Dan Entwisle MBACP

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Dan Entwisle MBACP

His approach is calm, boundaried, and grounded in careful therapeutic work.

Dan Entwisle is an experienced counsellor working with adults seeking a thoughtful, confidential space to address pressure, complexity, and significant life decisions.

23/07/2026

It has been so arid this year that crops have been too dry to harvest. It’s all about moisture levels in the grain being within strict margins.

The combines are out earlier, starting before dawn and finishing before the sun dries the crop too much. The opposite of that phrase “making hay while the sun shines.”

Adaptability is the key here and whether you are a farmer financier, or fishmonger, obstacles will always come along to test resilience.

An opportunity to panic, or a chance to thrive?

The choice is yours.

Meanwhile, this field near me looks ready for the attention of a CLAAS 750 Lexion combine any day now.

13/07/2026

Have you ever found yourself replaying the same conversation over and over again in your mind?

Maybe it's something you wish you had said. Perhaps it's something someone else said to you. Or is it a conversation that never happened at all?

One exercise I sometimes suggest in therapy is writing a letter that is never intended to be sent.

So, what's the point if nobody is ever going to read it?"

Well the letter isn't really for the other person. It's for you.

Writing gives your thoughts somewhere to exist outside your own mind. It slows everything down and allows you to see what you're really thinking and feeling, rather than simply experiencing it.

When we read the letter back a day or two later, we often notice things we hadn't seen before. What felt like anger may actually be hurt. The issue we thought mattered most may turn out to be something quite different.

The letter might become the starting point for a future conversation, or it may stay private forever. Either way, it has often done something valuable by helping you understand yourself a little better.

Have you ever found that writing something down helped you make sense of a difficult situation?

06/07/2026

Did you notice something special this morning?

Across England, families were celebrating together.
Living rooms erupted with cheers. Parents hugged their children. Friends laughed together. Grandparents shared memories of tournaments gone by. Even complete strangers found themselves smiling at one another.

Sport has a way of bringing us together. It reminds us that, despite our differences, we all enjoy sharing moments of joy, hope and celebration with the people we care about.

Our families are our first team. They celebrate our victories, help us through our defeats and stand beside us when life doesn't quite go to plan.

So, whatever you're doing today, take a moment to appreciate your team.

Whether that's your family, your friends or the people who always have your back, they're the ones who make life's best moments even more special.

Who's in your team? Give them a shout-out in the comments, or better still, tell them how much they mean to you today.
❤️⚽

29/06/2026

How many things in your life feel like a crisis today?

If you're like many people I speak to, the answer is probably "too many."

That email marked urgent. That difficult conversation you've been putting off. The news. The bills. Family pressures. Work deadlines. The uncertainty about what happens next.

When everything feels like a crisis, we stop distinguishing between what needs our attention today and what can wait until tomorrow. We spend energy reacting instead of thinking. We become exhausted because our minds never get permission to stand down.

I've found that one of the most helpful questions is

"What actually needs me right now?"

Often, the answer is far smaller than our anxious minds would have us believe.

If anxiety, or stress are making it difficult to separate the two, I'd be pleased to help. Feel free to get in touch.

22/06/2026

Decisions - or to be exact one person’s decision is dominating the news right now.

Have you ever had to make a decision that kept you awake at night?

The hardest decisions are rarely about us alone. They can affect our partner, our children, our parents, our career, our finances, or the people who depend on us.

The weight of responsibility can become overwhelming, and every option seems to carry a cost.

People often tell me they feel stuck. They're frightened of making the wrong choice, so they make no choice at all. Yet even standing still is a decision, and it has consequences too.

Talking things through with someone who isn't part of the problem can bring a different perspective.

Counselling won't make the decision for you, but it can help you untangle your thoughts, understand what's driving your fears, and find the confidence to choose the path that feels right for you.

So, back to the question...
What decision is keeping you awake at night?

If you're carrying the weight of an important decision and would value a confidential, non-judgemental space to think it through, send me a message. I'd be pleased to help.

15/06/2026

What keeps us going when life seems determined to knock us backwards?

Carl Rogers, the psychologist who developed the person-centred approach to counselling, believed that human beings possess what he called an "actualising tendency" – a natural drive towards growth, healing and fulfilment.

