DeVernon Psychotherapy

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DeVernon Psychotherapy

🧠 Karen Vernon | CBT Therapist
✨Heal from anxiety, stress & trauma. Menopause Masters empowers women to thrive through menopause.

Build resilience, find peace, live fully
➡️Online therapy 👇
🔗 Book free consult
🔗 Thrive Therapy Academy Our app and expert-led program provide personalised support, CBT techniques, and a supportive community to help manage menopause symptoms. We offer expert guidance from qualified professionals, personalised symptom tracking, and a holistic approach to well-being that addresses both the physical

and emotional challenges of menopause. Our community forum provides a safe space to connect with other women, share experiences, and find encouragement. We also offer a wealth of resources, including articles, videos, and expert advice on a range of menopause-related topics. Take control of your menopause journey with Menopause Masters. Download our app or visit our website today!

29/05/2026

Is it anxiety... or is your body playing tricks on you? 🌊👇

If you’ve ever felt a sudden wave of intense panic, a racing heart, or a feeling of impending doom out of nowhere, your immediate thought is probably: “I’m having a panic attack.”

But for women in perimenopause and menopause, there might be a completely different culprit at play: A Physiological Spike.

🔍 What’s the difference?
A Panic Attack: Often triggered by cognitive stress, psychological factors, or deeper-rooted anxiety. It’s an emotional and psychological response that floods the body.

A Physiological Spike: Driven strictly by hormonal fluctuations (like sudden drops in estrogen or surges in cortisol/adrenaline). Your body experiences the physical symptoms of panic first, tricking your brain into thinking you are anxious.

When your body spikes, your mind scrambles to find a reason why, leading to a vicious cycle of physical symptoms and mental anxiety.

Stopping this cycle starts with understanding exactly what your body is doing.

Take the Quiz: To see where you land, and take The Anxiety Audit to get a clearer picture of your nervous system.

🔗 Click the link in our bio to take the full audit today.

28/05/2026

Why traditional dieting fails in midlife (Hint: It’s not your willpower!) 🤯

If you are eating less, moving more, and still watching the scale tick upwards, your body isn't working against you. It is simply trying to keep you safe.
During perimenopause and menopause, your body becomes incredibly hypersensitive to stress. When your mind is under pressure, your adrenals produce a surge of cortisol—the survival hormone.

Cortisol sends a clear signal to your system: "We are in danger." 🚨
To protect you from this perceived threat, your metabolism slows down, and your body stores fat—specifically around the abdomen—to ensure it has emergency fuel. You cannot out-diet or out-exercise a hormonal safety response.
The real solution to midlife weight management isn't a math problem. It’s a nervous system solution.

You have to convince your nervous system that it is safe to let go of the weight.
To help you get started, I’ve put together a free resource: "The Stress-Weight Reset: A CBT Guide to Midlife Metabolism".

Inside, you’ll discover:
A clear explanation of why your body holds onto weight when you are stressed.
CBT-based reframing tools to break free from negative "Weight Thoughts" and guilt.
The 30-second "Stop-Look-Listen" framework to interrupt stress-eating urges.
Simple, daily practices to lower your cortisol levels naturally without restrictive dieting.

Call to Action:
Want a copy? Drop the word REWIRE in the comments below, and I will send the guide straight to your Instagram inbox! 🧠👇

15/04/2026

The ultimate test of the tools I teach. 🧠✨
If you’ve noticed a bit of silence on my page recently, it’s because life threw me a curveball I didn’t see coming. I recently suffered a stroke.

It was a shock, but here is the positive: I am recovering well. Every day, I am putting my own professional expertise to the test. I’m currently using a combination of targeted physiotherapy and the very CBT skills I share with you to re-calibrate my neural pathways.
It’s "brain-training" in its most literal, vital form. 🛠️

While I’m focusing my energy on this physical and mental recalibration, I want to ensure you still have the support you need. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of menopause or seeking psychotherapeutic growth, my mission hasn’t changed—I’m just taking a moment to "practice what I preach" on a deeper level.

Need support while I’m offline?
Please head to the link in my bio to explore the ‘Thrive Therapy Academy’. It’s packed with resources designed to help you thrive, even when life gets unpredictable.

Thank you for your patience, your kindness, and for being part of this community. I’ll be back soon, stronger and with even more insights to share. 🤍

05/04/2026

This Easter, my perspective on “wealth” looks a little different. 👇

Recovering from a stroke has been the ultimate test of the clinical tools I teach. It has stripped away the “busy-ness” and left me with a profound truth: without our health—physical and mental—nothing else carries weight.

I’ve had to be my own clinician. I’ve used Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) not just to manage the physical challenges, but to regulate the frustration, the fear, and the pace of recovery.

My “Mastery” tools this week:
• Patience over Perfection: Accepting where my body is today, not where it was yesterday.
• Thought Challenging: Reframing the “setbacks” as necessary rest.
• Value-Based Living: Prioritising the small wins that lead to big healing.

If you are navigating your own “recovery” or transition today, remember: Investing in your mental resilience is the greatest deposit you can make in your future.

Happy Easter. Take the time to rest, regulate, and renew.

EasterRenewal

15/03/2026

Mother’s Day can bring many emotions.

For some, it’s a day of love and celebration.
For others, it can bring grief, reflection, complicated memories, or a sense of loss.

Today we want to acknowledge all experiences of Mother’s Day.

💛 Mums
💛 Those who have lost their mum
💛 Adoptive and foster mums
💛 Those with complex or estranged relationships
💛 Those grieving a child
💛 Those who long to be mums
💛 Anyone who finds today difficult

Whatever today brings for you — your feelings are valid.

You are allowed to grieve.
You are allowed to feel joy.
You are allowed to hold mixed emotions.

And if today feels heavy, please remember:

You are not alone.

Take things gently.
Take things slowly.
Take care of yourself in whatever way you need today.

Support is always here. 🤍

08/03/2026

International Women’s Day is a reminder that every stage of a woman’s life deserves understanding, support and celebration — including menopause.

For too long menopause has been something women were expected to navigate quietly, often without the information, care or conversations they deserve. That is changing. And it’s changing because women are speaking up, sharing their experiences and supporting one another.

Menopause is not the end of something — it’s a powerful transition into a new chapter of life.

Today we celebrate the women who are:
✨ advocating for better menopause awareness
✨ supporting other women through this transition
✨ embracing this stage of life with strength and confidence

Your voice, your health and your experience matter.

Happy International Women’s Day. 🌸

11/02/2026

Valentine’s Day often focuses on love for others.

But in therapy, we often discover something important —
the relationship that most needs care is the one you have with yourself ❤️

Anxiety thrives on pressure.
On self-criticism.
On the belief that you should be coping “better.”

Self-care isn’t bubble baths and candles (though those are lovely).
It’s boundaries.
It’s rest without guilt.
It’s noticing anxious thoughts without believing all of them.
It’s speaking to yourself with the same compassion you offer everyone else.

Self-love is not self-indulgence.
It’s psychological safety.

If anxiety has been louder lately, this is your reminder:
You are not failing. You are human.

Take a breath. Soften your shoulders.
Start there ❤️

25/01/2026

I’m committed to being there for my clients when they need it most.
You don’t have to carry this alone anymore.
I’m currently offering a
**Free 20-minute Consultation**
to see how we can get you back on track.

🔗Link in bio to book consultation

-FocusedCBT

Address

Crosby Road
Southport
PR89WU

Telephone

+447947706565

Website

https://linktr.ee/devernon, https://devernon-psychotherapy.selectandbook.com/, https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1

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