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Positive Minds Therapy

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Positive Minds Therapy

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Counselling & Psychotherapy - individual and couples therapy located at Crewe, Nantwich & Sandbach Clinics.

Fully accredited and insured, professional member of BACP

29/10/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: How to Actually Set Boundaries 💜

We often hear “you need to set better boundaries”, but what does that actually look like?

A boundary isn't simply telling somebody else what they can or can't do. Often, it's about recognising what matters to you and deciding how you will respond when that need isn't being respected.

If I value my time, I can choose not to overcommit.

If I value emotional safety, I can step away from conversations that become disrespectful.

If I value my identity, I don't have to make myself smaller simply to keep somebody else comfortable.

And if I value my wellbeing, saying “no” doesn't automatically make me selfish.

For people who are used to people-pleasing, avoiding conflict or taking responsibility for other people's feelings, setting boundaries can initially create guilt or anxiety.

That discomfort doesn't necessarily mean the boundary is wrong. Sometimes it means you're practising something unfamiliar.

Healthy boundaries aren't necessarily about pushing people away. They can help us remain connected to others without losing connection with ourselves. 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

For general information and psychoeducation only. Relationships and circumstances vary, and boundary-setting may need to be approached differently where there are concerns about safety, abuse or coercive control.

25/10/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: Enmeshment 💜

Can you be close to someone without feeling responsible for how they feel?

In some families and relationships, the boundaries between people can become blurred. Your needs become their needs, their distress becomes your responsibility, and saying “no” or choosing something for yourself can bring surprisingly powerful feelings of guilt.

This is often described as enmeshment.

Someone who has experienced these relationship patterns may find themselves:

• Monitoring other people's moods
• Feeling responsible for keeping others happy
• Struggling to identify what they actually want
• Feeling guilty when setting boundaries
• People-pleasing to avoid disappointment or conflict
• Experiencing independence as rejection or abandonment
• Confusing love and care with obligation
• Carrying similar patterns into adult relationships

Importantly, closeness itself isn't the problem.

Healthy relationships can involve deep connection, support and interdependence while still allowing each person to have their own feelings, opinions, friendships, interests and boundaries.

And setting a boundary doesn't necessarily mean:

“I don't care about you.”

Sometimes it means:

“I care about you, but I also recognise where you end and I begin.”

Becoming aware of enmeshment isn't about blaming parents, families or partners. These patterns can develop for many reasons and may even have been experienced as loving or protective.

The work is often about developing greater self-awareness, autonomy and healthier boundaries while still allowing connection. 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

This post is for general information and psychoeducation only. Enmeshment describes a relational pattern and does not, by itself, mean that someone has experienced psychological trauma or has a mental health condition. Individual experiences vary. If relationship or family patterns are causing significant distress, consider speaking with a suitably qualified therapist.

25/10/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 🧠💜

What do human beings need in order to thrive?

Psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed that our needs can be understood across several areas, from our most basic physical needs through to connection, self-esteem and personal growth.

At the foundation are things such as food, sleep, shelter and physical wellbeing, followed by our need for safety and stability.

But surviving isn't the same as thriving.

We also have psychological needs for connection, belonging, love, confidence, self-respect and feeling valued. Maslow described self-actualisation as developing our potential, pursuing meaningful goals and becoming more fully ourselves.

The familiar pyramid can make it look as though we must completely satisfy one level before moving to the next. Real life is much more complicated. Our needs can overlap, change and compete with one another, and people can experience meaning, creativity and connection even during periods when some basic needs are uncertain.

Perhaps the most useful question isn't:

“Which level am I on?”

But:

“Which of my needs might need more attention right now?” 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

This post is for general information and psychoeducation only. Psychological models simplify complex human experiences and should not be used to diagnose yourself or others. If difficulties are significantly affecting your wellbeing, consider speaking with a suitably qualified therapist or healthcare professional.

12/10/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: What We Carry From Childhood 💜

Some of the ways we respond as adults may have developed much earlier in life.

People-pleasing, finding it difficult to ask for help, hiding emotions, expecting things to go wrong or feeling responsible for everyone else may once have helped us feel safe, accepted or connected.

But patterns learned in childhood don't have to define adulthood.

Therapy can help us understand where these patterns came from, what keeps them going, and whether they still serve us today.

Understanding the past isn't about blaming it. It's about giving ourselves more choice in the present. 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

For general information and psychoeducation only. Individual experiences vary, and these patterns do not necessarily indicate childhood trauma. If they are affecting your wellbeing or relationships, consider speaking with a suitably qualified therapist.

23/09/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: What Comes First, the Feeling or the Body? 🧠💜

Imagine suddenly seeing a snake.

Your heart races, your breathing changes, your muscles tense and you begin to sweat. You experience this as fear.

Now imagine seeing somebody you're strongly attracted to. Your heart might race again, you may feel butterflies, become more alert and experience a rush of energy. This time, you might interpret those sensations as excitement.
So what comes first, the emotion or the physical response?

This was one of the questions explored in the early work of psychologist Carney Landis.

Today, we understand the relationship between our bodies and emotions as more complex than a simple one-way process. What we think, feel, notice and experience physically can all influence one another.

This can be particularly useful when understanding anxiety.

A racing heart, dizziness or changes in breathing can attract our attention. If we interpret those sensations as dangerous, our anxiety may increase, which can then intensify the physical sensations.