His evidence came from a rather unexpected place.

A cellar full of potatoes.

Rogers described potatoes that had been left in darkness for months, yet each one had produced shoots reaching towards the tiny amount of light available.

He saw something profoundly human in that image.

Most of us will experience times when we feel overwhelmed, anxious, bereaved, exhausted or defeated. We may feel as though life has knocked us off course. We may wonder whether we have the strength to carry on.

Yet often there remains something within us that keeps moving forward, that gets us out of bed in the morning. Something that encourages us to keep trying. Something that refuses to give up on the possibility that things can get better.

Perhaps that is what Rogers was seeing in those spuds.

So what keeps us going when life seems determined to knock us backwards?

According to Carl Rogers, it is the same force that caused those shoots to reach for the light.

And if life feels particularly difficult at the moment, perhaps it is worth remembering that the part of you reaching for the light may still be there, even if you cannot see it clearly right now.

If this resonates with you, or if you have been struggling with anxiety, stress, loss or life's challenges, feel free to send me a message. Sometimes talking things through with another person can help us find our way forward.

(Photo: My first attempt at growing potatoes taken in the garden this morning!)

08/06/2026

Have you ever noticed yourself changing the subject, explaining, or becoming defensive when someone raises a difficult issue?

Psychologists call this deflection.

It is a common way of protecting ourselves from uncomfortable feelings such as shame, guilt, vulnerability, or fear of criticism. The difficulty is that when deflection becomes a habit, important conversations never really get resolved.

A useful question to consider is:

"What feeling am I trying not to experience right now?"

Understanding our reactions can be the first step towards meaningful change.

If you find yourself stuck in the same patterns in relationships, work, or everyday life, counselling can help you explore what may be happening beneath the surface.

Feel free to DM me for an informal chat about how counselling might help.

01/06/2026

Are you a people-pleaser?

Many people use that phrase when what they really mean is that they've learned to put other people's needs, feelings, and approval ahead of their own.

It can feel easier in the moment. It avoids conflict and keeps the peace.

But over time it can leave you feeling exhausted, resentful, and disconnected from what you actually want.

One small change can make a big difference: pause before you answer.

Instead of saying "yes" automatically, try saying:

"Let me think about that and get back to you."

That brief pause gives you time to consider what is right for you, rather than what keeps everyone else happy.

Your value does not depend on always agreeing, always being available, or always putting yourself last.

If people-pleasing is affecting your relationships, confidence, or wellbeing, counselling can help you understand where it comes from and begin to make different choices.

Feel free to message me if you'd like to find out more.

25/05/2026

What are you doing looking at Facebook on a Bank Holiday?

Get your priorities right. Those emails, can wait. That “just checking something quickly” can wait too.

The sun is shining, relax. Sit in the sun for a bit. Read something unrelated to work. Put your phone in another room.

The world will survive one day without your productivity.

And if your first instinct this morning was to open Facebook before opening the curtains, there’s something too you might like to think about.

Also, if you would like to work with me - please get in touch. But not today!

18/05/2026

What actually counts as an achievement in life?

A lot of us immediately think about the obvious things. Qualifications. Promotions. Awards. Money. Status. The things the world notices and applauds.

But when we think about the people who have genuinely mattered to us, it is usually something much more human that we remember.

The friend who stayed beside us during difficult times. The person who could make us laugh when life felt heavy. The parent who made us feel safe. The neighbour who checked in. The colleague who kept everybody calm when stress levels were rising. The person who listened without judgement.

There are no certificates for those things.

No medals for kindness. No trophies for emotional warmth, reliability, loyalty, patience, or simply being somebody others feel comfortable around.

And yet those qualities often matter far more than the achievements we can put on paper.

Psychological research tells us that human wellbeing is strongly connected to relationships, belonging, meaning, and feeling valued by others. In other words, we do not just need success in life. We need connection. We need to feel that who we are matters.

Maybe achievement is not only about what we have done, but also about the effect we have on the people around us.

If this connects with something in your own life, or if issues around self-worth, identity, confidence, or life changes are something you are struggling with at the moment, feel free to get in touch.

Address

Tynemouth
NE302LD

Telephone

+447407108571

Website

http://danentwisle.com/

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