Tracy Smithers. Step By Step Counselling.

17/06/2026

BLOG POST!! UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY AND HOW TO MANAGE IT.

Do you struggle with anxiety? Is anxiety impacting your life and relationships? If so, this blog post I wrote recently might be of interest to you. It offers some coping strategies to help you manage anxiety and reduce the impact it has on your life. 🙂

I have myself experienced anxiety in varying forms, and I am aware just how debilitating it can be. Not just debilitating but all-consuming it can be, impacting many areas of our lives. It can, in fact, end up controlling every area of our lives our work, and our relationships. Sometimes it can come...

16/06/2026

Walking, Talking, and following your dreams. 🙂

Todays posted is a bit of a mixed one yet I think they all interconnect. 🙂

I was watching a video on Friday and the person said 'follow your dreams you never know what's around the corner.' 🙂💖

If you have been following for a while you might know I often talk about anything being possible. But I'll be honest I am human and sometimes I forget! Can anyone else relate to this? 🤔

Dreams don't always need to be big. Sometimes they can be smaller. 🙂

There is a walk that I have been doing for a while. It's a walk between Ainstable and another local village Croglin. The weather wasn't the best and part of me had a number of reasons I didn't feel like going but I did!

I had a lovely day. I saw rabbits, hares, birds, and even an owl. I even bumped into someone who I knew and had seen for a few years. It's was lovely to speak to them. I also got speaking to some people I didn't know whilst taking photographs. 🙂

So today there are a few points to this post.

Walking. When was the last time you took yourself out for a mindful walk. They can be a great way to clear your head. 🙂

Talking. How many of you enjoy talking? Do you talk to people you don't know when you are out? Or do you prefer to keep yourself to yourself? 🤔

Dreams. What are your dreams? What 3 things can you do to start achieving them? 💖

©Tracy Smithers. 2026

15/06/2026

12/06/2026

MOVING UP BOOKLET..designed to support children moving from Primary to Secondary School.

Do you have a child who is moving from Primary to Secondary School in September? My FREE workbook covers a range of different topics around moving from Year 6 to Year 7 that can enable you to talk through the move and explore some coping strategies beforehand.

As a Counsellor, Youth Worker, and Nursery Nurse, I have supported children in a range of areas. One of those areas is school transition.

This specially designed booklet is available to download from my website. Here is the link if you would like a copy.

12/06/2026

Word of the Week..
(Small) Steps. 🙂💖

11/06/2026

LET'S TALK!! Recuperation. Taking time to recover after a time of being unwell whether physically, emotionally, or both.

If you spotted last weeks Word of the Week you will have seen it was the word Recuperation. It's something that I don't think we often talk about now in today's busy world. However, I believe it is really important to allow us the opportunity to do this in order for us to fully recover. 🙂

Recuperation is about gradually building ourselves up and pacing ourselves, rather than rushing back into life at the same pace we did before we were ill. I understand that this can be easier said than done, however the more we can allow ourselves to do this, it will aide our recovery.

In last week's blog post about self care I refer to my experiences of having M.E. I was very fortunate to have been part of a 12 week programme supporting those with M.E. As part of it we did CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy), physiotherapy, and other activities. One of the things they mentioned was the gentle first steps to build yourself up again. For instance getting dressed, then having a bath/shower, perhaps then getting used to walking around the house, and garden before walking outside.

These small steps are really important because without these how are we able to take the bigger ones. Last week my Mum had a hip replacement operation and I am supporting her with her recovery which includes in a way learning to walk again.

Self care and nurturing can be important parts of this recuperating period too. Please check out the comments for last week's self care post. 🙂

So today I invite you to consider when you might need to recuperate and the steps you might need to put in place to do this. 🙂💖

10/06/2026

BLOG POST..I know many young people are currently sitting exams, so today I thought I would reshare this post from a few weeks ago. Good luck to all those taking exams over the next few weeks.

My counselling practice, is easily accessible from the A6 and M6, and within easy reach of Carlisle, Penrith, and Brampton.Towns such as Hexham, Haltwhistle in Northumberland, and neighbouring areas of Southern Scotland like Gretna and Annan are also within easy access of my Counselling Practice.

08/06/2026

MINDFUL MONDAY..

Are you feeling stressed, anxious, or tense? If so, I invite you to release these feelings and let them go.

✔️ Take time to focus on your breathing

✔️ Keeping your feet rooted to where you stand or sit

✔️ Pay attention to your environment. The shapes, colours, textures, smells, sounds and those around you. How do leave you feeling? Is there anything you would like to change? Is there anything you need more of?🤔

What do you need today? 💖

I invite you to..
Be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself. 💖

(Video taken when in Whitehaven last Friday.)
©Tracy Smithers. 2026

05/06/2026

Word of the Week..
Recuperation. 🙂