A Psychologists role in mental health
A clinical Psychologist is concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental disorders. OK so what is “Mental Health”? Mental Health refers to our balanced thinking, emotional well being, and adequate functioning. Good Mental Health is the absence of difficulties or disorders in the way we think, feel or behave. A person who […]
Mindfulness in Simple Terms
Have you heard the term “Mindfulness” before and wondered what it means? Our clinical psychologist, Austin Bailey discusses Mindfulness in this blog post. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is awareness of and deliberate focus on the present moment. It’s living here and now. Through mindfulness, you are freed from becoming entangled in thoughts of your past, […]
How to lose weight: Tip 1
Our Clinical Manager, Dietetics, Michelle Butler has provided a few simple tips on how to lose weight without the undesired effects of extreme dieting and weight loss. Tip No 1 ….. Record everything you eat for one week. This may be time consuming but will reveal a lot and can sometimes be very surprising. One […]
What is Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
An introduction to Cognitive Analytic Therapy as outlined by our Clinical Psychologist Austin Bayley. This is one of the many methods of treatment which are employed by our Psychologists. Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a therapeutic approach introduced by Anthony Ryle in the 1990’s. It is now widely used and effective […]
Diet Review 1: The Baby Food Diet
Our dietitian and Clinical Manager of Dietetics at Spectrum Health reviews the first of a series of fad diets… Ok so here it goes – are you ready for it……… THE BABY FOOD DIET!!! Yes that’s what I said… These delectable blends of rice and vegetables and ‘god knows what else’ are now the center […]
Test Your Stress Levels!
We all suffer from stress at one point or another and that is perfectly normal. However the negative effects which stress can cause have been heavily and frequently documented. This post provides you with a quick stress test. The experience of stress can be very damaging for your emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Too much […]
Wheat Allergy, Wheat Intolerance, and Coeliac Disease
Wheat Allergy, wheat intolerance and Coeliac Disease are often confused with each other due to their similar symptoms. However there are differences between them and it is important for your health and your food choices to know these differences because the effects. Our dietitian Michelle Butler outlines the differences between wheat allergy, wheat intolerance and […]
How to Lose Weight: Tip 2
Our Clinical Manager, Dietetics, Michelle Butler has provided a few simple tips on how to get that weight off without the undesired effects of extreme dieting. Tip No 2 ….. Weigh yourself twice a week, every Monday morning if possible and then again later in the week. A number of studies have looked at […]
Diet Review 2: KEN diet
Our dietitian and Clinical Manager of Dietetics at Spectrum Health reviews the second diet of a series of fad diets… Ok so crazy diet Number 2………… THE KEN DIET or otherwise known as the Ketogenic Enteral Nutrition diet and sometimes referred to as the feeding tube diet!! Who came up with this KEN diet? Believe […]
Social Anxiety Disorder: Self-Help Techniques
Social Anxiety is an extreme apprehension or nervousness about social situations, which leads to a person experiencing significant anxiety within a dreaded situation or a desire to avoid the situation altogether. Social Anxiety is a common problem which affects a large number of people. Our blog today discusses a number of self-help techniques for Social […]
Multiple Sclerosis – Tips to help Swallowing Difficulties
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients may have swallowing difficulties as a consequence of this progressive illness. Swallowing difficulties can be mild or severe depending on the stage of progression of Multiple Sclerosis. A multiple sclerosis patient more than likely has swallowing problems if they have any of the following symptoms: choking and coughing during meals, feeling […]
THINKING TIPS! Becoming More Aware of Problem Thinking (Part 1)
This is the first part of a two part blog. Today’s blog is split into numerous sections. The blog discusses different types of cognitive distortions, or thinking errors, that we all find we use now and again. Cognitive distortions are unhelpful ways of looking at the world or ourselves because they do not allow us […]
Top Tips for Healthy Cooking
Although you may be already making a conscious effort to improve the nutritional quality of your meals, you may not be aware of some of the bad habits you have picked up over the years. Despite our best efforts, we often ingest ‘mindless’ calories; meaning calories we eat that we don’t really think about or […]
THINKING TIPS! Becoming More Aware of Problem Thinking (Part 2)
Following on from our previous blog, we are discussing cognitive distortions or problematic ways of thinking. It is helpful to become more aware of how your mind works, in order to increase the chances of being better able to manage it. Once you know that sometimes you fall into flawed thinking, you can make steps […]
Parkinson’s Disease – LSVT
The following blog was written by our Speech and Language Therapist, Emer Foley. Emer is trained in the use of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) and is experienced in managing communication disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder which is caused when the cells in the brain stop producing enough dopamine […]
THINKING TIPS (PART 3): Helping with Problem Thoughts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In the last couple of blogs, we have identified typical types of thinking errors or cognitive distortions. It is important to become more conscious of our patterns of thinking because our thinking “lens” affects how we see ourselves, other people, and the world. If we are free of most or all thinking errors, our thinking […]
How to Lose Weight: Tip 3
Following on from last weeks blog, here is tip number 3 for How to Lose Weight as outlined by Michelle Butler, clinical manager for Spectrum Health’s Dietetics services. Tip No 3……. Choose 2 -3 small changes you can start with and write these down. Don’t set the bar too high. Goals don’t necessarily have to […]
Aphasia – What You Might Not Know
Aphasia is a language disorder or impairment which affects many people. Today’s Speech and Language blog provides some interesting facts which you might not have known about the condition. – Aphasia is a language disorder that is caused by damage to area of the brain that controls language. – Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder, […]
