Cheltenham’s Counselling Centre

Roxy is a truly inspiring woman who speaks from lived experience when it comes to misogyny.

Behind Our Screens Write a postcard to your younger self What’s one thing you wish you’d known about growing up online?Maybe it’s about feeling pressured to look or act a certain way, getting stuck in endless scrolling, dealing with p**n, or just how lonely it can feel.Write a short postcard to your younger self...

How emotions show up when…

Social drama gets bigger when children try to control things they can’t, like:

* who someone sits with
* what someone says
* whether someone apologises
* what someone posts
* who someone chooses

This often leads to more upset and bigger reactions.

A helpful question is:
“What can I control?”

This week has been Safeguarding Week at one of our local primary schools, and I had the absolute pleasure of delivering a workshop to every class – which was just brilliant! 🤩

The children were fantastic – full of ideas, curiosity, and some very interesting answers! We explored what “safeguarding” really means, talked about the people in our lives who help keep us safe, and looked at important organisations we can turn to for help, including the police and Childline.

Now for the big question… does your child know what number to call in an emergency? 🤔
We heard everything from 111 to 911, and even some very creative combinations like “543” (which gave us all a smile!). It was interesting to see how many different answers came up – especially with some numbers from children’s Home Counties making an appearance. 🇵🇱 🇨🇿 🇧🇷 🇮🇳 🇷🇴 🇹🇷

The good news? Lots of children confidently knew the correct number is 999 👏

It’s such a simple thing, but knowing this one number could make a huge difference. Definitely worth a quick chat at home! 💕

There’s something incredibly freeing about talking to someone who will never sit around your dinner table, never revisit your most vulnerable moments in an argument, and never step into your personal world once you’ve opened your heart.

It’s separate. It’s protected. It’s yours.

That’s therapy 💕

Working with buttons is a surprisingly powerful way to explore identity and relationships. By choosing different buttons, placing them in certain positions, or moving them around, people can begin to see the many versions of themselves they carry — the confident one, the protective one, the overwhelmed one, the hopeful one 💕

Arranging buttons to represent family members can also bring relationships into clearer focus. Distance, direction, grouping, and even size can reveal how connected, supported, or separate someone feels. It creates a gentle, visual way to express dynamics that can sometimes be hard to put into words 💕

Today’s session took a creative turn as we used Lego to explore and express feelings across different areas of life.

Through building, we were able to represent emotions visually — showing what feels strong and steady, what feels messy or uncertain, and what might need a little more support. The models became powerful conversation starters, helping to bring thoughts and feelings to life in a safe, engaging way.

It was wonderful to see how something playful can open the door to meaningful reflection and understanding 💕

Behind every window is a story you might not see, and a burden you might not know someone is carrying. You never know what someone is going through.

Today is , a reminder that you don’t need to be an expert to listen, sometimes being there is enough. One conversation might not solve everything, but it lets someone know they aren't facing their "behind-the-scenes" alone.

Who are you checking in on today?

A very interesting article shared by a stage school I am incredibly grateful for. They have played such a significant role in helping my daughter build confidence and resilience, and have truly been her safe space during times she has struggled ❤️

Arts and Wellness Two of Morristown’s preeminent non-profit organizations working together to serve the community by advancing health and wellness with an integrative approach.

I am often asked whether I plan sessions when working with children and young people. My answer is yes — it is always helpful to have an activity in mind that the child may enjoy and that links to themes or interests brought to previous sessions. However, this plan stays very much in the background; it is there as a safety net, just in case.

I enter every session offering the young person the opportunity to take the lead, and today this lovely child did exactly that.

At times, you may begin a session feeling as though it is not going anywhere, but more often than not, a child’s interests naturally circle back to what is emotionally relevant for them.

Today’s focus was the Titanic. This young person shared an incredible number of facts — particularly remarkable given that English is not his first language and he has not been living in England for long. He truly wowed me with his knowledge, and this then opened a meaningful conversation about what it is like to move from one country to another. He was able to draw parallels between his own experience and the people on the Titanic, recognising that they would never see their families and friends again.

It was a powerful session, entirely led by the young person. 💕

A very merry Christmas from me to you 🎄