JACQUELINE GREEN COUNSELLING

ABOUT ME

You might be someone who understands yourself to a degree. You are maybe familiar with "the work." Perhaps you’ve been to therapy before, you’ve read the books, and you have a deep intellectual understanding of why you feel the way you do. Yet, despite that insight, the anxiety, the tension, or the burnout still feel "stuck" in your system.

I offer something different: a way to bridge the gap between your mind and your body.

Insight alone is often not enough; we can understand our patterns perfectly and still feel triggered by them.

My work is designed for those who are ready to move beyond intellectualising their pain and include the body in the conversation to create real, lasting change.

My Story: Why I Work This Way

I am Jacqueline Green, a Counsellor and Supervisor with over a decade of experience. My journey into this specialised "Dual Approach" didn't come from a textbook; it came from sitting with hundreds of people in the NHS, schools, charities and private practice, and noticing a consistent missing link.

I saw people who were incredibly self-aware but remained exhausted. I saw people who could "talk through" their trauma but whose nervous systems were still living in a state of high alert.

I realised that traditional talking therapy often stops at the neck - we live in a world which prioritises living in our 'heads'. To truly heal, we have to address the body - the place where our history, our stress, and our survival instincts actually live. This realisation led me to deepen my practice with specialist training in Somatics, nervous system regulation, and trauma-informed care.

The Dual Approach: Mind & Body

My practice is built on two inseparable pillars:

Talking Therapy: We work together to name, understand, and make meaning of your story. We look at the patterns you’ve developed and the narrative you carry about yourself.
Somatic Work: We include your body’s intelligence. We track sensations and reactions to access what the body is still holding. By working with your nervous system, we move from just "talking about" the problem to actually shifting how it feels in your system.

A Wider Perspective: It’s Not Just You

I believe that your symptoms - whether physical tension, depression, anxiety, chronic overwhelm, or emotional exhaustion....are often intelligent responses to the world around you, not personal failures. One of the most vital parts of my work is gently naming the wider context of your life. For example, we live in a world of "rush culture," patriarchy, and systemic pressures that demand we over-function and ignore our own needs.

I am not here to help you ‘cope better’ with a world that is harming you. I am also not here to help you 'tolerate more'. My goal is to help your body recognise these external pressures so we can lift the burden of shame. When we name the systems at play - discrimination, conditioning, oppression, or social expectations - we disperse the personal responsibility you’ve been carrying.

This allows you to let go of the belief that you are the 'problem', let go of the shame and move into a place of compassion and empowerment. You can stop "tolerating" and start building the capacity to honour your own truth.

Professional Integrity

While my approach is grounded in warmth and a light heart, it is built on a foundation of rigorous professional standards.

10+ Years of Clinical Experience: A background spanning the NHS, secondary education, the third sector and private practice.
Registered Member of the BACP (MBACP): I work strictly within the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.
Specialist Somatic Training: Post-qualifying expertise in nervous system regulation and trauma-informed practices.
Clinical Supervisor: I provide supervision for other practitioners looking to integrate a somatic and systemic lens into their work.

How to Begin

My tone is grounded, direct, and deeply compassionate. I meet you as a fellow human, helping you decode the information your body is giving you so you can finally choose differently.

Whether you are navigating grief, traumatic experiences, life transitions, or systemic burnout, I offer a steady container for your journey.

I work Online and Outdoors (Walk-and-Talk) in Dunbar.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that our rest must be “earned,” as if human value is something we only get to claim after the to-do list is empty. So rest only feels restful when actually you’ve ‘done’ all of the things’.

But have you noticed that even when the house is quiet or the sun is out, your body still feels like it’s bracing for an impact? It might be ‘looking’ for the next thing it needs to do.
This is the “unseen wind” of a culture that profits from our over-functioning.

When I talk about a dual approach in my practice, this is exactly what I mean. We can’t just talk our way out of a nervous system that has been wired for “Go Mode” by decades of systemic pressure.
Through a systemic lens, we name the culprits…… patriarchy, or “rush culture,” and the relentless expectation to be a machine.
We move the shame off your shoulders and put the responsibility back onto the systems that put it there in the first place.
Then, through a somatic lens, we attend to the “hum” in your limbs and the tightness in your chest. The anxiety and the compulsions you feel to ‘do more’.

I don’t force you to relax; I simply create a sturdy, compassionate container where your body can finally learn that it is safe to set the heavy lifting down.

Slowing down isn’t a luxury. It’s a quiet, powerful act of rebellion against a world that wants you to stay exhausted.

🕊️

#eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #somatictherapy #systemictherapy #walkandtalktherapy

Have you ever wondered what actually goes into that 50-minute session?

I sat down to do the “Therapy Math” recently, and honestly, even my own mind was blown 🤯

When I looked at the actual numbers behind my work like the formal training, the years of advanced courses and ongoing specialist certifications…. the “50 minutes” on the clock suddenly looked very different.
In “Therapy Math,” a 50-minute session for me is actually closer to 113 hours these days 😳

That’s because when we sit together, you aren’t just getting a “chat.” You are getting over a decade of deeply held expertise. You’re getting:

• The Foundations: Thousands of hours of academic and clinical training.
• Enhanced Specialist Training: The years I’ve spent deepening my practice so we can move beyond “knowing” and into real change.
• The Invisible Labour: The weekly hours of admin, research, writing, emails, note taking, finding helpful resources, and the professional reading that happen while you’re not looking.
• The Clinical Integrity: The constant investment in supervision and peer reflection to ensure you are getting the safest, most effective space possible.
• The “Background Processing”: The time I spend reflecting on your story, your progress, and your unique patterns while I’m living, like when I’m cooking food, running, watching tv or sitting in the garden drinking that cuppa with the sun on my face 😌

I don’t just “show up” when the session starts; I have been preparing to meet you in that space for over ten years.

It’s an investment in a regulated, grounded presence. Because you aren’t just paying for a slot on a calendar - you’re paying for the capacity, the depth, and the “knowing” it takes to help you finally feel unstuck.

Does this change how you see your 50 minutes?
I’d love to hear your thoughts below. 👇🥹

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

I was talkative, pushed back when things felt unfair or confusing, used gentle challenge to my advantage (being cheeky? 😝) and I alwayssssss asked the questions no one else could.

In class, okay, maybe being asked to stop talking for the #12th time was maybe a little disruptive for the teacher 😬 but I meant no harm, I just reeaaaaally wanted to understand why my friend had done that thing!

Wanting to understand instructions and next steps and asking for clarity in class meant I was ‘fussy’ according to an older teacher in the school. And I was told that my focus was off because I was too chatty. I think maybe I was just focussing on what was important to me! Not pythagorus’ theory or the battle of 1066.

