Your Path Counselling

Your Path Counselling My name is Helen, I’m a qualified counsellor and clinical supervisor I have been privileged to walk along side clients since 2009

04/06/2026

The Power of Choice

Throughout life, we are faced with countless choices.

Some seem small, choosing whether to press snooze, whether to take a short walk, whether to reply to a message today or tomorrow.

Others feel much larger, choosing to set a boundary, choosing to ask for help, choosing to stay, choosing to leave, choosing to heal.

When life feels overwhelming, it can be easy to forget that choice exists. Stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and difficult life circumstances can narrow our view, making it feel as though we are simply reacting to whatever is happening around us.

Yet often, our power lies not in controlling what happens to us, but in recognising the choices we still have available.

You may not be able to choose the challenges you face, but you can choose how you respond to them.

You can choose to be curious instead of critical.
You can choose to rest instead of pushing through.
You can choose to reach out instead of struggling alone.
You can choose to take one small step rather than feeling pressured to solve everything at once.

Choice doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like taking a deep breath before responding. Sometimes it looks like saying “not today” to something that drains you. Sometimes it looks like choosing compassion for yourself when your inner critic is loud.

The power of choice is not about making perfect decisions. It’s about recognising that even in difficult seasons, there are often small moments where you can reconnect with your values, your needs, and the direction you want to move.

What is one small choice you can make that supports the person you are becoming?

Small choices, repeated over time, often create the biggest changes.

03/06/2026

As we move through the final days of the week, it can be helpful to pause and check in with ourselves.

When life becomes busy, stressful, or overwhelming, the experiences we have carried from the past can become much harder to keep tucked away. Old wounds, childhood trauma, difficult memories, and unresolved emotions often become louder when our capacity is stretched. Things we may have managed well for a period of time can suddenly feel present again.

This is why creating small pauses throughout the day can be so powerful.

A pause is not about fixing everything. It is about creating space to notice what is happening within us before we automatically push it away.

In those moments, we can ask ourselves:

• What am I feeling right now?
• What thoughts are showing up?
• What is my body trying to tell me?
• Am I safe in this moment?
• Am I in a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response?

When we slow down long enough to notice, we gain valuable information about what we need.

These pauses also allow us to process and focus on what needs our attention in a mindful and compassionate way. When we continually ignore our thoughts, feelings, and needs, they rarely disappear. More often, they become louder, demanding our attention in ways that can feel overwhelming.

By creating moments of connection with ourselves, we build a relationship with our thoughts and emotions rather than fighting against them.

As this week comes to a close, I encourage you to check in with yourself.

What do you need right now?

Can you meet yourself with curiosity instead of judgment?

Can you acknowledge what is present and respond with compassion?

You do not have to carry everything alone, and you do not have to ignore what is asking to be heard.

Sometimes a simple pause is the first step toward moving forward.

28/05/2026

I think there is a common misconception that if we “just stay positive,” the hard things will disappear.

But struggles do not vanish simply because we avoid looking at them.

Now, I’m not saying positivity is a bad thing. I absolutely encourage reframing, gratitude, and finding moments of light wherever we can. These things matter deeply. But when positivity becomes a way of pushing away pain, ignoring emotions, or pretending everything is okay, the struggles often grow quietly in the background, outside of our awareness.

Sometimes, in trying so hard to stay in control by ignoring what hurts, we actually lose the very control we are seeking.

I’m a big believer in gratitude and finding a glimmer of hope to use as an anchor. But I believe gratitude works best alongside acknowledgement. We can hold appreciation for what is good while also recognising what feels heavy, painful, frustrating, or uncertain.

After all, without darkness, we would struggle to fully appreciate the light.

Sometimes our gratitude deepens not because life has been easy, but because we recognise what we have survived, what we are moving through, or what we are learning to carry differently.

So perhaps instead of pushing struggles away, we can gently notice them.

Notice when things are not going to plan.
Notice when something feels difficult.
Notice when you are hurting.

Then maybe try this:

Step outside of yourself for a moment and ask,
“If somebody I cared about was going through this, what would I say to them?”
“How would I support them?”
“What hope or possibilities might I help them see?”

Sometimes it is easier to find compassion, validation, and perspective when we look from the outside in.

Often, within that space, we can acknowledge both the pain and the glimmers of hope that exist alongside it.

Just something to think about.

24/05/2026

Availability this week

I currently have a counselling appointment available at 11am Wednesday in Morwell.

Telehealth counselling and clinical supervision appointments are also available throughout the week. To enquire about available times, please email:

[email protected]

Taking the step to prioritise your wellbeing or professional support can make a meaningful difference. Reach out if you would like to learn more or book a session.

Sometimes the path that takes us downward is still the path that leads us exactly where we need to go.Not every journey ...
17/05/2026

Sometimes the path that takes us downward is still the path that leads us exactly where we need to go.

Not every journey looks like constant progress upward. Some paths curve, dip, pause, or feel uncertain. Sometimes we find ourselves slowing down, questioning direction, or feeling like we’ve lost momentum. But even those moments can hold purpose.

