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]
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
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]
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
Today - Thursday 10 October 2019 - 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
Imperial College Union - ‘Under Pressure’ campaign - Wednesday 20 March 2019
As part of ICU’s regular ‘Under Pressure’ campaign, I’m offering this free taster session ‘Anxiety, Stress, Worry?……’ for Imperial College London students that introduces some simple, practical techniques for understanding and dealing with stressful situations, anxiety and worry. Common for many students studying at Imperial (as elsewhere) are problems that arise in dealing with issues like perfectionism, and academic deadlines, workload and exams (at all levels - UG, PGT & PGR), as well as many other personal issues. …….
by Bill Sheate
Three little words…..
How often does our self-talk start with words like should, must or need?
I should be able to complete this.
I must do this perfectly (or else I'm useless, may be the unspoken underlying core belief).
I need to do all these tasks today.
These three simple words so often reflect unspoken (and unconscious) rules to live by that we have established over time, in response to our experiences and as coping strategies for dealing with difficult or stressful situations…….
by Bill Sheate
Why do we seek the unattainable?
The search for perfection can be found throughout everyday life: the desire to be a perfect student, parent, child, lover, athlete, cook; to have the perfect life, body, relationship, and so on. Advertisers use perfection to sell cosmetics, fashion, body image, affecting women's and men's sense of self-worth as they compare themselves to unattainable perfection. 'Comparisonitis' invariably co-exists with perfectionism as the perfectionist constantly compares themselves to others who seem to have it all………
by Bill Sheate
Ask a question - you know you want to!
Does even the idea of asking a question in class make you break out in a sweat? For some, anxiety over asking questions in class, even in small groups, let alone making a presentation in front of all your peers, triggers such a strong avoidance strategy that they can go through their entire time at university without ever asking a question, even though they often have questions they would dearly like answered…….
by Bill Sheate
Seeking help for anxiety early can make all the difference to your life at University - don’t leave it to get worse
As students begin a new life at University over the coming weeks (September/October 2018), or return to continue their courses of study, many will already have previous experience of mental health issues while some may develop them at University, often in response to the stresses and strains that come with university life (work, relationships, being away from family, finances etc). Typical problems include: ……..