Understanding people, being curious, learning about why, sharing ideas, working out what this means, helping people, and talking all things private was where I came alive.

I read the Dear Dierdre comments in the newspaper like they were comic books, I watched daytime chat shows for a hobby, I read every biography known to man before age 16 and I watched all the trauma documentaries growing up. (If you’re a millennial, you’ll understand).

This career was always meant for me.

Luckily for me, I didn’t listen to what teachers thought about my choice of passions….. once I found sociology and psychology, there was no dent they could make in my esteem 😆

So there’s my take on the teacher meme going around.
If only I could go back and tell them I get paid for just being me now 🥹☺️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy

Being with clients is what I love the most.
But to ensure I’m working ethically, safely and competently, there are things I need to do!
Some fun, some not so fun! 🤓

Probably missed a few but it’s Friday and I’m checking out for the week so you’ll have to bare with me 😌

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

We’re not short of insight.

Some of the people I work with are deeply self-aware.
They’ve read the books.
They know their patterns.
They can articulate exactly why they react the way they do.

But capacity is something different.

Capacity is being able to pause in the moment you’re triggered - instead of spiralling.

It’s feeling anger rise and not immediately swallowing it.

It’s noticing the urge to overwork and choosing to stop - even when guilt shows up.

It’s having a hard conversation without your body going into shutdown.

It’s resting without your nervous system telling you you’re unsafe.

Capacity is what allows insight to become action.

And capacity isn’t built through thinking harder. Reading more books. Reasoning with yourself.
It’s built through working with the nervous system.
Through learning what activation feels like in your body. Through gently increasing your tolerance for discomfort. Through creating experiences of safety that your system can actually register.

This is the dual approach I offer…… blending talking therapy with somatic work, so we don’t just understand your patterns, we help your body update them.

That’s how the gap between awareness and lived change begins to close.

No more books 😉

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

In my work, we bridge the gap between understanding and embodiment, so your body can actually feel the safety, boundaries, and pacing you intellectually agree with.

🌼 Because it’s one thing to say, “I need to rest.”
It’s another for your nervous system to believe it’s safe to stop.

🌼 It’s one thing to know you’re allowed to set boundaries. It’s another for your body not to brace for rejection when you do.

🌼 It’s one thing to recognise you’re stuck in a pattern.
It’s another to have the physiological capacity to choose differently.

Awareness happens in the mind.
Lived change happens when the body updates too.

That’s the difference between insight and integration.
Between knowing — and becoming.

Guiding you towards integration - on living life through your mind AND body - is something I love to do.
My diary is full just now and unable to take any new counselling clients on but feel free to message me to be out on the wait list! 😌
J

Choosing enough, not optimal.

After being ill recently, I’ve been leaning into this approach more and more. Not bouncing back, not catching up, not proving to myself or anyone that ‘I’m better’.
Just enough.

I’ve left my messages unread, I’ve enjoyed slow pace walks and not workouts, I’ve eaten ‘stuff’ and not always ‘well’ and I’ve rested without it being labelled as a ‘glow up plan’. I’ve napped in between responsibilities and allowed chores to build up with no judgement.

I’ve allowed my body to set the pace.
You know when you’re ill or on holiday from work, and you know the to-do list just grows, and you get the fear of how much work you have to catch up on before you even return? Yeah well, I’ve practised the opposite of this 🤣 sorry, not sorry!

Somatically, this is self care.
When we are unwell, or burnt out, or overwhelmed, the nervous system isn’t asking for improvement - it’s asking for safety. For pacing, and repair. Not full steam ahead!

‘Enough’ is a regulated choice in a culture that pushes optimism. And sometimes enough is the most self respecting thing you can do.

Please remember that doing your best is enough! Whatever that looks like that day.
If it’s just to exist and eat something - that’s enough. If it’s to zoom through a list of jobs - that’s cool too. Both are valid.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy #onlinetherapy

Recently, I’ve been floored with a virus.
To try and get well again, I’ve had some weekend days in bed, some time off work, working very small days, carrying our bare minimum tasks, and I’ve been in bed by 8pm every night.

But it didn’t have to be like this at all.

In the weeks leading up to getting ill, I knew I was doing too much. I even named it out loud to people. I’d shared on my stories that I had to have a few productive weekends at home because of a big project and that I was trying to carve out time for myself alongside it. I was aware of the load - and I was doing my best to hold it.

But knowing isn’t always enough.

This is the quiet tension we live inside of.
We notice the signs, we try to compensate, we squeeze in rest around the edges, and sometimes we still let it go on too long.

From a somatic perspective, the body is constantly communicating long before it forces a pause. Through tightness, poor sleep, irritability, frequent colds, headaches, gut issues, low mood, brain fog, emotional reactivity. These aren’t random. They’re signals.

When those signals can’t be listened to because life, work, pressure, responsibility don’t allow space - the body eventually makes the decision for us.
Often at the most inconvenient times…..

Like when you finally get time off - When a long-awaited plan arrives - When your diary is full but your reserves are empty.

Rush culture teaches us to override, minimise, push through. Somatic work teaches us something different: the body knows the cost of doing that long before the mind does.

Resisting this culture isn’t about doing less perfectly. It’s about listening earlier. Adapting sooner. Allowing the body to guide the pace instead of waiting until it collapses.
And learning to hear that information - with less judgement and more honesty - is part of the work.

This is your sign that…
‘knowing’ isn’t enough.
‘Acknowledging’ isn’t enough.
‘Understanding’ isn’t enough.
‘Underpromising’ isn’t enough.

When you see the signs, what do you usually do??

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #walkandtalktherapy #domatictherapy

My last post didn’t age well……
😏

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

Deadlines still exist. Responsibilities still exist. To do lists continue to exist.

But today, when I had a small window to make the most of 30 minutes, I walked, faced into the sun and enjoyed a present walk.
I noticed the golfers, especially the guy with the automatic caddy which drove by itself, the birds watching over the beach, the mass amounts of seaweed that had washed up, the ridges in the sand making it tricky to walk and every other little thing I passed.

If you saw my stories yesterday, you’d know that my weekend was very productive , which was a necessity this week, but that I was worn out and needed to find space for me this week in amongst the busy-ness.

So that’s what this was for me today. I showed up for myself in a busy week - not only when life feels easy.

Funnily enough, after this walk, the clouds came back and I retreated back inside to continue what I needed to do. But feeling 1 million times better for it.

I am an opportunistic, seasonally charged, emotional being who responds in the moment. Are you the same? Or would you miss out because ‘Tuesday is your laundry day?’ 🫠🤪

I urge you to think about how you can show up for yourself this week, even if it’s just 20 minutes.

Sending love!

