Kristy Attwooll & Associates Clinical Psychology Practice

Do you know that the way you narrate your life is incredibly powerful? Your inner voice affects how you interpret every experience and how you regard your self and all your relationships. Learning to tell your story in a way that is kind, compassionate, and fair helps you learn, grow, accept, heal and also cope in the most challenging moments. Psychologists listen to stories and encourage people to tell their story with compassion, respect and dignity.

Love this post by and love that she challenges her audience to reflect on “what would the title of their story be?” ❤️

We are dedicated to all of our clients.
Yet sometimes we neglect to update our socials (sorry 🙈)
We are still here.
We still care.
You Matter (more than you realise).
Your mental health and wellbeing is our priority.

It’s not a happy Mother’s Day for everyone. Holding those who really struggle today in mind ❤️
Wishing all kinds of incredible women much love today ❤️

Happy International Womens Day 🙌
10 facts from writer Hannah Rochelle that reminds us why it is so important to acknowledge this day…..
✨1. 28 girls a minute are being forced to marry against their will
✨2. 1 in 3 women will experience violence
✨3. It will take nearly 140 years to bridge the gender gap
✨4. In the United States, there are fewer women in leadership positions than there are men named John
✨5. The character of the Joker has won the same number of Oscars as the whole of womankind ever has for directing
✨6. 181 million girls and young women are not in education, employment or training
✨7. 72 countries don’t allow women to open a bank account
✨8. 1 in 10 women have self-harmed because of their body image
✨9. Women are taking on three times as much domestic work as men
✨10. Women face higher poverty rates than men - particularly if they are from a non-white background

Be Brave… Be Fierce… Stand up for women 💪 Honouring all the amazing women that have paved the way forward this far so that that more of our sisters can have a voice, greater equality and feel safe.

It’s very okay to take a break from news and social media. Avoidance can be healthy and isn’t always an unhelpful choice. Limiting news coverage is not the same as being ignorant. Sometimes absorbing trauma after trauma while trying to cope with your own internal struggles is just too much.
In the past few years we have struggled (or watched on as others struggle) with drought, bushfires, relentless covid and now the trauma of war and flooding.
Our social feeds are full of distressing images, which can exacerbate feelings of helplessness and despair.
Please remember -
1. To be kind to yourself.
2. Know that you can still hold compassion for those struggling but allow yourself to take breaks from feeling the weight of their pain.
3. It is 100% okay to take a break from traumatic images and news or limit how much coverage you watch, whenever you need to. This is self preservation.

Sending love, strength and compassion to those suffering today. Holding in mind the people of Ukraine and everyone suffering from the devastating floods in NSW and QLD 🙏❤️

So relatable - had to share.
How are you coping with pandemic fatigue? 😷
Take a moment to consider how you could better look after you… the past two years have been really tough ✨
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Some people work hard to hide their emotional pain. Today reminds us that is important to not assume a smiling face is really an okay face. Ask your friends, family and neighbours “R U Ok?”. It is important to talk and be supported, now more than ever.
Remember It’s okay if you are not okay. I know quite a few people that are really not okay right now but I believe in them and trust in their resilience. I am here to talk to them, or you, or anyone and to remind those that need to hear it that this will pass.

Happy Fathers day to all kinds of amazing Dads 💛and sending our compassion to all those who struggle on this day.
We know this day for some is a reminder of bereaved fathers who are loved and missed every single day. We know not everyone has healthy relationships with their fathers and they live with and accept the pain of such strained relationships. We know that many men are desperate to become fathers. We honour you all 💫

This current lockdown seems so much tougher than last year’s lockdown. So many Sydneysiders are feeling disheartened and really struggling 😞
Be kind to yourself. Remember this will pass in time, and if you feel unsafe please ask for help 🙏 💛

This amazing art work by really resonates! If you suffer from anxiety you might relate to how it can feel… all consuming some days. Take heart you can learn to cope better with anxiety and live more freely 🙏❤️✨

Its so important to talk about your mental health. Generally speaking women are much more open about their feelings and seeking help. Yet women and men alike can struggle. Maybe it’s time to start a conversation today about your mental wellness ❤️💪✨

Selfie between sessions 😂 Currently we are doing all treatment sessions by video or telephone. Just because we are in lockdown doesn’t mean there isn’t someone to talk to. So if you are struggling with your mental health and if we can be of any support please reach out. Stay safe Sydney 🙏

This has to be one of my all time favourite quotes and definitely one I like to bring up in session with my clients. However, this week I feel like it just keeps coming up and has a special kind of significance to what many of us are facing during this Sydney lockdown.
There is so much uncertainty about the future. We really don’t know what the next 24 hours might bring let alone the next week.
In times of uncertainty it is natural to feel afraid. This pandemic is contributing to a great deal of fear, helplessness and hopelessness. However even when we really don’t know what tomorrow brings making a commitment to engage in something you care about today, is vital!
You may not know if your seedling will ever blossom into a tree or even whether you’ll be there to tend it or admire it in the future. Yet the actual act of planting and pursuing what you care about is psychologically valuable. 🌱 ✨
So what might be your Apple tree? Is it a desire to strengthen a relationship, a creative pursuit, a new hobby, your health… or something else? In spite of lockdown conditions, and in a time of such uncertainty about what tomorrow brings, can you find (even in a small way) any opportunity to connect with something you value?

