Rowan Consultancy

27/10/2026

Just because someone managed something yesterday doesn't mean they can manage it today.

Someone might have enough energy to go to work but none left to cook dinner. They might enjoy a day out with friends but need the next two days to recover. They might cancel plans, not because they don't want to see you, but because they simply have nothing left to give.

And sometimes, people push through even when they've run out of energy. You may see them smiling, working or getting things done, but you don't see what it costs them afterwards.

One of the kindest things we can do is stop judging people's energy by what they managed to do yesterday, or by what we can manage ourselves. 💜

The Spoon Theory helps explain something we often forget: the same task doesn't cost everyone the same amount of energy.

Credit: Spoon Theory was created by Christine Miserandino in 2003 to explain her experience of living with lupus and having limited energy. Her powerful analogy has since helped people with chronic illness, disabilities and other health challenges explain how everyday activities can affect their energy.

FREE SPOON THEORY ENERGY MANAGEMENT INFOGRAPHIC FOR DAILY LIFE

LIKE the photo and comment "SPOON" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

25/10/2026

Nobody warns you that grief can break your heart all over again, even years after you thought you'd learned how to live with it.

You can be doing absolutely fine, getting on with life, laughing, making plans, and feeling like you're finally finding your feet again. Then, out of nowhere, something reminds you of the person you've lost, and suddenly the sadness feels as fresh as it did at the beginning.

It might be a song, a familiar smell, an old photograph, or a memory you weren't expecting.

And sometimes, it's nothing you can even explain.

That's the thing about grief. It doesn't follow a timeline, and it doesn't disappear just because the years have passed.

You can build a beautiful life around your loss and still have days when you miss someone so much it hurts.

**If you've ever wondered why you're still grieving after all this time, please remember that missing someone isn't a sign that you haven't moved forward. It's a sign that their love and their place in your life still matter.**

Some people leave this world, but they never leave our hearts.

FREE GRIEF BALL IN A BOX: UNDERSTANDING GRIEF TRIGGERS

LIKE the photo and comment "BOX" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

18/10/2026

Rowan is happy to support , the , Menopause Cafe and every colleague living through this change of life.

Check imsociety.org to read the full 'Chronic Pain at Midlife' article. And if you would like peer support, why not search 'menopause cafe near me'?

17/10/2026

Rowan newsletters aim to support you to . They include self-help, self-development, and sometimes a little bit about ourselves.

You can sign up by visiting rowan-consultancy.co.uk/news/

16/10/2026

Can you relate?

Do something playful, something that gives you joy..It could be savouring a cuppa, dancing to your favourite song, phoning a friend, going for a walk, giggling.

It's Friday, the to-do list can wait 10 mins while you do something free and fun.

15/10/2026

Conflict Resolution Day was conceived in 2005 by ACR (Association for Conflict Resolution): 'to promote awareness of mediation, arbitration, conciliation and other creative, peaceful means of resolving conflict.'

Rowan offers workplace mediation, where an impartial mediator works with two or more people in conflict, enabling them to reach a mutually agreed, constructive resolution to improve their working relationship.

Benefits of Mediation:
- Reduce staff turnover
- Improve workplace morale
- Improve working relationships

For further details click the link in the first comment, or contact us by phone or email. We're here to help.

☎ 01738 562005
📨[email protected]

13/10/2026

Rowan & COSCA - Online Certificate in Counselling Supervision. Feedback says it all....

'Fantastic delivery by both practitioners who delivered respectfully and with clear guidelines and answering an array of questions. Really well done.'

'The 'actual' doing it was probably where I did a lot of the learning. It was where the theory and chats got consolidated. It all made sense.'

Full details at the link in the first comment.

12/10/2026

We love this!

It echoes what our students learn in the COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills, and on our Active Listening workshops.

How to show you understand and accept someone.

When someone tells us they are hurting, we rarely just listen.

Marshall Rosenberg's friend Holley Humphrey made a list of the ten most common things we do instead.

Advising. "I think you should talk to them about it."

One-upping. "That's nothing, wait till you hear what happened to me."

Educating. "This could turn into a really positive experience for you, if you just let it."

Consoling. "It wasn't your fault, you did the best you could."

Story-telling. "That reminds me of the time something like this happened to me."

Shutting down. "Cheer up, don't feel so bad."

Sympathising. "Oh, you poor thing."

Interrogating. "When did this begin?"

Explaining. "I would have called, but it's been a crazy week."

Correcting. "That's not how it happened."

Marshall once ran an exercise with twenty-three mental health professionals.

He read them one line from a client: "I'm feeling very depressed. I just don't see any reason to go on." Each of them wrote down, word for word, how they would answer.

Then he read the answers aloud. He asked the group to imagine being that client, and to raise a hand whenever an answer left them feeling understood.

Hands went up for three of the twenty-three.

The most common answer was a question: "When did this begin?"

So let's run it again. Here, in the comments.

"I'm feeling very depressed. I just don't see any reason to go on."

Write what you would say back, before you read anyone else's answer.

We'll be the room. Every answer that makes us feel understood gets a raised hand from us or a reader ✋(as a sub comment)

10/10/2026

Being heard helps us feel understood, less alone, and more able to cope with the challenges we face. That’s why we appreciate the simple message from Mental Health UK on World Mental Health Day 2026:

Support starts with being heard.
Everyone’s mental health journey is different. Whether someone is facing challenges themselves, seeking support for the first time, or supporting a loved one, everyone deserves to feel heard, understood, and supported.

The mentalhealth-uk.org website is brimming with free resources to help you hear, be heard, and help us all make positive changes.