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

It is simpler than you think ❤️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

Supervision for me, is about creating a space where you don’t have to rush through a list of tasks, you don’t have to perform in a certain way and you certainly don’t need to have it all figured out.

Its a place to slow down, take a breath to land in a familiar and safe space, so we can think together. We can then bring the parts of the work that feel heavy, uncertain, quietly meaningful and wonderfully celebratory.
Supervision with me will be somewhere you can be met as a person, not just as a counsellor, and feel supported to grow in a way that feels right for you.

I currently have space to welcome one, maybe two supervisees. If something in this resonated, you’re very welcome to get in touch - even just for a conversation about whether it feels like a good fit.

Jacques

This January, when people are making New Year’s resolutions and focussing on new projects - just remember that your healing is your lived experience, not a commodity.

Somewhere along the way, we’re told healing looks like a checklist.
And it’s exhausting - the constant pressure we put ourselves under.

But ‘healing’ doesn’t work that way.
It’s all just learning about ourselves… and that’s a complicated and never-ending journey full of messiness, contradictions and believe it or not, it can include quiet reflections that don’t actually need to make it to paper.

Read the book, attend the course, join in the activity - because you WANT to ☺️ not because it’ll bring you to the next healing checkpoint.

Healing often looks far less impressive than we were promised - and far more honest.

Just know - you don’t have to perform, show it, prove it, buy into it or get to the end of a book to achieve it.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy counselling

2025 was POWERFUL, INSPIRING and signalled a lot of CHANGE.

Long standing clients left feeling ready for their next chapters, and new clients came in search of hope…. the waves of therapy kept moving.
I’m so grateful for every relationship I’m part of.
And I really do feel that the relationships carry further than the time we spend together….
This is evidenced by so many previous clients from years ago re-entering therapy with me, when they just need that ad-hoc support to help them through the rollercoaster of life.

The deeper integration of my somatic work has been one of the biggest shifts. Not only have I committed to gaining further experience and training in this, but I’ve also stepped deeper into my own Somatics journey. It’s true what they say - you can only meet someone as deep as you’ve met yourself.
And so my commitment to my present and future clients is always to ensure I am continuing in my own journey - alongside my clients. We are in this together!

Walk and talk has had a resurgence and so I’ve spent more and more time outside. 🌳🪾⛅️
I’m seeing clients online far and wide, reaching those who need it. ❤️💻
And the amount of clinical supervision I’m offering has expanded…. For every trainee and qualified therapist I’ve supported this year - it’s a real honour to watch your journey grow. 🌱
Training inputs, partnership working and tutoring in this field will continue to expand this next year too! 👨🏼‍🏫

A few things in the pipeline line for 2026, but mainly, I aim to integrate my work with a quiet confidence and a knowing that there is beauty in letting things fall into place without too much pressure.

So let’s see what 2025 has in store for us!

Thanks for being here ❤️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #somatictherapy #walkandtalktherapy

Just a little something for you to save for later.

Instructions: repeat often 🤪

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #healing #therapy #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy #onlinetherapy #

Healing in a world which hasn’t healed yet 💛

Thoughts welcome!!!!! ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

#somatictherapy #talkingtherapy #counselling #healing #systemsarebroken #eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothian

For over a decade, talking therapy has been at the heart of my work.
 It’s where I learned how life-changing it is to be heard, (sometimes for the very first time), understood and emotionally held.
But two years ago, after a personal trauma, I realised something important….my mind understood my pain, but my body was still holding it.
 That’s what opened the door to somatic work for me. First in my own healing, then with other women in community, and now woven into my practice. And truly, it changed everything.

Somatic work didn’t replace talking therapy. It deepened it. Strengthened it. Made it more whole.
Maybe you’ll recognise yourself in this…

You’ve engaged in self reflection and growth over time.
You understand your patterns. You can name what you’re feeling. You reflect, journal, try to live in alignment, set intentions… You know yourself well.

But something still feels stuck.
 Like your insight isn’t quite reaching the part of you that’s hurting. No matter how much you ‘know’ or you can logically understand, your body still feels it deeply.
Maybe it feels it through big triggers, or maybe it seeps through in daily life through patterns or reactions that you don’t like.

If that feels familiar, somatic work might be the piece you’ve been missing.

TALKING THERAPY helps us understand. Which can lead to compassion for ourselves, and engaging in the world or with ourselves differently.  And SOMATICS helps us release the traumas and discomfort inside of us that is stuck. It helps the body complete the action it never could at the time…..
the tears, the boundaries, the running away, the scream, the tension we had to suppress to feel safe.

The way I work now blends both approaches gently and intuitively. We talk, we notice, we pause, we listen to your body together. Nothing is forced. Nothing is rushed. Just a slow, steady unravelling at your pace.

And I want you to know I’m walking this path too. I’m not “finished”. I’m constantly learning and healing alongside you. That’s why I meet you with softness, not judgement.

If you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied kind of healing… one that includes your whole self —
I’m here when you’re ready.

So many people think healing begins with understanding.
If I can just make sense of it…
If I can just figure out why I feel this way…
If I can explain it, name it, map it out… then I’ll finally feel better.
Does this sound like you? I have certainly found myself aching for more understanding at times for sure.

But clarity isn’t the starting point.
Clarity is often the result of moving, feeling, and slowly unravelling what’s been held inside the body for years.

We forget that the mind loves certainty….it wants clean answers, neat logic, a story that makes everything feel safe and predictable.
But the body?
The body doesn’t deal in concepts.
It deals in sensations, impulses, contractions, openings, and quiet truths that don’t always make sense at first.

Healing usually looks less like “I finally understand everything,”
and more like…
“I’m willing to step forward even though part of me is scared.”
“I’m trusting what I feel, not just what I can explain.”
“I’m letting my body lead me somewhere new, even when I can’t see the whole path.”

You don’t need a full plan.
You don’t need perfect emotional language.
You don’t need certainty.

You just need a small amount of courage and the willingness to meet yourself where you are -
even in the dark, even in the unknown, even when it feels messy.

And strangely…
that’s often exactly where clarity finds you.

Where talking therapy meets somatic therapy - that’s where our work begins. J x

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #somatictherapy #healing

I’m not above anyone. I’m not “more healed,” “more evolved,” or “further along.”
I’m a human doing the work too… just like you.

The difference is simply that I’ve learned to meet my own triggers with curiosity instead of shame.
When something rises in me: irritation, hurt, defensiveness, fear, I don’t see it as proof that I’ve failed or that I “should be over this by now.”
I see it as information.
A gentle signal from my body saying, something in here needs attention. And I give it that little bit of gentle attention.

That honesty keeps me soft.
It keeps me connected.
It keeps me from slipping into judgment of myself or of anyone else.

