Will Bratt

I just wrote a brand new blog post for the Heart & Oak blog!
“ or Dilemma? How Context Makes the Difference Between Feeling Stuck and Empowered”

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Depression or Dilemma? How Context Makes the Difference Between Feeling Stuck and Empowered As therapists, we have a lot of conversations with people who describe their suffering as “depression”. Though “depression” can mean something different from one person to another, there is often a common element of feeling stuck with a sense of profound despair. However, for many people, de

Brand new post by Laura Brow on the Heart and Oak Therapy blog!

"The Benefit of Knowing What You Don't Want" is the first in a series on bringing your desires to life.

Hit the link below!

heartandoaktherapy.com

My lovely new office is officially open for business in ! Get in touch to check it out!

Check out our beautiful new Counselling office!

In a world of increasing demands and more and more pressure to "measure up", it's understandable why we might struggle with our sense of adequacy. Why I'm all about bringing bigger social and political contexts into therapeutic conversations:

Why Therapists Should Talk Politics Sometimes, the patient is depressed because the world is unjust.

A lot of people seek help with their experience of frustration (or frustrating circumstances). What does the way you experience frustration say about you?

http://bit.ly/1LRE6b4

What Your Frustration Says About You Frustration can be a very challenging emotion. For many people, frustration means having a want, need, or longing for something that cannot be had in this very moment. In this post I outline the practical reasons we experience frustration, and strategies for keeping it under control.

3 Common Misconceptions About Boudaries: http://bit.ly/1AiPRUl

3 Common Misconceptions About Boundaries Boundaries serve important social functions, but there are many misconceptions out there around what those functions are. In this post I draw on conversations from the therapy room to expose and discuss 3 of the most common misconceptions.

Having photos taken today for an exciting new project. Stay tuned! ;)

Interesting take on , , and : http://bit.ly/1JY4aiG

I hear voices in my head, but I’m fine – video Eleanor Longden argues that mental illness is a response to traumas we have been through in the past

Understanding Your Inner Critic: http://bit.ly/1MZk1hs

Everyone experiences "self-criticism". Where do you think it comes from?

Understanding Your Inner Critic There’s a certain type of criticism that people often talk about in therapy. Some people call it “self-criticism”, others call it “the inner critic”. So why do we experience inner criticism? In this post I explore some common themes from the many conversations I’ve had in the therapy room with fo…

After a very eventful summer, I'm back in the blogosphere! Read my latest post here: http://bit.ly/1NhgEUE

Do you ever feel reluctant to open up or ask for help because you're afraid you'll be a burden?

In my first post of the Fall I unpack and challenge the idea that we're burdensome when we ask for help.

Why it Can Be Hard To Ask For Help Have you ever had a sense that you might be a burden if you shared your problems and struggles with other people in your life?  This is a very common experience for people to have.  In this post I explore reasons why people feel this way, and challenge the assumption that asking for help is necessar…

At long last, a new blog post: http://bit.ly/1Maj5sQ

What do we REALLY mean when we talk about "effects" and "responses", and what does it all mean when it comes to how we take responsibility?

Responses, Effects, and Taking Responsibility In this post I focus on one issue that comes up a lot in my counselling work: the distinction between effects and responses, and how differentiating between these notions is crucial when it comes to how we assign responsibility for our own and other people’s feelings and actions.

“Positive Attitude” Bu****it: On the dangers of “radical self-love” http://wp.me/p6fLUC-22

“Positive Attitude” Bu****it: On the dangers of “radical self-love” As far as I am concerned positive thinking will fu***ng ruin your life.

How relates to the idea of being "normal": http://bit.ly/1C4dZL9

Mental Health and Being "Normal" A lot of people I see in therapy come in under the premise of wanting to be normal. They see their position outside of the margins as having a lot to do with their suffering. For this reason, I often wonder just how useful of a concept normalcy really is. It can be used in well-meaning ways, but…

and social exclusion can go hand in hand: http://bit.ly/1J6g4sb

Anxiety and Social Exclusion There are many contexts in which people experience anxiety. One that is very common relates to the threat of social exclusion. In this post I look at the ins and outs of what some folks call "social exclusion anxiety".

