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
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
….. and the timeliness of Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May 2020)
During this last week (which has been Mental Health Awareness Week) the theme, aptly, has been ‘Kindness’; the kindness experienced by many people over recent weeks – the kindness offered by others and to others - but also the need to be kind to ourselves. Self-compassion. It’s OK to feel sad, anxious or angry – these are normal human emotions, especially during times of crisis or difficulty. We can’t always be at the ‘top of our game’. Sometimes you need to give yourself the compassion you might normally reserve for others. To be kind to yourself; to give yourself a metaphorical (or even actual) hug! That can seem difficult, feeling perhaps as if we don’t deserve it. But how helpful is it to beat ourselves up for not coping; for not being ‘perfect’? (Tip: there is no such thing as ‘perfect’).
And now, as we begin to emerge from Covid-19 lock-down we may be discovering a whole new suite of emotions…….[Read more]
by Bill Sheate
‘Mindful learning’ – transforming life-long learning
I have recently written a blog post for the UK College of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy on the importance of a mindful learning approach to higher education, rather than a fixation on outcomes.
Mindful learning is a major focus for me in the resilience skills training I deliver to undergraduates and postgraduates (taught and research). Here is a short extract from that post, which you can read in full here:-
Pefectionism - the real challenge
“Exam performance and school league tables. They seem to be the key driver now for our primary and secondary education system – the need to deliver results. Unfortunately, this ill-prepares young people for a future of good mental health and well-being, let alone for university or life-long learning. Students effectively become ‘performers’ for the benefit of the school, often at the expense of their own personal mental health.
At university, students perpetuate a learning style ‘perfected’ at school for GCSEs and A Levels, cramming knowledge with the sole objective of excelling at exams. Which of course many do, very well (often at great cost to their own self-worth). But ………. ” [read more]
by Bill Sheate
Workshops now booking
Two complementary workshops are now booking: Self-Hypnosis (half-day) (15 September 2018) and Practical Mindfulness for Everyday Living (evening) (15 October 2018)……..
by Bill Sheate
Universities UK publish Minding Our Future report on student mental health
Universities UK - the umbrella group for universities - have just published (11 May 2018) a new report Minding Our Future: starting a conversation about the support of student mental health which sets out proposals for creating 'place-based' local partnerships among universities, local authorities, local NHS providers. and third sector services. This is a worthy ambition to create more joined-up mental health services for students at university and to try to prevent people slipping through the net………….