It means I can meet people exactly where they are, without needing them to be further ahead, more self-aware, or “better.”
Because I know how it feels to still be healing, even while helping others heal too.

And the path doesn’t end… FYI… it isn’t supposed to.l 😏 We grow, we regress, we notice, we repair.
Again and again.

And this is exactly how I sit with clients:
never above, never beyond….just beside.
Listening, noticing, holding what comes up with compassion instead of criticism.

Healing isn’t about becoming someone “better.”
It’s about becoming someone honest.
Someone who can hear themselves deeply enough to hear others too.

And I’m walking that path right alongside you.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #eastlothian #onlinecounselling #somatictherapy

Women aren’t “too emotional.”
They’re angry….and they have every reason to be.

Most women I work with don’t realise how much anger they’re holding because they’ve been taught their entire lives to rename it as something softer: stress, overwhelm, irritability, tiredness, sensitivity, hormonal, dramatic, overreacting.

But anger isn’t the problem.
The silence around it is.

Women are angry because they’ve been carrying the emotional labour of every room they enter since they were little girls.
Because they’ve been told to be polite while swallowing what hurts.
Because they’re expected to “understand” everyone else but are rarely given the same consideration.
Because they’ve learned that being direct makes them difficult, needy, or unkind.
Because they’ve had to make themselves small just to stay safe.

Your anger is not a flaw.
It’s information.
It’s the part of you that says, “Something isn’t fair. Something isn’t okay. Something needs to change.”

This post isn’t about blaming men or labelling women. And it’s not even blaming society or institutions (yet 😜), it’s about finally naming what has been pushed down for generations….
and giving women permission to stop apologising for emotions that were never wrong.

⭐️ Share this with the women in your circle who need to hear that their anger is valid.
⭐️ Share it with the men in your life who want to understand you better.
⭐️ Share it with the version of you who thought she had to stay quiet to be loved.

Your anger isn’t too much.
It’s the truth trying to move.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #healing #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy #anger #womenandanger

Do you struggle to be direct and communicate what you feel and need?

It’s not weakness or confusion or playing games.
It’s because the world taught women to soften themselves long before they learned how to express themselves.

Many of us grew up in environments where being direct was called rude. Where speaking honestly caused tension we were then expected to repair. Where saying no made us difficult. Where having needs made us “too much.”

So you learnt to curve your edges.
To hint instead of ask.
To protect the other person’s comfort at the cost of your own clarity.
Not because you want to be unclear… but because it once kept you safe.

Indirect communication isn’t a flaw.
It’s an adaptation.
A survival strategy shaped by years of messages that said connection only lasts if you’re agreeable, soft, accommodating.

But here’s the part that really matters.
Indirectness might protect you from conflict, but it also distances you from the relationships you want to feel close in.
It avoids rejection, but it also blocks your real needs from being met.
And none of this is your fault.

Learning how to communicate more effectively is about becoming safe inside yourself. It’s about knowing your needs don’t endanger connection.
It’s about real intimacy-with yourself and with others.

If you’re reading this and thinking yes… that’s me… please know you’re not broken. You’re patterned. And patterns can heal 😌

If this sounds like you - then send this to your partner or save it for when you meet someone. Get them to understand why you might need a little more reassurance and safety to be authentic.

And if you love a woman, a partner, a friend, sister, daughter…. share this with her.
Let her know you see the strength behind her softness.
Let her know it was never her fault.

It might open a conversation someone didn’t know how to start.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #healing #therapy #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #somatictherapy

We’ve all been told to “set boundaries.”
And it is good advice, sometimes life-saving.

Boundaries built from self-trust, awareness, and safety are essential. They help us stay grounded, connected, and in integrity with ourselves. Many of us have spent years learning to say no, to choose peace, to stop overextending, and that’s powerful work.

But here’s the part we don’t talk about enough….

Sometimes the line we draw isn’t rooted in self-trust…
it’s rooted in fear.

- Like when we don’t reply to a message because we think we’ve been rejected.
- When we ghost a friend instead of saying, “that hurt my feelings.”
- When we block someone to avoid the discomfort of conflict, not because they’re unsafe, but because we feel exposed.
- When we label every difficult conversation as “too draining” when, really, it’s just vulnerable.

Those moments aren’t shameful, they’re human.
But they’re also opportunities.

Because when a “boundary” is built on fear, it doesn’t protect our peace…it protects our pain.
It keeps us from sitting long enough in the discomfort to learn what it’s trying to show us.
It stops emotions from moving through the body, so they stay stuck, humming beneath the surface.

And this isn’t about judging yourself.
Avoidance can wear the same outfit as self-care.

When we pause and ask,

“am I protecting myself, or am I avoiding something inside me?”

we begin to tell the difference.

Sometimes a healthy boundary is closing the door.
Sometimes it’s keeping it open just long enough to breathe through the discomfort.

Both can be loving.
Both can be healing.

It’s about knowing which part of you is choosing 🤎

If you’re looking for a counsellor who can hold all of you, and encourage you to help stay with the feelings and sensations long enough to create new patterns, then that might be me. 😏😌 That’s the beauty of the therapy I provide…. Talking therapy mixed with somatic therapy. 🥰

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy #healing #boundaries

Imagine this…..

#eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #counselling #therapyinmotion #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

How can we lean into wintering? 🌲⛄️🧣🪾🌨️

Every season asks something different of us.

Summer invites expansion.
With long evenings, open windows, connection, movement, more time spent outdoors in the fresh air, lightness (and maybe even some fruit platters and iced coffees 🙃)

Winter, though, asks something quieter.
It calls us inward.
To restore, to ground, to gather ourselves.

In a world that tells us to stay “on” all year round, winter reminds us that rest is not regression…..
it’s renewal. We’re meant to have seasons too.

This is the time for slower mornings.
Stretches and wind downs. Less plans and more permission to slow down. For warm, grounding food.
For tending to what’s been neglected….
Maybe that’s our energy, our inner world and our bodies. For letting stillness do its work.

Leaning into winter isn’t about isolation.
It’s about integration.

Listening 💫 replenishing 💫 reconnecting

So that when light returns, we rise from rest, not depletion.

To make the most of winter and allow it to help us, we need to see its beauty and its strength.
It’s offers us SO much!!!!

What things can you think of doing and way of being, that can help you lean into wintering?
I would love to hear ⬇️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #eastlothian #onlinecounselling #somatictherapy

I was 14 when I got that 100% attendance certificate.
I remember feeling proud, proud that I’d pushed through. Through the tiredness, the mile long walk to school every morning in the rain and even the time I didn’t know what to do when my nan passed away so I just went to school.
I added it to my “career portfolio” as proof of commitment, perseverance, strength. Because that’s what I was told.