5 Reasons Successful People Seek : http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7492466

An article with some good points, and a few I disagree with:
The Problem With The Way We Use Antidepressants

What do you think are some more and less helpful ways we use antidepressants and other medications?

The Problem With The Way We Use Antidepressants In her provocative new book, a psychiatrist takes a hard look at the way we use antidepressants. By Beth Levine At some point (OK, maybe at several points), you have probably unleashed y

More U.S. Children Being Diagnosed With Youthful Tendency Disorder http://www.theonion.com/r/248

More U.S. Children Being Diagnosed With Youthful Tendency Disorder REDLANDS, CA–Nicholas and Beverly Serna's daughter Caitlin was only four years old, but they already knew there was a problem.

"Self-sabotage" has a pretty nasty reputation - and with a name like that, how could we expect otherwise!?

In my latest blog post I expose some big misconceptions and the hidden value behind "self-sabotaging" behaviours.

http://bit.ly/1eNbhiR

The Hidden Value of Self-Sabotage Sometimes striving to do things differently can be downright daunting. The changes we want to make can require us to go out on limbs that feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and even unsafe. It's under these circumstances that folks sometimes label their responses as "self-sabotage". In this post I u…

Here's a controversial opinion: I'm wary of self-help media.
I hear about its pitfalls often with folks in therapy.
Here's an article that lays out 2 dangers of self-help:
http://huff.to/1csKqXV

The Danger of Self-Help Our success depends on many external factors, but inner peace depends only on ourselves! The question is never "Am I worthy enough or good enough" because the answer is always yes. The question is: "Am I willing to invest my time, energy and effort until I find the way to make my dreams a reality".

In my latest blog post, I take a look at how so-called "negative" emotions, behaviours, or attributes can serve the important purpose of resisting adversity: http://bit.ly/1IJIJSO

Back in the saddle and feeling inspired! The blog machine will resume its production soon.

Good morning Auckland!

Tomorrow I'm flying to New Zealand to have a grand adventure and to present at NZ's inaugural Response-Based anti-violence conference! I'll be back in the office April 13th, energized and inspired!

Here's a new blog post I wrote for Healthy Minds Canada: and Measuring Up" - http://healthymindscanada.ca/anxiety-measuring/

Anxiety and "Measuring Up" - Healthy Minds Canada Anxiety and "Measuring Up" - As a therapist, I have conversations with people about anxiety several times a day. It’s a word that’s become synonymous with

What do you think of the idea "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"? http://huff.to/1ECpl47

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger -- Does It, Really? The idea that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger is based on the theory that by going through difficult experiences, people build up their strength for the next, possibly more painful event that may occur....

This week's blog post: How to differentiate between "depression" as an illness and "depression" as a response to life circumstances:

http://bit.ly/1BtlqEH

When "Depression" Doesn't Sum it Up Over the past several years, I've noticed that the term "depression" has become more and more commonplace in mainstream culture. With so many people using "depression" to describe their experiences, I can't help but wonder if we’re all talking about the same thing. Has “depression” become a catcha…

A clear and unfortunate example of the importance of positive social responses in the wake of wapo.st/1GSgh0U

An 11-year-old reported being r***d twice, wound up with a conviction For years, her parents urged police to charge the suspects and sought an explanation for her treatment.

We've all felt at some point like we didn't fit in. Here's how the idea of "normal" sets us up to feel that way, and how we might look at things differently:

http://bit.ly/1C4dZL9

We all experience guilt and shame to some degree, but when is it helpful and when does it set us back?

In this week's blog post I share some of my perspective on guilt and shame. What are your thoughts on these emotions?

http://bit.ly/1AIksny

Unpacking Guilt and Shame Guilt and shame are like conjoined twins. In the context of therapy, they’re often mentioned in the same breath. People typically talk about them like a package – as though we can't have one without the other. But if we take out our conceptual scalpels and split them apart, we’re likely to see th…