the practice

**on maternity leave as we welcome the newest member of our family - returning to practice in 2023**

mental wellbeing

Mental (or psychological) wellbeing is a combination of both feeling good in oneself and functioning effectively in your world. This does not mean ‘being happy all the time’ but rather having the ability to effectively be with the negative and painful parts that are an inevitable part of life as well as be with the joyful parts of life when things are going well. Mental wellbeing in compromised when negative emotions or situations start to interfere with a persons ability to function in their daily life. 

overwhelm

Overwhelm is a feeling we all experience when we are unable to meet the demands that are being placed on us. When we are running but not getting anywhere, when we feel out of our depth, in over our head, or just plain exhausted. When our emotions feel out of control or there are just too many feelings to deal with.

The world we are living in is an overwhelming one. We are living through a global pandemic, our climate is changing and the pace of our lives is faster than it has ever been. Our modern life is a complex one, and it is unsurprising that this can start to have a negative impact on our psychological health.

what does overwhelm look like?

Overwhelm can manifest in many ways. 

Emotional: worry, rumination, anxiety, fear, sadness, 

Mental: inability to focus or concentrate, racing thoughts, procrastination, forgetfulness, distracted 

Physical: sleep changes (trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, early morning wakening, or excessive sleeping) / physical complaints (repeated illness, aches and pains, stomach issues)

Behavioural: crying, anger outbursts, irritability, 

a holistic approach to mental wellbeing

This type of approach involves viewing a person as an interconnected whole, as opposed to focusing solely on one element (often the ‘problem’ that has prompted the seeking of support). It considers all aspects of a person, their mind, body, lifestyle, development, connections and environment when working toward a place of mental wellbeing. It also takes into account a persons stage of development and the different seasons of their life.

way of working to support mental wellbeing

Working toward easing overwhelm and toward a place of sustained mental wellbeing involves taking a holistic approach. People need time and space to process what is troubling them. They need an awareness and understanding of what is going on for them. They also need support to help implement some of the changes in their life that they are hoping to see,  which will in turn improve mental wellbeing. Please see the following pages for more detailed information on how this is done for children and parents.