The thing is… I had ignored my body that whole year.
I’d ignored pain, exhaustion, tiredness, pressures, overwhelm, grief…..and I was praised for it.
How sad is that 😓

And this isn’t just about school.
We see this everywhere in the western culture:
🏃‍♀️ Going to the gym instead of resting because “discipline.”
💻 Working through lunch because “dedicated.”
🤒 Saying “I’m fine” when you’re not, because “everyone’s busy.”
🤰 Coming back too soon after birth because “you bounce back quickly.”
🧠 Staying in relationships, jobs, or routines that drain you because “you don’t quit.”
❌ Not taking sick days because you feel guilty for others picking up the work.
😤 Not showing emotion because it’s not appropriate.

We’re taught from an early age that ignoring our body is admirable.
Kids are taught to not tantrum, teenagers told to ignore anxiety and just get on with it, adults told to drink or sleep our feelings away.
That suppressing needs means strength.
That pushing through discomfort means you’re coping.

So is it any wonder that so many of us now feel burnt out, disconnected, anxious, or numb? Living in this functional but frozen state.
For many - rest feels wrong, our emotions catch us off guard, and our bodies hold tension we can’t quite name!

This is where therapy, especially therapy that includes the body, can help us unlearn these patterns.
In my work, I integrate a somatic approach into talking therapy, helping clients reconnect with their body’s signals, emotions, and rhythms.

Because healing isn’t about pushing through.
It’s about finally listening and letting your body be part of the conversation.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #eastlothian #onlinetherapy #onlinecounselling #somatictherapy

We can try so hard to make things work: friendships, jobs, relationships, habits…. but sometimes, no matter how much love, effort, or hope we pour in, they just don’t shift. And that’s okay.

So often we’re told to keep working on ourselves, to fix, adjust, or “do better,” and it can leave us feeling trapped, carrying the flak when things still don’t work out. But growth isn’t about endless self-improvement or taking responsibility for things that aren’t ours to fix. It’s about noticing what lifts you, what protects your energy, and making choices that actually serve you.

Letting go isn’t giving up.
It’s choosing a life that feels lighter, freer, and more like you.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #walkandtalktherapy #healing #eastlothian #somatictherapy

If there’s one thing I encourage you to do in therapy, this is it……

let the voice inside your head have space in the room.

Not the surface-level words, but the quiet, constant monologue underneath.
The one that says:
“You should be coping better.”
“Don’t say that out loud.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s embarrassing”
“That’s not what she wants to hear”.

I know that voice…… I’ve sat in therapy and held back too. Smiled, nodded, said the “right” things, while my mind was busy managing, analysing, protecting myself.

It’s not that we don’t want to share, it’s that we’ve learned not to.

But it’s often in that invisible struggle - the part you usually keep hidden - where the real work begins.

When those thoughts and sensations finally have space to be spoken, safely and without judgement, something shifts. It’s not about fixing or performing insight; it’s about being REAL.
Letting what’s been swirling inside you be met, seen, and understood - maybe for the first time. Learning and practicing how to vulnerable, how to be seen, how to show authenticity. This kind of relationship with a therapist can help you process the awkwardness, unlearn the narratives, increase your tolerance of discomfort, and come out of hiding….. you’re worth it 💁‍♀️

This is why I always say I offer you a space to be brave 😏

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #eastlothian #somatictherapy #innervoice

The truth is, these seasons of in-between are inevitable.
We don’t move through life in neat, tidy transitions. Instead, we shed, pause, resist, rest, question, and rebuild, often all at once.

Sometimes the old ways of being stop fitting.
The roles we hold, the habits and behaviours, the ways we used to think or feel…. they start to….. not work like they used to.
But the new version of ourselves hasn’t fully arrived yet, so we sit in this strange middle ground that feels uncertain, uncomfortable, and……
necessary.

In therapy, I often meet people here…. not at the start or the end, but right in that messy middle.
The place we are most confused, struggling and even feeling lost and scared.
But it’s also where we begin to make sense of who we’re becoming. The place where things are quietly rearranging. The process of becoming is a powerful one!

It’s not a breakdown. It’s an unfolding.
A recalibration.
A quiet kind of progress.

You don’t need to rush it or name it.
Just keep moving gently through this space with curiosity.
Every version of you is leading somewhere important.

🍂

Have you felt like you’re between versions of yourself lately? Are you shedding and becoming?

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #theraoy #somatictherapy #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #healing #lifetransitions #shedding #becoming

Our bodies are always alive with energy!!

Sometimes it shows up as tension in the shoulders, a racing heart, a restless leg, or the knot in your stomach.
Other times it’s tapping fingers, picking nails, reaching for your phone without thinking, staying busy, fidgeting, or that endless hum of thoughts in your head: the brain noise that never quite quiets.

When this energy isn’t noticed or allowed to move, it lingers. It can feel heavy, restless, or confusing.
You might feel “off” and not even know why.
It’s not about being weak or doing something wrong, it’s just what happens when life keeps moving and we keep storing it all inside.

Talking therapy, especially when combined with a somatic approach, gives this energy a space to be seen, felt, and explored.
It’s not about quick fixes or forcing calm.
It’s about noticing where the energy lives in your body, when and why it comes alive, understanding what it’s trying to tell you, and finding safe ways for it to move.

Over time, you can start to sit with yourself more fully, process what’s been stored in your body, and reconnect with your own sense of ease.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #somatictherapy

Intellectualisers listen up!!!!! 👂‼️🔔😝

We spend so much time trying to understand ourselves - analysing, explaining, making sense of why we feel the way we do. Thinking that if we understand, it’ll be easier to hold, or things will change.
But understanding isn’t the same as healing.

In the therapy room, I sit with people who know exactly what’s going on for them. They can describe their patterns, talk about their triggers, even empathise with the parts of themselves that struggle.
And yet… they still feel stuck.

[I was stuck too!! I read the books, did all the training, emotional awareness was top notch, but I too previously wondered…. But what now?]

That’s because emotions live in the body.
They’re not just things we feel or that we can talk about, they’re things we physically experience….

The tension in your jaw.
The lump in your throat.
The heaviness in your chest.
The tears that keep coming.
The gut that never behaves as we want it to.

They’re the body’s way of saying: “something here needs attention”.

Somatic work helps us tune into those sensations…
to track them, stay curious, and allow them to move through rather than get trapped.
It’s how trauma release begins.
It’s how we start to feel less “stuck” and more in tune.

In therapy with me, it isn’t about trying to think your way through, there’s another way…..
it’s about reconnecting with the parts of you that have been quietly carrying everything all along.

If you’ve been trying to understand yourself but still don’t feel any different, this might be where we begin.

Talking therapy - somatics - trauma - experiencing - release.

