To understand what it means to boost your mental fitness using mindfulness and self-awareness techniques, I invite you to do something that looks simple. Stop what you are doing and fold your arms in front of you, across your...

Being mindful means being aware of what's going on around us and within us: understanding what we are doing and why. Much has been written about what it means if you fold your arms in different directions, but that is...

Why counsellors are communicators, not rescuers. Counsellors are communicators. Communication lies at the very heart of the counselling process. Without good communication, counselling is pointless and somewhat dangerous. Dangerous because unless we follow the core principles of counselling communication, we...

A quick thought for Sunday morning. Even the most alpha of alpha males wants three things: to be seen, to be heard and to be loved. The chest-thumping, the destructive behaviours, or the anger, simply forms a veneer of...

It is wrong to assume that one approach to counselling will fit each client. I have had male clients for whom a feminine approach to counselling helps them more and female clients for whom a masculine model works better....

Despite many global studies showing the benefits of counselling for men, a 'man-rules' culture dominates the male approach to mental health and fitness. In part, the counselling model, with its feminine bias, is a block for men. Developing a...

Counselling for men needs to engage our hearts (emotions), minds (intellect) and will – along with having a strong practical element. Many clients come to counsellors seeking something of a miracle. Immediate relief is preferred; if not, answers to all the...

A chapter in an edited book on grounded theory (Glaser, 1994) changed my perception of grounded theory and my development of the grounded counselling approach. The chapter was titled: "Grounded Therapy", written by Odis Simmons. I first read Simmons' work in the...

Coping with grief (human or pet) takes many different forms. Often, people feel that the dead person may walk through the door at any moment, feel guilty that they could or perhaps should have done, feel guilty that they...

Bereavement or losing someone we love is always difficult; however, if you have the chance, there are some things we can do that can help smooth out the troughs of despair we will face: Being prepared. If you know the...