Why does it feel like I'm drowning when I have anxiety or a panic attack? People suffering from anxiety or a panic attack will often tell me that they feel a crushing feeling in their chest and that they are aware of breathing really fast and shallow. They report...
Chronic pain and persistent physical symptoms It’s not all in your head, it’s in your 'BodyMind' “What is your relationship with the sensation?” she asked. Within milliseconds my brain replied, “I am its captive. It has control over me”. The sensation in question was...
How perfectionism fuels anxiety 15-years ago perfectionism spun my anxiety into warp drive at work. A year of chronic stress and anxiety from that perfectionism tipped me over the edge into exhaustion. I like to think that I have a strong work ethic and a drive to do...
Find safety in your body Mama Mia… here we go again. As the second wave of Covid-19 hits Australia, it feels like we will never get back to ‘normal’ life again. This week someone said to me “it feels like I’m looking at a tsunami wave coming towards me, but there’s...
Four ways that music calms your anxiety Music has the ability to soothe our soul like nothing else. Your choice of soothing music has the ability to reduce your anxiety, make you feel calmer and happier. Here are four ways in which music calms your anxiety: ...
Breathing in the stars Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash Breathing in the stars and breathing out stress A few years ago, one of my clients told me how he had adapted one of the breathing techniques I had given him. I loved it so much I immediately told everyone...
How to do the calming 4-7-8 breath technique The calming 4-7-8 breath technique is an easy way to calm yourself down when you are feeling stressed out. The long, slow exhale is what calms your nervous system and takes you down into that lovely 'rest and digest'...
Square breathing to calm the mind Square breathing is one of the simplest breathing techniques I know to calm your nervous system, which will calm your mind and your body. And the beauty of it is that you can do it literally anywhere! Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash...
Deep Sleep Reduces Anxiety Levels When we have anxiety often one of the first things to suffer is our sleep. It may be difficult for us to drop off to sleep: we ruminate, toss and turn. Or maybe you have no problem dropping off, but wake suddenly at 3 am with an...
Why I get you to move and breathe in your session: the neuroscience Have you ever wondered why I invite you to move or breathe deeply in your session? Have you questioned how it makes you feel better? With my training in both body psychotherapy and dance-movement...
The Impact of Music on the Nervous System Sounds can either delight or irritate the nervous system, which in turn has an impact on how we feel, think and behave. Last Thursday a car parked in my street had the alarm going off every 5 minutes from 10am until they...
Emotional eating (and how to stop) Do you struggle with food cravings? I do. I'm an emotional eater but learning the neuroscience and psychology of emotional eating has helped me quit. People always assume that a therapist totally has their act together, but we’re...