavirus 6: keeping a sense of perspective…) was over a year ago (8 December 2020). I had thought at the time that might be the last, but with recent guidance and ‘Plan B’ introduced in the run up to Christmas 2021 then some further reflections may be worthwhile….. [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
Why a PhD is different….
As a therapist specialising in stress and anxiety in higher education I get to work with lots of PhD and other postgraduate research students who at times find life tough to navigate. I also run a range of resilience skills training workshops to help build greater self-efficacy among such students.
Doing a PhD is a bit of a weird lifestyle; you get to research something you're interested in for typically 3 to 4 years, writing it up as a thesis to then be awarded the title 'Doctor'. During that time you usually have a degree of freedom to manage your own time and develop personal ownership of your research project, even if it is part of a bigger research programme. But there are several things that can predispose a PhD student to experience difficulties along the way, or find it difficult to respond to these difficulties with sufficient psychological flexibility. Here are just some of those most important key factors…… [Read more]
by Bill Sheate
…...because it is what it is.
Anxiety is typically future focused - a fear that something bad is going to happen and I won't be able to cope. And so we worry - as a coping strategy, believing (unconsciously) that all that over-thinking will somehow solve our anxiety, find the answer - except that it won't. It prolongs the thinking to try to avoid anxiety, but the struggle means we engage ever more in thinking about the very thing we are anxious about and so maintain the cycle…….[Read more]