Anger and rageful behaviour is sadly so often misunderstood by others.
In treatment, however, we work with people to better appreciate what their anger is really a communication of….. we seek to be curious and to understand their anger.
People learn to articulate what is beneath the “anger iceberg” and work through their difficult emotions and traumatic experiences.
Love this 📸 from so much. Such a powerful representation!

🙏 Taking time to consider your needs and what is truly best for you is so important. Often in the daily rush we neglect doing what is most optimal for our mental health. We rarely stop still and notice our emotions. We don’t process our concerns and worries.
Many of us are overworked, overtired and so often neglecting our own self care.
I know lockdown is challenging, especially when we live alone or are separated from loved ones but maybe it’s a time we can dedicate to reflecting on what we really need for our wellbeing going forward.
Can we use this time to foster more healthy habits that we can continue when we come out of lockdown?
What might you want to focus more on?
See our list below for inspo:
✨Establish a regular exercise routine.
✨Prioritise more sleep.
✨Stop still everyday and just notice what you feel. Ask yourself what is my body communicating to me.
✨ Cultivate a daily practice of mindfulness meditation.
✨Be more open with loved ones. Tell them how much you value them.
✨Start a gratitude diary.
✨Discover the love of reading.
✨Exploring your creative side by starting to draw, write, paint, sculpt, sew, build.
✨ Consider what (or who) does not serve you well and make a plan to change circumstances going forward.
✨ Role play how to set boundaries and learn to say no.
✨ Practice how you could ask for help.
✨ Phone a friend everyday.
✨ Plant something and watch it grow.
✨ Cry when you need to.
✨ Watch something that makes you laugh.
✨ Write a mantra that reminds you that you are worthy, valuable and loveable.
✨ Identify what your true core values are and make a pact with yourself to pursue these values.

What are the signs of healing and self growth for you?
I love this post so much from as each point deeply resonates:
1. Responding rather than reacting.
2. Able to be alone. To sit with with one’s thoughts and emotions without avoiding and distracting.
3. Compassion and understanding of our parents and their limitations. After all, every one of us are flawed.
4. Able to set healthy boundaries, even if this dissapoints others.
5. The capacity to tolerate being misunderstood

We have been so busy of late we haven’t posted anything here...... sorry for being distant! Right now we just want to remind all our valued clients and Sydneysiders that you are strong and resilient 💪
We know lockdown can be so tough for many and everyone is forced to make sacrifices at a time like this, but we are in this together! We can (and will) keep each other and our community safe. So proud of each and everyone of you 👏
If anyone in the community is struggling with their mental health remember to reach out. Telehealth sessions are available. Stay safe everyone.

For some Mothers Day is incredibly painful. Today we celebrate and honour all kinds of incredible women ❤️❤️❤️

.... then let them go ✨

Great news - Medicare rebate for Telehealth sessions will be extended to 31st December 2021! 👏👏🙌🙌

Lest we forget ❤️
Thinking of those loved and lost, the many brave women and men who have served their country, and for those who live now with war injuries both seen and unseen ❤️❤️❤️
🌹

Happy Easter - stay safe everyone 🐣🐰💛

“I just hugged him and didn't say anything. There wasn't anything to say. Sometimes there just aren't enough words to fill the cracks in your heart.”— Robin Benway. ❤️
In the past 12 months people have endured the trauma of bushfires, covid-19 and now flooding!!!Sometimes there is no words. Holding those in mind right now who are fearful for their homes and lives. Stay safe and thank you to the amazing Australian men and women in emergency services out there helping those in distress 🙏
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🦋 Whether it’s your mind that has been imprisoning you (as minds often do) or you’ve withdrawn to escape life pressures and stress .... maybe it’s time to take flight butterfly!
We all need to rest and recharge before we spread our wings!
Happy Friday! Be inspired 🦋✨🙌

If your someone who hasn’t always had the best role models of healthy relationships then friendships can be so hard to navigate.
✨What is healthy behaviour in a relationship? ✨What is unacceptable? ✨Who is a safe and supportive person to build an attachment to?
As you develop your sense of self and improve your perception of your self worth you will become more aware of who is healthy for you and who isn’t and what boundaries you need to put in place to protect yourself.
✨Just in the way like attracts like, in time the healthier you are the more people who can do healthy relationships will seek you out.... you’ll find your sunflowers 🌻
Love these beautiful words by Charlotte Freeman so psychologically aware and equally poetic... beautiful ✨👌
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Life is too short to overstay in situations and relationships that no longer serve you or are destructive to your mental health. Too many people struggle to walk away from toxic situations. While I always encourage open, honest communication about concerns and efforts to improve situations. Sometimes people won’t be able to see their actions or hear your concerns. Sometimes people are invested in not seeing certain situations as they really are and their psychological defence is to deny, minimise, avoid and project blame. You deserve happiness 💛

Generational trauma.... It may be hard work but you can overcome your familial trauma, you can be different, you can break the cycle.... you owe it to yourself and your future generation 💛
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Happy International Women’s Day 💪💛✨🙌