Along the way, it’s important to stop occasionally. Pause. Reset. Catch your bearings. Ask yourself:
Is this still the direction I want to go?
Does this path still align with what feels right for me?

And if the answer is no, that’s okay too.

You can turn around.
You can choose another path.
You can change direction at any point.

There is no rule that says growth has to happen in a straight line, or that success only comes from climbing higher and higher without rest.

What matters most is that the path is taking you toward something meaningful for you.

While you’re moving through it all, don’t forget to take in the view along the way. Those small pauses, quiet moments, unexpected glimmers of joy, calm, connection, or clarity, they matter more than we often realise.

They’re the moments that fuel us.
The moments that remind us we’re alive.
The moments we miss when we become too focused on just getting somewhere.

So whatever path you’re on right now, trust yourself enough to walk it, pause when you need to, and notice the beauty that exists along the way.

11/05/2026

We often make space in our budgets for things that matter to us. A dinner out with friends. A gym membership. A holiday. A new phone. Physical health appointments.

Yet mental health is often expected to be managed quietly, pushed aside, or treated as something we’ll “get to later” when life calms down.

The reality is that our mental health impacts every part of our lives, our relationships, work, parenting, confidence, energy, sleep, communication, and ability to cope with stress.

Prioritising mental health is not indulgent. It is preventative care. It is maintenance. It is support. It is investing in yourself and your future wellbeing.

Sometimes that investment might look like:
• Counselling
• Supervision
• A support group
• Time to rest and recharge
• Activities that genuinely regulate your nervous system
• Learning and utilising helpful coping strategies

We don’t usually question spending money on our physical wellbeing because we understand the value of looking after our bodies. Mental health deserves that same level of care and importance.

While cost can absolutely be a real barrier for many people, looking at where we prioritise our funds can also help to reflect on whether we are unintentionally placing our own wellbeing at the bottom of the priority list.

Your mental health matters.
Not only when things fall apart, but consistently, proactively, and compassionately.

10/05/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing women who mother, nurture, guide, support, protect, encourage, and show up for others in so many different ways 💐

Today feels like a beautiful opportunity to celebrate the strength, wisdom, care, and impact women have in our families, workplaces, friendships, and communities every single day.

I’ve also been reflecting on how encouraging it is to see more men speaking up on social media about women’s issues, women’s safety, inequality, and the many different experiences women face. These conversations matter, and it’s so important that men continue to be part of them.

At the same time, I think it’s equally important that women continue to be visible, heard, and supported too. Women have been speaking about these experiences for generations, and sometimes it can feel disheartening when those voices aren’t listened to as closely until someone else repeats them.

I love the saying: “Nothing about us without us.”

So today, alongside the flowers, coffees, hugs, and celebrations, I want to encourage women to step into your voice and your power. Your thoughts matter. Your experiences matter. Your perspective matters.

And if you’re in spaces where your voice isn’t being heard, seek out the people and communities who will hear you, support you, and stand beside you, because there is so much power in women supporting women ❤️

Wishing everyone a meaningful, joyful, and supported Mother’s Day.

08/05/2026

We’ve all encountered cliques at some point.

Maybe we’ve been part of them.
Maybe we’ve been on the outside of them.

When you’re on the outside, it can feel incredibly isolating.

Sometimes when we’re comfortably within our own group, we may not even notice that someone nearby feels excluded, disconnected, or unsure where they belong. Yet for the person standing on the outer, it can feel deeply lonely, especially for those already navigating social anxiety or difficulties with connection.

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t have our people. Having trusted friendships and an inner circle is important and healthy.

But I’ve been reflecting on the broader social settings where groups unintentionally become closed off to others.

What would happen if we remained open while still holding onto our close connections?
What might shift if we became more aware of who is standing quietly on the edge of the conversation?

Sometimes inclusion can be as simple as:
“Come sit with us.”
“What do you think?”
“Would you like to join in?”

Small moments of openness can create powerful feelings of safety and belonging.

Because one of the loneliest experiences can be being surrounded by people, yet still feeling completely alone.

Maybe next time you’re in a social setting, take a moment to notice who might be on the outer, and gently make space for them to step in.

07/05/2026

This week I reflected on how easily anxiety can narrow our focus before situations that feel overwhelming.

Before attending an event where I anticipated large crowds, I noticed myself moving into a flight response, mentally preparing ways to avoid the discomfort.

What helped was a simple reframe:
Rather than focusing on the potential crowd itself, I redirected my attention to the purpose of attending.

The intention became the grounding point.

Whether the goal is connection, learning, networking, or simply being present, reconnecting with purpose can help reduce the intensity of anticipatory anxiety and make challenging environments feel more manageable.

Anxiety often draws attention toward uncertainty and perceived threat. Reframing can support a broader perspective and help reconnect us with our values, goals, and reasons for showing up.

It’s not about eliminating anxiety altogether, but about responding to it with greater awareness and intention.

07/05/2026

Hello everyone. I have had last minute spots open up for this Saturday’s online group supervision. If you are needing to get your supervision hours up and would like to join, please send me a message.

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Boolarra, VIC
3870

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