THE SPARK BLOG
Self-harm: the truths and the myths
Self-harm, or to give it it’s up to date classification ‘non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), is defined in the NHS dictionary as ‘deliberate injury to oneself, typically as a manifestation of a psychological or psychiatric disorder.’ Self-harm is basically behaviour...
Adolescence: 4 truths adults need to know
Adolescence can be one of the most emotionally turbulent times in a person's life; hormones, changing responsibilities, the rewiring of the prefrontal cortex of the brain and difficult social and emotional situations can all take a toll on the emotional wellbeing of...
Meet the Counsellor – Dorothy Jappy
Continuing our new series 'Meet the Counsellor' we are talking to Dorothy Jappy – one of our Edinburgh counsellors - to find out more about her passion for therapy and why The Spark is such a respected counselling provider. Each month we will be interviewing one of...
Meet the Counsellor – Paula Miller
Each month we will be interviewing one of The Spark's team of counsellors based around Scotland. We hope the "Meet the Counsellor" series will offer an insight into the therapeutic services provided by The Spark, what happens in a counselling session and why we are a...
6 ways to keep a New Year resolution
January is probably most famous for New Year resolutions. It is also famous for something else: the complete failure of New Year resolutions before the end of the month. No matter whether your New Year resolution is to lose weight, keep date night with your spouse...
Anxiety: 6 self-care tips from a psychotherapist
Anxiety can be described as “distress or uneasiness of the mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” In some situations, it can be very helpful and even life-saving. As John-Roger and Peter McWilliams explained in their seminal book 'You Can’t Afford the Luxury of...
Barriers to counselling
It is difficult to imagine going to counselling before making that first step. While we are starting to become more understanding about mental health issues and seeking professional help, there is still a lot of fear, doubt and confusion creating barriers to...
How to cope with the winter blues – part 3
In the final part of The Spark's 'How to cope with the winter blues' series, we're offering a few more tips on keeping your mood up when the sun is going down. You can catch up with part 1 and part 2 where we looked at how a 'sexy raincoat', not being Gordon Gekko and...
How to cope with the winter blues – part 2
Welcome to part 2 of The Spark's 'How to cope with the winter blues' series offering our tips on ways to defeat the winter blues. Catch up on part 1 of 'How to cope with the winter blues' where we looked at how embracing the winter season, taking up a new indoor...
How to cope with the winter blues – part 1
When the days start getting shorter and the nights longer, many people start to feel their mood drop. Unlike Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – a form of clinical depression – the ‘winter blues’ is a general term for the feelings of sadness and lethargy we can all...
How to support your relationship in retirement
Most couples look forward to retirement, eager to spend more quality time together. Free from the constraints and pressures of work it is a chance to relax and, especially if the nest is empty, an opportunity to embrace hobbies new and old.The reality of...
The challenge of learning to trust others
The Oxford Dictionary defines trust as “a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something”. Right now, you probably have a list of names that come to mind of people you trust and, perhaps, people you don’t.But what...
Scribble game: how to help kids relax and open up about emotions
Edith Kramer, a pioneer in the field of Art Psychotherapy, created the ‘scribble game’ for use in the early stages of therapy. Her idea was to create an unthreatening way for children to express themselves and open up about emotional issues. In this article, Children...
The upside of lockdown dating
For single people everywhere, the Coronavirus pandemic has created more obstacles than normal on the path to finding a new partner. In this article, Counsellor Sarah Woodcock looks at why lockdown dating could offer benefits that might lead to a stronger,...
Using active listening to help ease our way out of lockdown
The easing of Coronavirus lockdown is cause for much celebration. But for some households, it may increase tension between family members. Children and Young People’s Counsellor John Kennedy looks at why active listening could help parents and carers...
Easing lockdown: how to help children learn new rules
As the process of easing lockdown gathers pace, the rules we need to adhere to are becoming more complex. Younger children may struggle to understand or stick to them. Presenting parents and carers with the challenge of helping them understand and follow...
Loss: how to help children and young people cope
Change is an inevitable and necessary part of growing up. With every change there is an element of loss, even when the changes are welcome. Whether it is the grief that comes with the loss of a favourite toy as a child or the death of a beloved...
Back to work after lockdown: how to manage your child’s anxieties
In the weeks ahead, parents will begin returning to work after lockdown. For children of all ages, the easing of Coronavirus restrictions may create, or heighten, anxieties and fears. From an emotional perspective, children have come to rely on and become...
Understanding the teenage brain: a short introduction for parents
Neuroscientists consider 25 to be the age at which the human brain becomes fully developed. Until then, they should be considered a work in progress. Which is particularly the case for the teenage brain.For generations, parents have wrestled with the...
Coping with isolation
Coping with isolation and loneliness was something many of us were trying to do before Coronavirus (Covid-19) turned our reality upside down. Over 9 million people in the UK reported feelings of loneliness and isolation before this new reality emerged.From...
Understanding anger for parents
Along with happiness and sadness, anger is perhaps one of the most common emotions we experience in everyday life. We all experience anger in different ways but it can often become an easy ‘go-to’ emotion for children and adolescents. By understanding...
