Bronwen Davies Clinical Psychologist

30/07/2026

30/07/2026

"The researchers found that when a baby was learning the language, their brainwaves were more likely to be in sync with those of the speaker. In fact, the level of synchrony was more important for predicting learning even than the brain activity of the infants themselves. But crucially, brain activity was only synchronised when the baby could fully see the speaker’s eyes...
Researchers discovered that eye contact acts as an intentional switch that synchronizes brainwaves between infants and adult speakers, directly driving language acquisition."

16/06/2026

What we eat has been scientifically proven to play a significant role in our mental health.
This informative and easy-to-read article discusses the influence that food can have on depression - either exacerbating or easing the struggle.

My depression shaped my eating habits — from bingeing to skipping meals — but learning how food affects my mood helped me build a more balanced, supportive relationship with both.

27/05/2026

"Self-esteem is the way you perceive and value yourself: your sense of worth, capability, and inner confidence. It shapes how you navigate challenges, relationships, and even everyday decisions...(S)elf-esteem isn’t fixed. It can be strengthened over time through small, consistent habits that help you build a more supportive relationship with yourself."

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/healthy-habits-to-improve-your-self-esteem?utm_term=feature&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=anxietyanddep_thinkingaloud&utm_content=2026-05-25&apid=25258710&rvid=1b483a7cdc0456ecadf9501f9d9fc2b9ff4839164c034e8d1db0de41eeeb5d47

09/05/2026

19/03/2026

Envy appears in many, if not most, relationships - in friendships, at work, between family members, in the therapy relationship, and between romantic partners. The article below focuses on Envy in romantic relationships, but much of what is written about here, also applies to the Envy found in our other relationships.

"Envy, Aristotle observed, is pain at the good fortune of others. Unlike jealousy, a three-way scenario involving the fear of losing someone or something to a competitor, envy is strictly a two-person proposition—the emotion that arises when we feel that someone possesses an attribute we crave but lack. It's a fundamental part of human nature that stems from the tendency to compare ourselves to others—friends, coworkers, siblings, celebrities, even strangers on the street."

Everyone feels envious of others at times—it's woven into our nature. But what happens when the emotion flares within the supposedly safe cocoon of a romantic relationship?

18/03/2026

Some of my clients have family members and friends who still, even in 2026, think that depression is something one can "snap out of of."
There are depression denialists amongst us, even today!

Depression hurts. And while we often pair this mental illness with emotional pain like sadness, crying, and feelings of hopelessness, research shows that depression is linked to physical pain, too. Here are seven physical symptoms of depression.

17/03/2026

Why the "Let Them" theory is unhelpful (and even dangerous):

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSxRhpjDf1c/?igsh=aHAwZHZyM3NxM25s

14/03/2026

A reflection on end-of-life care…

There is something I wish more people understood about hospice and end-of-life care.

When someone receives a terminal diagnosis and hospice is suggested, it is because the disease process is already unfolding in ways that medicine can no longer stop or reverse. By the time someone begins receiving end-of-life care, their body has already begun the work of letting go.

We cannot change the outcome, none of us holds that power. Our role, whether we are a member of the hospice team, end-of-life doulas, caregivers, or family members sitting quietly at the bedside, is to advocate, to comfort, and to reduce suffering wherever we can. We ease pain, calm symptoms, listen closely, and tend to the physical, emotional and spiritual weight that often arrives in these moments. Sometimes, when comfort replaces crisis, people are gifted a little more time, which no one could have predicted, but time is never something we can promise.

In this work, we are not the driver of the bus. The course of the illness is not ours to control. Instead, we sit beside the passenger and make sure they are not traveling alone. We show up with presence, with care, and with love.

My hope for every person who is dying is that they are cared for well, that they feel seen and held, and that their landing is soft. At the end of the day, I truly believe that anyone who is providing end-of-life care has this goal in mind. 

xo
Gabby
www.thehospiceheart.net