Borders & Northumberland Counselling Support

20/08/2026

Whether you're getting your GCSE results today, you've returned to school this week, you're considering your next steps or you're a parent who is supporting your young person through any of these big and often difficult events, I wish you the best of luck! And please remember - your worth is not only measured in exam results or your place in school or college as a student. Be proud of who you are and what you do!

13/08/2026

To everyone who is getting exam results today! If you have the results you'd hoped for, celebrate and be proud. If your results aren't what you wanted, don't despair, and be proud of all the work you've done and what you have achieved. There are many options for you and you are much more than your exam results. Most of all, be kind to yourself!

Today is A-level results day. Send this on to your child or a young person close to you who might need it. No matter what their results are, they should be proud of themselves and the effort they've put in. And if they don't get what they expected, let them know to keep this message in mind. They've got this.

11/08/2026

As exam results days for A Levels then GCSEs approach you may be feeling a lot of anxiety and stress. The exams are long-since done and there’s nothing you can do except wait.

When the day arrives, for some it may be one of celebration and a sense of achievement whereas for others it may bring disappointment, worry, or uncertainty about what comes next. For many there will be a mixture of emotions.

But for now, try not to stress. Focus on what you’re doing at this moment and enjoy these summer days!

Try to remember that whether or not you get the results you’d hoped for there are always multiple routes to get to where you want to be, and you can always choose to change the route you’ve set out on.

Most of all, be kind to yourself, and to your friends, and know that, whatever happens this Thursday or next, your worth, potential and who you are as a person are not measured by exam results.

07/08/2026

No matter where you're at right now, I hope you find some rainbows in your day today.

30/07/2026

Grief is not linear, it is not a series of stages, we don’t “get over it” and there’s not a right or wrong way to grieve. Grief dies not end, instead it becomes absorbed into our lives and becomes part of us. In the early days the feelings of grief are often overwhelming, then through time may become less intense or less constant. Grief is a natural process, albeit a difficult one. But if you feel you are not coping with your grief, or that it is too overwhelming and affecting your ability to function day to day, it is important to know that it’s ok to reach out for professional support.

30/07/2026

Grief is not linear, it is not a series of stages, we don't "get over it", and there's not a right or wrong way to grieve. Grief does not end, instead, it becomes absorbed into our lives and becomes a part of us.

In the early days the feelings of grief are often overwhelming, then through time may become less intense or less constant. Grief is a natural process, albeit a difficult one. But if you feel that you are not coping with your grief, or that it is too overwhelming and affecting your ability to function day to day, it is important to know that it's okay to reach out for professional support.

27/07/2026

I love this poem by James A Pearson. So simple yet so profound. No further words needed.

18/07/2026

In this tumultuous world, kindness and compassion feel more important than ever. Because the world is full of stories we do not know, that we cannot see.

Right now...
Someone is hearing the best news of their life.
Someone is receiving the worst.

Someone is welcoming a new beginning.
Someone is grieving an ending.

Someone is healing from old wounds.
Someone is experiencing trauma that will change them forever.

Someone is laughing with friends.
Someone is crying alone.

Someone is holding hope.
Someone is simply trying to make it through today.

We rarely know what's going on for another person, which is why kindness matters. Not because everyone is always struggling—but because every person is carrying something.

Joy deserves celebrating. Grief deserves tenderness. Anxiety deserves patience. Healing deserves space.

So today, let’s all try to speak more gently; assume less; listen more; remember that compassion costs nothing but can mean everything to the person receiving it. You can be the reason someone feels a little safer, a little seen, and a little less alone today.

30/06/2026

Stressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Too busy to think? Then take a few moments to pause and reset. Listen to the birdsong song. Run your hands through the moss. Watch the bees collecting pollen. Drink up the scent and colour of the flowers. Five minutes out of your busy day won’t increase the level of busy, but it will help calm your nervous system, clear your mind and reset yourself. Being in nature has proven benefits, and whether your environment is an urban space or the middle of the countryside you can always find a link with the natural world.

25/06/2026

Have you ever felt stuck in a situation that feels uncomfortable, wrong, or painful? Have you found yourself keeping a relationship going even though it is unhealthy? Do you feel frustration or confusion as to why you can't take action to change this?

In fact, none of this behaviour is uncommon. Oftentimes, fear and familiarity work together to keep us stuck. The old adage "better the devil you know" rings true because, as humans, we're wired for safety. And sometimes, our nervous system mistakes familiar for safe.

That's why we can remain in relationships, jobs, patterns, or beliefs that cause distress—not because we want to suffer, but because the unknown feels really scary and way more threatening than what we already know.

Our thoughts might sound like, what if I make the wrong decision?, what if I can't cope?, or what if things get worse?

But staying where you are also comes with a cost.

Becoming unstuck isn't about eliminating fear. It's about learning to move forward while fear is present and discovering that you can handle more uncertainty than you thought.

Sometimes the path to growth and change begins when we stop asking, "What feels familiar?" and start asking, "What supports my wellbeing?"

Try to remind yourself - familiarity isn't always safety. Fear isn't always danger.
Change can be positive.