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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
THINKING TIPS (Part 4) !! Helping With Problem Thoughts
We continue today on questioning unhelpful thoughts, which have a negative impact on our lives. If you have missed any of the previous parts of this series of blogs, they can be found here in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Returning to our list of techniques which can be applied: 1) Question the […]
How to Reduce Alcohol Consumption
In one of our previous blog posts we discussed alcohol abuse and how to identify if a problem is present. Today we discuss some ways to help reduce alcohol intake. In a country where social settings are heavily focused on drinking, it can be a daunting and difficult task to reduce consumption but it is […]
Managing Intrusive Thoughts
What is an Intrusive Thought? An intrusive thought is a thought or image that pops into mind on a frequent, uncontrolled basis causing us distress, frustration, or upset. The intrusive thought could be anything that disturbs you, such as losing control, making a mistake, health worry, or unsettling thoughts about others. It is as if […]
Am I having a panic-attack? (Part one)
Panic-attacks can be a very difficult and scary experience, which can last more than ten minutes. Panic-attacks typically include the following symptoms: racing or pounding heartbeat, chest pains, nausea, dizziness, difficulty breathing, a sense of feeling smothered, tingling or numbness in the hands, hot flushes/chills, trembling and shaking, dreamlike sensations, terror, a sense that something […]
Am I Having a Panic Attack? (part 2)
In part one of our Panic Attack blog we discussed some of the symptoms experienced. In this section we cover how to understand what is happening and also some methods by which to manage and help yourself through a panic attack Understanding your panic-attacks and helping yourself The experience of panic-attacks can be very frightening […]
Am I Having a Panic Attack? (Part 3)
Helping yourself with panic-attacks…. Following on from our last two blog entries on panic-attacks (click for part one and part two), our Psychologist, Dr. Austin Bayley, has outlined some more tips for overcoming panic. We discuss some ways to help you move forward and how to deal with episodes of panic. Practice relaxation and mindfulness […]
Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep
Getting good sleep is an essential part of your mental and physical well-being and functioning. There are a surprising number of non-pharmacological (medication) interventions available. Many need practise, and as with many things in life, different interventions will suit different people. One technique requires the person to restrict the amount of time spent in bed […]
Encouraging Statements: Listen to Your Inner Voice (Part 1)
Today’s blog focuses on creating a positive and realistic ‘ inner voice ’ within ourselves. It is important to take time and effort to sustain and pay attention to our attributes, skills, and humanity. Many of us can tend to be harsh, demanding, and critical with ourselves, which can result in low mood, poor self-acceptance, […]
Encouraging Statements: Listening to You Inner Voice (Part 2)
Listening to our Inner Voice is something that we might not do as much as we should do. In the first section of this blog we discussed another list of Encouraging thoughts which can be used to help you feel more positively about yourself. See which of the below statements applies to you: I am […]
How Can Exercise Help With Depression & Anxiety?
The symptoms of Depression & Anxiety can often be improved when individuals introduce exercise and physical activity into their lives. For people who suffer from depression & anxiety, exercise may be one of the last things on the mind. Exercise can make a huge difference to peoples lives once they get motivated to begin It […]
Does Stress help prevent Depression?
In a post from last week, we discussed the instances on mental health issues in Ireland. The words ‘stress’ and ‘depression’ are two that are common in everyday life and today our counselling Psychologist Andrew Dillon, discusses how stress can in fact be helpful to our lives in certain circumstances. Stress is a Part of Everyday Life […]
Raising Awareness for Mental Health Problems Ireland
World Mental Health day takes this Thursday, October 10th . On this day the goal is to raise awareness for mental health problems. Our awareness of these issues is often raised in a negative light but it is important that we all begin to change our mindset with regard to mental illness. We hear of […]