Get in touch if this speaks to you and you’re wondering where to begin 👋

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #healing #somatictherapy #counselling #therapy

This week, two moments really stood out to me with therapy outside.

A client and I were walking, talking about feeling stuck in life. Wondering if it was the universe’s sign to give up a dream they were pursuing.
As we noticed our pace, the way we slowed down, the pauses between us, it mirrored exactly what was happening inside.
The outside world became a kind of parallel process; the space, the air, even the uneven ground helped us both make sense of what “stuck” really felt like and what it might mean to move again.

Later in the week, a supervisee chose to have their session outside too. It rained - but we both had wellies and boots on so it gave us this permission to just put our hoods up and move at some pace! There was something so grounding and safe about it.
The sound of rain softened the edges of our words. There was no rush, no performance.
Just two people walking together, thinking, reflecting. Pausing for little moments where we noticed what was coming up in between us.
By the time we looped back to where we started, we both noticed how the conversation, like the walk, had unfolded naturally.
What began heavy had somehow found space to breathe.

That’s the quiet power of being outside.
It’s therapy (or supervision!) that moves with you…. sometimes literally, and it often finds its own rhythm before you even notice it’s happening.

🌧️ Sometimes, it’s not about the conditions being perfect. It’s about realising you can still find clarity, grounding, and safety 🌧️ even in the rain.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #healing #onlinetherapy #eastlothian #clinicalsupervision #ecotherapy

💁‍♀️

We learn to smile through so much, don’t we?
To sound okay. To seem okay. To keep going.
Even when our body quietly whispers not again.

Maybe it’s that familiar heaviness in your chest.
That tension in your jaw.
That tiny pause before you say “I’m fine” and keep moving.
Maybe it’s that reoccurring headache.
Or the gastro inflammation every year.

These are the quiet signs of a system doing its best to keep you safe…. to keep the peace, to hold it all together, to stay in control, to not be a bother.

But when we spend our lives overriding those signals,
we lose touch with what our body’s been trying to tell us all along.

In therapy, we start to notice that. It starts simple.
We might firstly start to recognise biological sensations like needing to eat or drink. Then we may move onto physiological or emotion sensations. The sighs, the pauses, the protective smiles or pleasing tendencies.
Over time we closer attention at a pace that feels okay to you.

Because awareness isn’t just in the mind, it’s in the moments your body speaks before your words do.

✨ You don’t have to keep saying “good morning”
when what you really mean is “this is hard, I’m not okay today”.

Come as you are in therapy - I’ll help you learn how to unfilter yourself
J x

Ps
Sorry for this awful video 😂💁‍♀️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #eastlothian #somatic therapy

………. is that knowing and understanding isn’t the same as healing.

You can understand why you are the way you are, trace it back, make sense of it, put all the pieces together, and still find yourself stuck in the same patterns.
Does this sound familiar to you?
It’s like the intellectualisation is there….. but then what?!

It’s because healing doesn’t just live in the mind…. it lives in the body too.
You can’t think your way out of what was learned through feeling, tension, or survival.

So much of what we call “overthinking” or “shutdown” is really the body doing what it’s always done- keeping you safe, even when that safety no longer serves you.

In therapy, we start to listen to what the body has been saying all along.
The stories that never found words, the tightness in your chest when you speak, the exhaustion that never quite lifts, the jaw that won’t relax, the urge to keep busy because slowing down feels unsafe. These are just some examples.

This is where bringing the body into therapy can be so powerful. It helps you notice. Soften. Stay with what’s happening…. not to fix it, but to understand it differently. Because when the body begins to feel safe enough to exhale, the mind can rest too.

I do this through mindful noticing, guided release, walk & talk therapy in nature, somatic awareness, trauma informed approaches and visualisation.

Therapy isn’t just about insight…. it’s about integration.
Mind and body beginning to speak the same language again.

If you’ve ever been stuck in this place I described…. there are other ways to move forward, you don’t have to stay here ❤️
Get in touch if this speaks to you! I have two spaces opening up later this October :)

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #counselling #somatictherapy #therapy #walkandtalktherapy

We tell ourselves….. ‘this is just how I am’ or ‘this is just how things are’.
That might be a behaviour we have, a habit, a relationship we are in or job. Sometimes we carry patterns for years.

But just because it’s familiar, doesn’t mean it’s the safest place to land.
Often the opposite is true because familiarity might be keeping you small, stuck and disconnected from who we really are.

The truth is, your comfort zone isn’t always comfortable - it’s predictable. And I know that predictability can feel easier than facing the unknown, but sometimes we need to do it anyway.

Noticing our patterns, choices, and ways and reflecting on what’s keeping you there is part of our therapy we can do together. As well as finding out what true safety might look like for you.

What might be possible for you? 😌

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor

We cross paths with so many people every day…… in shops, on trains, walking down the street.
From the outside, life can look ordinary.
But behind each face is a story most of us will never see.

The woman smiling at work might be holding in the tears from another night of no sleep.
The person laughing with friends might be silently battling the thought that they’ll never be good enough.
The friend who cancels plans might be weighed down by a wave of anxiety that feels too heavy to explain.

Everyone is carrying something.
Some of it visible, much of it hidden.
And it’s so easy to forget that when we’re caught in our own noise and our own pain.

This is why compassion matters.
Why slowing down and making space matters. And why, in therapy, I hold a space where all those hidden weights can be spoken aloud…. without judgement, without needing to be fixed right away, simply witnessed.

If you’re carrying something heavy and you’re tired of holding it alone, you don’t have to.
Your struggles matter. You don’t have to be alone with them.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #innerpeace #eastlothian

So many of us find it hard to let the good stuff in.

We brush past the kind words, the affirmations, the reminders of who we are… until we hear the one line that matches the story we already believe: “you’re not good enough.”

That’s the one that sticks.
That’s the one our bodies remember.

Often, this comes from the stories we were told about ourselves growing up…. sometimes directly, sometimes in the silence of what was never said.
Over time, we take those stories on as our own. We may realise, we may not.
As adults, we may repeat them back to ourselves, or they may sit in our bodies, and they shape how we feel in our relationships, our work, and even in the quietest moments alone.

In my work, I sit with people as they untangle these old stories.
We look at how they began, how they show up now, and what it might mean to write something new.
It’s not about forcing ourselves to believe affirmations overnight, but about gently learning how to anchor into truths that aren’t built on shame.

Because you are already so much more than the voice that tells you otherwise.

✨ What story about yourself are you ready to let go of?

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #eastlothian #walkandtalktherapy #healing #innerpeace #onlinetherapy

That feeling is the absolute worst.

When you’ve spent so long being what everyone else needs, you finally look in the mirror and forget what you want.

If you’re nodding along, know that this sense of being lost, disconnected, or ‘running on empty’ is incredibly common…. especially after something has changed in your life.