Body sensation → attention → interpretation → emotion → stronger body sensation

This is one reason therapy sometimes works not only with what we're thinking, but also with how we're interpreting what our body is doing.

Our bodies can give us information, but the meaning we give those sensations matters too. 💜

Content by Positive Minds Therapy

Image generated by AI

This post is for general information and psychoeducation only. It simplifies a complex area of psychological research and is not a substitute for individual therapy or medical advice. New, persistent or concerning physical symptoms should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.

22/09/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: Let it R.A.I.N. 🌧️💜

When difficult emotions show up, our instinct can be to fight them, suppress them or try to think our way out of them.

R.A.I.N. offers another approach.

Rather than immediately trying to get rid of the feeling, it encourages us to slow down and relate to our experience differently:

R – Recognize:
Notice what you're feeling and what's happening internally.

A – Allow:
Give the feeling some space to be there, without immediately fighting it.

I – Investigate:
Gently explore what's happening. What thoughts, sensations or needs are present?

N – Nurture:
Respond to yourself with compassion rather than criticism.

The aim isn't to make an uncomfortable emotion disappear.

Sometimes the more useful skill is learning that we can experience a difficult feeling without automatically needing to escape, suppress or solve it.

Feelings can carry information, but they don't always require immediate action.

Sometimes we can simply notice, understand and respond with a little more kindness. 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

This post is for general information and psychoeducation only. R.A.I.N. is a mindfulness-based practice and may not be suitable or sufficient for every difficulty. If you are experiencing significant or ongoing emotional distress, consider seeking support from a suitably qualified therapist or appropriate healthcare professional.

Image create by AI, and therapeutic content from Andrew at Positive Minds Therapy

19/09/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: Trauma Recovery Isn't Linear 💜

Recovery doesn't always mean feeling better every day.

You can have several good weeks, then suddenly experience anxiety, exhaustion, difficult memories or feel overwhelmed again. That doesn't necessarily mean you've gone backwards.

At different times you might notice:

• The past feeling present, through triggers, memories or feeling on edge.

• Your mind racing, with worry, overthinking and anticipating what might go wrong.

• Feeling emotionally or physically exhausted, withdrawn or simply running on empty.

• Gradually reclaiming your life, through connection, boundaries, self-compassion, hope and new goals.

These aren't necessarily stages. You may move between them or experience several at once.

Recovery can sometimes be less about asking “Why am I back here?” and more about asking:

“What is happening for me right now, and what do I need?”

A difficult day doesn't erase the progress you've already made. 💜

Positive Minds Therapy

“Educational content developed by Positive Minds Therapy. Artwork created with AI assistance. This post is for information and psychoeducation only.”

30/08/2026

60 Seconds of Psychology: Finding the Right Therapist 💜

Starting therapy can feel like a big step, but finding a therapist isn't simply about finding someone with qualifications after their name.

The therapeutic relationship matters.

You should gradually feel able to speak openly, ask questions, disagree, say when something hasn't helped, and discuss what you need from therapy. A good therapist won't expect you to simply accept everything they say.

There is also an important difference between therapy sometimes feeling uncomfortable and therapy feeling unsafe.

Good therapy may challenge you. You might explore difficult memories, confront avoidance, experiment with doing things differently or experience strong emotions. Feeling uncomfortable therefore doesn't automatically mean something is wrong.

However, feeling judged, belittled, pressured, unheard or unable to question your therapist deserves attention.

What should you look for when choosing a therapist?

In the UK, it can be useful to check:

🔹 Professional registration or membership: Are they registered with, or appropriately affiliated to, a recognised professional body relevant to their profession, such as the BACP, UKCP, BABCP, NCPS or HCPC?

🔹 Relevant qualifications: Do their training and qualifications match the type of therapy they are offering? Someone being qualified in one therapeutic approach doesn't automatically mean they are trained in every approach they advertise.

🔹 Experience: Do they have appropriate experience working with the difficulty you are seeking help for?

🔹 Professional insurance: A therapist working independently should have appropriate professional indemnity insurance.

🔹 Supervision: Therapists should have appropriate clinical supervision in accordance with the requirements of their profession and professional body.

🔹 Clear boundaries: You should understand confidentiality and its limitations, fees, cancellations, contact between sessions and what happens if concerns arise.

🔹 Transparency: A therapist should be comfortable answering reasonable questions about their qualifications, training, professional membership and approach.

And finally, something that can be overlooked:

Do you actually feel that you can work with this person?

A therapist can be highly qualified and still not be the right therapist for you.

Equally, therapy doesn't have to feel comfortable every week to be effective. Sometimes the most valuable conversations are difficult ones.

A healthy therapeutic relationship should provide enough safety for both support and challenge.

💜 Positive Minds Therapy

This post is for general information and psychoeducation only. Professional titles, regulation, registration and membership requirements differ between professions and therapeutic approaches in the UK. If you are considering therapy, check the therapist's qualifications, professional registration or membership, relevant experience and the standards of the professional organisation concerned. If you have concerns about your current therapy, where appropriate consider discussing them with your therapist or seeking advice from their professional body or another suitably qualified professional.

Address

The Croft
Croft

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 3pm
Tuesday	10am - 7pm
Wednesday	10am - 7pm
Thursday	10am - 3pm
Friday	10am - 6pm

Telephone

+447912425487

Website

https://positiveminds-therapy.com/, http://www.bacp.co.uk/, http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/

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