Loneliness: Why It Hurts, Why It Matters, and Why It Repeats
Loneliness affects both our mental and physical health, increasing stress, illness, and emotional pain. Drawing on Cognitive Analytic Therapy, this article explores loneliness as a repeating relational pattern rather than a personal weakness, and explains how greater understanding can help break the cycle.
5 Signs You’re Battling Low Self-Esteem and How a Clinical Psychologist Can Help
Low self-esteem can significantly impact how you navigate life, often leading to people-pleasing, excessive self-criticism, difficulty accepting praise, over-apologising, and hesitating to take initiative in relationships. These signs suggest you may be struggling with feelings of unworthiness or fear of rejection. A clinical psychologist can provide the tools and support to help you build self-confidence, set healthy boundaries, and learn to value yourself. Through therapy, you can develop self-compassion, challenge negative thoughts, and start seeing your worth more clearly, leading to a more fulfilling and empowered life.
Why Can’t I Say No?
The Surprising Causes of People Pleasing - People pleasing means putting others' needs above your own, often at your own cost. Its roots can be traced to our evolutionary need for belonging, early childhood relationships, the fawn response, and societal norms, especially surrounding gender. Recognising this behaviour is the first step towards breaking the cycle and learning to prioritize oneself.