The Mindful Counsellor

18/08/2026

FREE COUNSELLING SESSIONS

Not everyone can wait for NHS therapy or afford private. It does worry me so I’m pleased to share this…

A counsellor I know through my peer counselling group is looking for a few more clients to help him complete the final hours of his training, so I said I’d share his details.

James offers a friendly, relaxed and non-judgemental space to talk about whatever is going on for you — anxiety, low mood, relationships, things from the past, feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply not feeling quite yourself.

He uses a mix of different counselling approaches, so he can adapt the way he works to the individual rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Sessions with James will be FREE and available face to face in Tamworth or online, so you don’t need to be local. Maximum six sessions unless negotiated with him at your initial call.

If you’ve been thinking about trying counselling, or know someone who might benefit, send me a private message and I can pass on his details before he gets booked up.

With love and kindness,
Dionne

25/07/2026

The barn swallows and swift hatchlings are poking heads out of their nests today- what a delight. That’s my joy for today. I hope you see some ordinary things with ‘beginners mind’ too. Image from Simply, Slow,Seasonal

22/07/2026

For all the mums with children on school holidays here is a great list of many free things to do in the community…

School may (almost) be out for summer, but that doesn't mean the learning has to stop. And before the kids groan at the prospect of 'boring' lessons or homework – we promise neither are in sight – instead we've rounded up a variety of fun workshops and activities that will not only engage littlu...

18/07/2026

Gentle invitations for wellbeing. I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend.

17/07/2026

Research knows that we co-regulate with those around us - with heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing and stress responses. It works at football matches, in choirs, on tasks, with babies, with therapists and friends.

In effect we can actually physiologically borrow calm and become more regulated just from being with another safe and calm person.

So if you are feeling a bit tired, down or stressed this weekend, I invite you to choose your company wisely.

Co-regulation works both ways. The research says the regulation is more of a balancing out together rather than a simple ‘dragging’ of hrv up or heart rate down. This means if you’re with an activated person your nervous system could become activated so we just regulate to hold our baseline consciously. It’s what we do as therapists.

Here’s a nice picture of me remembering my last catch up with my BFF; there’s nothing like a good catch up / co-regulation! Even looking at the pictures make me feel calm 😉

❤️ ❤️

10/07/2026

A reason to smile this morning … Having a beautiful regulated moment with the ladies. They love to share their good vibes! Post your pet faces in the comments if you like! ❤️

04/07/2026

How to start feeling safe again after trauma…

Trauma and long-term stress can leave your nervous system permanently on alert. You might struggle to sleep, switch off, concentrate or fully relax. Even when life is calmer, your body can still behave as though it’s waiting for the next thing to happen.

For a long time I thought if I just talked enough about what had happened, I’d feel better. Counselling helped me understand my experiences, but understanding and feeling safe turned out to be two different things.

That’s one of the reasons I now teach mindfulness, breathing practices, tapping, gentle movement and yin alongside counselling. Healing isn’t only about making sense of what happened. Sometimes the body needs convincing that the danger has passed.

Our bodies are incredibly good at protecting us. If they’ve spent months or years anticipating, bracing or staying on guard, they don’t simply stop because our mind knows we’re safe. They need new experiences that quietly say, you can soften now.

Here are a few simple places to begin.

• Lie on the floor and notice how completely you’re being held. Let the ground carry your weight. Instead of trying to relax, just notice that, in this moment, you’re supported.

• Spend time with someone who helps you feel calm, or with an animal you trust. Notice their breathing, their face, the feeling of being alongside them. Our nervous systems naturally respond to one another. Sometimes we borrow someone else’s sense of safety until we begin to find our own.

• Don’t underestimate the basics. Warmth, nourishing food, good sleep and genuine rest all matter. Some people also find magnesium, massage, warm baths, calming audio or CBD tinctures (without THC) helpful, although it’s always worth checking these are appropriate for you and won’t interact with any medication or health conditions.

There isn’t usually one magic moment when everything changes. Feeling safer tends to happen little by little, as your body has more experiences of calm than of threat.

Once your body begins to believe you’re safe, the deeper ther**eutic work often becomes much easier.

www.mymindfulcounsellor.com

03/07/2026

Trigger warning: r**e

This is very concerning. 4 years is not protecting girls or future women. Sorry to be political but I’m very upset by the Hampshire case. The link is in the comments. This lady gives a really good overview of why we need to speak up.

28/06/2026

Invitation to reframe …. The harshness we treat ourselves with…

Funny how most of us can think of ten reasons someone else deserves kindness and understanding, but we struggle to come up with one reason for ourselves.

When our friend is exhausted, of course we say to them that they must rest. But for us, we have to ‘earn it’ first.

If someone else apologises for being upset, we state very clearly ‘It’s healthy to cry.’ Yet we repress our own feelings publicly and cry in the shower!

When our loved ones feel overwhelmed, we offer help quickly but yet we can’t ask for help ourselves; feeling like our needs don’t deserve it or are not big enough.

Why on earth do all the rules change when it’s us? Why do we have expectations of ourselves that we’d never place on another human being? Well I have some thoughts on this psychological answer (spoiler) but it’s an invitation for us all …to ponder.

What might change if we really pondered these few questions for 5 minutes deeply:
What if your needs aren’t an inconvenience but you being honest that you have limits?

What if rest isn’t something you have to earn but helps you to be your best you for the world?

What if saying no doesn’t make you selfish but helps things stay in balance?

What would happen if you acknowledged you have limits to yourself and others?

What if we own the fact we all deserve some of the big compassion we give to others?

What would happen if we all think and then acted on our insights for a whole week - treat myself as I treat others?

What would happen differently today?

I’d love to know…. Feel free to let me know what happened on messenger.

25/06/2026

I work with women but we have husbands, sons and brothers. Here’s a free thing for supporting young Dads up to age 21… and now if any age (updated July) Feel free to share.

“Hi everyone
Myself and a colleague Jennie are launching a young dads group aimed at building up young dads offering a safe space to talk and connect with other dads.

I know it’s a bit short notice but first session is this evening at 6pm for an hour, with the option of 1-2-1 support. Please feel free to share to anyone who you think might be interested.
Thank you in advance
Ian”

You can text Ian for the link. It’s online and free!