It’s what I call a Life Transition, and it shakes your sense of who you are.

But here’s the good news: You don’t have to navigate that internal crisis alone.

Working with me gives you a compassionate, steady space to:
❤️‍🩹 Finally put down the heaviness you’ve been carrying.
❤️‍🩹 Gently process the changes or losses that led you here.
❤️‍🩹 Reconnect with the person you actually are (or maybe even connect for the first time!)

My role is to help you steady your footing and build confidence and trust in your own way forward. Whether that’s online or through moving, mindful conversation with Walk & Talk therapy here in Dunbar, let’s find a path back to yourself.

Couple of spaces opening up in October if this speaks to you!

J x

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothian #counselling #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #innerpeace #healing

That’s because healing isn’t just about your thoughts. It’s about your whole self.

As a counsellor, I bring all of you into the room…. your mind, your body, your emotions, your nervous system, even the parts you try to push away.

✨ Sometimes that means slowing down and noticing the tightness in your chest as you talk. Or the lump in your throat. Allowing something to come up and take up space after possibly years of pushing things down.
✨ Sometimes it’s giving words to feelings you’ve kept hidden.
✨ Other times it’s simply sitting together in silence/ grief/ confusion as you experience your body and mind coming together - so you don’t have to carry it alone.

My approach in therapy isn’t about fixing you.
It’s about creating space where your mind and body can finally work together, so change feels possible.

@jacquelinegreencounselling
#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothian #counselling #therapy #healing #somatictherapy #traumainformed

I see you…

👀 Finishing work late to tick off the “last task,” even though your body is screaming for a break.
👀 Running to catch the early train, already exhausted before the day has begun.
👀 Getting the kids dressed, fed, and out the door in their best gear, while you barely managed breakfast or water for yourself.
👀 Smiling through meetings or social chats while your mind is swirling with unfinished to-dos.
👀 Comparing yourself to everyone else’s highlights reel, wondering why you can’t “do it all.”
👀 Trying to appear fine while inside you want to scream.
👀 Running from task to task when all your body needs is to slow down.

You’re carrying a lot, and it’s not small.
But noticing it is the first step toward giving yourself the care, pause, and support you deserve.

You don’t have to keep proving yourself to anyone - you just have to show up for yourself.

I know how hard it is to change lifetime habits, but I’m here to help you learn how.
Reach out if you’re ready to change how you show up!

Send this to someone who needs that friendly (blunt!!!!) reminder….. or save for a reminder when you need it 😏

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #healing #walkandtalktherapy #onlinecounselling #authenticity #selfvalue

Sometimes, you look like everything is fine on the outside.
You’re keeping it together, smiling, getting through the day.

But inside, you may be carrying stress, heavy emotions, grief or trauma, sadness, or invisible struggles that no one else sees.

That’s not a weakness. It’s nothing to fear.
It’s a signal…. showing you what matters, what needs attention, and what you haven’t given space to yet.

Making space for those feelings is powerful.
In therapy, it might look like:

⛈️ Talking honestly about what’s weighing on you.
🌧️ Listening to your body, tuning in and noticing tension, tightness, or discomfort.
🌦️ Validating your feelings, instead of judging them. Compassion goes a long way to healing!
⛅️ Setting boundaries in your own body and practising what you need to come back to safety.

When you start noticing and acknowledging these struggles, and I mean really allowing them to be there fully, it can help you make sense of things, release some of the weight, and see where you’ve got real strength.

It doesn’t have to be perfect or happen all at once….. you’re just learning to be fully yourself. Bit by bit. And that’s enough.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothian #counselling #healing #therapy #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #onlinecounselling #somatictherapy

Every now and then I take a little moment to consider what is the same, and what’s changed.

My somatic therapy and trauma informed expertise have been and continue to be integrated into the way I work.
And I think that needs a little moment.

Your body holds the story.
Your entire body, not just your brain!
I believe that so much of what we experience - happiness, joy, stress, grief, and trauma…. is held not just in our minds, but in our bodies. We are entwined and just one system after all!

That’s why my somatic and trauma-informed approach isn’t just an add-on; it’s the foundation of my practice.

In your sessions with me, whether we’re online or on a Walk & Talk session, we’ll create space for those physical feelings as well as the thought patterns.
It could be noticing a lump in your throat when you talk about loss - or feeling your shoulders relax as you walk - or noticing the your jaw unclench as we soften and validate your story - or noticing your breath on a cold winter walk as we talk about the family dinner you had on the weekend - or the anxious energy exuding from a young persons fidgety movements.

We’ll use these body sensations, along with traditional talking therapy, as a compass, gently guiding you toward a deeper understanding of yourself and helping you find a new sense of peace and wholeness.

This is about more than just comfort in conversation; it’s a journey back to yourself or towards your new sense of self.

If you’re ready to show up for yourself, I’m here and you’ve got this!

#eastlothian #onlinetherapy #walkandtalktherapy #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #healing #identity #freedom #counselling #therapy

Lately I’ve been thinking about how much we carry beneath the surface of “functioning.” From the outside, life looks fine….
we’re working, showing up, keeping things moving.
But inside, there can be layers of exhaustion, worry, or feelings we’ve pushed down just to get through.

That’s why movement matters.
When we walk, we’re not only moving forward physically, we’re giving our bodies a chance to release what’s been stored away.
Step by step, the rhythm can soften what feels stuck, and often the words come more easily than they do sitting across a room.

This is the heart of my walk and talk therapy. It offers a gentle pause from the rush of daily life, and a way to reconnect with yourself in motion and in nature.

So I wonder….. if you had the chance to walk and sit here beside me, with the sea stretching out in front of us……

……what would you want to share?

Reach out if this connects for you. J x

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #eastlothian #walkandtalktherapy #healing #innerpeace

When life gets busy, it’s so easy to feel pulled in every direction - work, family, responsibilities, expectations.
We keep going, but somewhere along the way we lose touch with ourselves. Does this resonate with you?

Anchoring is about finding those small, steadying moments that bring you back to yourself.
It doesn’t have to be big or perfect…. sometimes it’s sitting with your morning coffee before you check your phone, a walk where you notice the air, resting your body up against a wall, taking a stretch when you’re rushing around, or the simple act of breathing deeply before a hard conversation.

This month I’ve been sharing more about anchoring on my stories, and I’ve put together a sheet full of real-life and suggested ways to practise anchoring. I asked everyone to share what they do so it’s not a list of clichés - it’s practical, simple, and drawn from what really helps people in everyday life.

💌 If you’d like a copy, just drop me your email address (DM or reply to my story) and I’ll send it to you.

And I’d love to know…… what’s one thing that brings you back to yourself when everything feels a little unsteady?

