WellScope Counselling

Sometimes people tell us
“you’ve changed”.
And I believe the best response to that is
“I hope so.”

Because we are supposed to learn and experience things in life, and they
are supposed to help us grow. And growing means changing.
No-one tells a tree ‘you’ve changed’
when its leaves start turning orange or its blossoms start to grow.
They take photographs of it.
They write poetry about it.
They paint pictures of it.
They celebrate its growth, and they document its changes.
Yes, when a tree changes, people do not question it.
They see its beauty
and they turn it into art.
*****
Resource: Becky Hemsley 2023
Stunning artwork by Amanda Clark

Your life is like a quilt
And everybody weaves their share
Some weave huge great tapestries
And some weave tiny squares
Some squares bring you laughter
And some will bring you tears
Some are stitched and sewn by those
Who are no longer here
In places there are threads
From people choosing not to stay
And every time you touch these threads
It brings back all the pain
But every little thread
That weaves its joy and pain and fun
Has stitched a quilt together
Of the person you’ve become
And every little tiny part
Has slowly taught you how
To weave your contribution
Into the blanket you have now
So I know there are squares that comfort you
And some that you dislike
But without them all you wouldn’t have
This patchwork of your life
*******
Resource:Becky Hemsley 2020
Artwork by Alexander Babiy

Screen Time and Teen Mental Health : Insights & Tips for Parents

Screen Time and Teen Mental Health: Insights & Tips for Parents Join Kate Maston, Senior Program Manager at the Black Dog Institute, as she delves into the impact of screen use on adolescent well-being. Discover key findi...

Resource: Dolly's Dream

Resource: ReachOut Australia

Resource: Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle

Resource: Charlie Mackesy

Resource: Dr. Caroline Leaf

It takes as long as it takes. Be gentle on yourself - Kelly Roberts

Just for fun.

Not every perceived challenge we meet in life
is an obstacle we must overcome.
You see, when we hit a stumbling block
or a bump in the road or a brick wall,
we are usually already
tired, exhausted and overwhelmed.
So maybe the stumbling block is not actually there to trip us up. Maybe it’s there to cushion our fall. To give us somewhere to sit when we need to catch our breath for a while.
And perhaps the bumps in the road are there to remind us to slow down. When we have been charging ahead too quickly and driving ourselves into the ground.
And maybe that brick wall isn’t meant to be scaled.
Maybe it’s simply there for us to lean against. To help us rest and regain our strength. And maybe when we’re rested, we’ll realise we can go round the wall or take it apart brick by brick.
Yes, not every obstacle we meet in life is there to test us and teach us a lesson.
Sometimes,
even when it doesn’t feel like it,
some things in life
are simply there to help.
*****
Resource: Becky Hemsley 2023
Artwork by Edward B. Gordon

Self-advocacy: helping children speak up for themselves Self-advocacy is speaking up for yourself. Children can develop self-advocacy skills from early on. Role-play, practice, role-modelling and talking can help.

Resource: Gary Chapman

How you make others feel about themselves says a lot about you - Mimi Novic

Ageing is not an affliction
It's not a disease we should cure
It isn't a foe or an enemy,
A battle we have to endure
It's not something we have to fight against
Despite what we might have been told
It's a gift that's denied to so many
Who would love to be here growing old
*****
Resource: Becky Hemsley 2022
Artwork by Jonas Peterson

When you make a request of your spouse, you are affirming his or her worth and abilities - Gary Chapman

Little reminders for your week.
Resource - Art of Brilliance

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness - Desmond Tutu

Thank you Charlie Mackesy

Self-confidence is not about believing you can do everything perfectly, but about trusting in your ability to navigate challenges and grow from them - Henry Cloud

Man's search for ultimate meaning by Viktor E. Frankle

Neurodiversity and neurodivergence: a guide for families

Neurodiversity and neurodivergence: a guide for families Neurodiversity is the idea that there’s natural variation in how brains work. Embracing neurodiversity is good for neurodivergent children and society too.

Learning to Trust Again.

Learning to Trust Again Opening yourself up when you've been hurt in the past.

Healing happens in the moments when your fear of being abandoned or rejected is activated and you no longer feel the desire to lower your standards, disregard your needs or silence your boundaries to feel safe, valued or loved -

A hard one to actually believe sometimes, especially as a parent. But you can only help give the tools to learn how to emotionally regulate, and then model what good emotional regulation looks like. In my book How to help your child I share all the tips and strategies on how to do this and more! Get your copy here: https://drleaf.com/collections/all/products/how-to-help-your-child-clean-up-their-mental-mess

Also available on Kindle, Amazon and wherever you get your books!

Resource:
Learn more about the story beneath your emotions on the Gottman Relationship Blog: https://bit.ly/3T9S2Xc

How Creativity Training Helps Kids Tackle Life’s Hurdles and Boosts Resilience - Neuroscience News Training elementary school students in creativity has shown potential in amplifying their resilience against real-world challenges.

Practice being kind in unexpected ways, it has the power to reshape how someone thinks about the world, and themselves.
Resource: