Counselling Drogheda

26/09/2026

The problem of incessant self criticism is not just mine alone, of course. So many people suffer from it. Over time, we start suggesting to other people that they give their inner critic a name… give it a wardrobe, give it a persona. Because everything is going to depend on how you relate to that inner critic.

I name my own inner critic Lucy — after the character in the Peanuts comic strip. I had seen a cartoon where Lucy is talking to Charlie Brown. She says to him, "You know, Charlie Brown, what your problem is? The problem with you is that you're you.”

I keep walking by a desk where someone had left the cartoon and my eyes would fall on that line over and over. Even after all my years of practice, it’s such a familiar voice — the voice of my own internal critic. But here’s the difference:

Not long after I see that cartoon — and name my inner critic Lucy — something really good happens for me. I flow effortlessly into a yoga posture that had eluded me for years. The first thought I have is:

"It's never going to happen again."

And then I breathe. I respond to the thought with:

"Hi Lucy. Chill, Lucy. Just chill out."

It’s not, “You’re right Lucy. You’re always right.”

It’s not, “I can’t believe Lucy is still here after all this work. I’m so ashamed.”

It’s: “Hi Lucy. Chill.”.

Sometimes I invite Lucy in for a cup of tea and sit her down. But I don't let her take over. We can be a little hospitable and even tender, but just give her a place. I’m now aware of Lucy. And I know that my awareness is stronger than she is.

Image by .i.am.sad

27/08/2026

If you have a little one who is nervous about going back to school after the holidays. Here are a few little pocket-sized ideas that might help!

Pocket Promises:

Write out little promises of treats for your child (for example, an extra bedtime story, a family movie or puzzle night, homemade popcorn, trip to the park or playground, they can pick their favourite dinner) and put them in a jar. Every morning your child gets to pick out a pocket promise and cash it in when they get home from school.

Pebble in my Pocket:

Find two very similar pebbles, gem-stones or crystals. You keep one in your pocket and the child keeps the other in their pocket. Tell them that any time they feel a little nervous or are missing you they give their pebble a little squeeze. It is a very concrete reminder of their connection to you. [Some alternatives to a pebble that they might like to keep in their pocket are a little photo of mum/dad/family, or a hankie with your perfume/aftershave on it]

Worries in My Pocket:

Talk to your child about any worries they have about starting school. Write the worries down on pieces of paper. Then you put the pieces of paper in your pocket. Tell your child you are going to carry their worries for the day while they are in school, so they don’t have to carry them alone. This can really help to ease any fears they may have.

08/08/2026

There is a well-known idea that we don’t see the world as it is, we see it as we are. There is something psychologically important in this. We never experience life completely independently of ourselves. We experience it through the filter of our memories, expectations, fears, beliefs and emotions. It’s why two people can live through the same event and come away having experienced something quite different. Our inner world powerfully shapes our outer one. When we look through the lens of shame or regret, we can find ourselves held back by things that happened years ago. When we look through the lens of fear, uncertainty can begin to feel like danger. When we expect rejection, criticism or disappointment, we become particularly good at noticing evidence that confirms it. And, without realising it, we carry those expectations into our relationships, our choices and our futures… but a lens is not the same thing as reality and lenses can change 😊 That doesn’t mean pretending the painful things didn’t happen, finding a positive interpretation for everything and Disneyfying our lives. There are experiences that really were terrible, people who really did let us down, things we wish had been different. Changing perspective doesn’t change any of that - it changes what we do with it now. Gratitude can teach our attention to notice what is here as well as what is missing. Kindness, in thought as much as action, can soften the way we experience other people. Learning not to believe every frightened thought can make the world feel a little less threatening. And deciding to stop endlessly harassing ourselves for our mistakes, inadequacies and very human imperfections can leave more room for something gentler. These small shifts in how we think and what we attend to, repeated over time, can change the way we experience our lives. Notice when an old lens is making the world darker than it needs to be and try a refocus ☺️☺️☺️

20/05/2026

As we are coming towards the end of the school year, this is such a great message for our children from Rachel Marie Martin:

Dear kids. You are not a number.
The world will try to assign numbers to you
scores, grades, potential
but you are so much more than any number.
Numbers miss your kindness, your creativity,
your empathy, your heart.
You are never a number,
but rather, always remember, you are priceless.

17/07/2025

Are you a man feeling low? Fed up? Angry? Numb?
You’re not the only one — and you don’t have to carry it alone.

This is a weekly drop-in group for men to talk, listen, or just be. No pressure.
Work stress, family pressure, loneliness, grief — it’s all welcome here.

No fixing. No judgment. Just real talk, real men, real support.

✅ Led by a trained facilitator in a private and respectful space
✅ Confidential. Safe. Supportive.

If you’re a woman reading this, please share it with a man you care about — your partner, brother, son, or friend. It might be exactly what he needs💚❤️

17/06/2025

No limits.
You are not a burden.
You are cared for ~ Mandy

17/05/2025

👏👏👏

07/05/2025