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #therapy #healing #anchoring #grounding #innerpeace #authenticity

This month I’m focusing my stories on anchoring and why it matters more than ever.

Because so many of us are moving through our days on autopilot……juggling work deadlines, endless notifications, family needs, the pressure to “keep up.”
Burnt out, overstimulated, constantly “on.”
It’s no wonder the smallest thing like a sharp email, a sleepless night or a child’s meltdown can feel like the final rock that tips us over.

That’s why I love the image of these stacked stones. They’re just like us.
🌪️ The overthinking at 3am.
🌪️ The overwhelm of a to-do list that never ends.
🌪️ The disconnection when you can’t even hear your own thoughts.
🌪️ The overstimulation of constant noise, demands, and comparison.

It’s a lot to balance.
And yet, even when everything on top feels shaky, there’s still a foundation beneath it all. Something steady.
Something we can return to.

That’s what anchoring is about.
Remembering that under the noise and the rush, there is a core part of you that can hold. Learning how to come back to it - in small, everyday ways.

For some, that anchor is:
🚶‍♂️a quiet walk without your phone or
🏡🫖 standing barefoot in the garden with a cup of tea or
🌊 letting the sea wash over your feet at the end of the day.
It doesn’t have to be grand. It just has to be yours.

✨ I’ll continue sharing more this month about anchoring and why it matters, and how you can weave it into your everyday life.

For now, I’d love to know: what helps you feel anchored when everything else feels unsteady?
Let me know by commenting on this below 👇or on my stories.
I’ll be compiling a huge list over the next two weeks and I’ll send it over to anyone who wants it! Sometimes we can’t think up ideas or imagine what anchoring could look like so having a list of real life and relatable examples can be so helpful ☺️

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #therapy #healing #walkandtalktherapy #onlinetherapy #eastlothian #anchoring

Now that September is here - you’ll see lots of messages online from everyone and anyone, about slowing down, recharging in the colder months, grounding and giving yourself permission to hibernate - especially as A/W is on the horizon.

I myself am a seasonal person myself - what that means for me is that my life can look differently depending on the season.
Hobbies, how I spend my time, my energy - everything shifts and I lean into the opportunities that each season brings me!

So before the season moves into the depths of Autumn and I naturally slow down, I notice that my life is still full just now, busy, and a little all over the place. Is yours?

So this month, I want to explore Anchoring - finding those tiny, steady moments that help us feel calm and present even when life is busy. It might be a deep breath, noticing the colours of the world around you, or a mindful sip of tea. Small, simple things, but they make a difference.

What does life look like for you this month?
Busy, stretched, excited, a bit unsettled? If so, you’re in the right place!!

Practising these little anchors now can give us tools to carry into the run-up to the darker months - and maybe even make the transition a little gentler.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing simple, practical ways to anchor yourself, and I’d love for you to follow along, especially on my stories….. 🌿 Let’s see if we can find calm in the little moments together.

Who’s here with me? 🙋‍♀️🙋🏻

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #autumnseason #seasonalchange #anchoring #grounding

I’ve just moved house recently, and I’ll be honest, it knocked me sideways.

On paper, it’s “just moving.”
A list of tasks: pack boxes, change addresses, figure out where the mugs live in the new kitchen (fyi I haven’t even done this yet!).
But underneath, it’s so much more than that.

The house you leave behind isn’t just bricks. It’s where your routines happened on autopilot.
Where you knew which floorboards creaked and which window let in the last of the evening sun.
It’s where the invisible threads of your daily life lived.

And when you move, all of that unravels. You lose the muscle memory of your own life. You reach for the cupboard that doesn’t exist anymore.

You feel unsettled, because you’re not just in a new space, you’re in between versions of yourself.

This is why moving can feel so derailing.
It messes with your sense of ground, your identity, even your nervous system.
Because home isn’t just where you live.
It’s where you orient yourself.
And rebuilding that takes time.

So if you’ve ever moved and wondered why you felt “off” or strangely emotional - you’re not alone. It’s not weakness. It’s transition. And transitions ask more of us than we realise.

I’m reminding myself of that right now: it’s okay if things feel shaky for a while.
It’s okay if the ground doesn’t feel steady yet. A new rhythm will come.
But for now - one box at a time, one breath at a time, one small anchor at a time ☺️

Moving house, changing jobs, becoming a parent, new friendships, ending of relationships, family changes, health changes, your child leaving home and even leaving home yourself if you’re a young adult……These are all examples of life transitions which can completely derail you. And there’s so many more!!!
So be kind to yourself if you’re navigating any of these, or any others just now ❤️

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling #eastlothiancounsellor #lifetransitions #lifechanges

You can change who you are anytime you want.

You can be the first person in your family or friendship group to do things differently.

You are allowed to transition into new versions of yourself without permission.

You are capable of growing and changing.

You can let go and move towards something new.

You are allowed to write the next chapter.

#eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothiancounselling #counselling #eastlothian #healing #authenticity

So many of us end the day with a list running through our heads:
 “I wasn’t patient enough.” “I didn’t do enough.” “I should have been more.”

We crawl into bed carrying guilt, shame, and the feeling that somehow we’re always falling short.
And it’s exhausting isn’t it? Not just because of what the day demanded, but because of what we demand from ourselves.

When I stood at the edge of the sea last night, I was reminded of something different.
 The water doesn’t care if I had been short tempered that morning. It didn’t care if I finished the emails, folded the laundry, or kept it all together. It did’t ask me to prove myself.
It just held me. Exactly as I was.

And maybe that’s the kindness we all need. To remember that the day doesn’t need to be perfect to be over. That we don’t need to “earn” rest. That it’s enough to simply arrive at the end - worn out and tired, messy, still learning, and let ourselves be met with softness.

✨ So if tonight you’re lying awake replaying everything you didn’t do, try asking this instead:
 “Can I let myself rest, just as I am?”

Because that one question can change everything.

#eastlothian #eastlothiancounsellor eastlothiancounselling

Which one would you choose?

A run, a swim, meeting a friend, doing a hobby, being creative, being barefoot, dunking in the sea, watching the sunset, or sitting in peace……🌿 or maybe something else?

Sometimes all we need is a little moment to reconnect with ourselves.
No overthinking, no pressure, just something that makes you feel present, calm, and alive.

So, what’s your pick this weekend????? 💛

#FridayVibes #Grounding #SelfCare #MindfulMoments #SimpleJoys #ReconnectWithYou #eastlothiancounsellor #eastlothian #eastlothiancounselling

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In this, I will be sharing helpful and insightful discussions about how people are experiencing the world just now.

Further tips and reflections will also be given - to help you bring those insights inwards so you can take whats helpful to aid your own personal growth.