Author: clareoloyatherapy

When curiosity meets anxiety Have you ever decided you want to start something new, perhaps a new hobby. Maybe it’s salsa dancing, tennis, learning to play the guitar, or learning a new language…..But then you change your mind at the last minute.  Maybe you’ve felt determined to try something new for a while.  There’s something…

When ‘I’m just busy’ doesn’t explain how you’re feeling A while ago, a client came to counselling because they’d been having a challenging time.  As they shared what had been happening during the first session, they mentioned what they’d noticed about themselves recently.  They were having crying spells, had no time for the things they…

Do you find yourself feeling as though you should be more ‘sorted’ by now? Perhaps you compare yourself to others who you feel might be further along in their journey and wonder if you’re doing something wrong?  Many of us automatically assume that healing- a positive thing, must feel good during the process. But sometimes…

You’re the person people know they can depend on. The one who listens, helps, and keeps everything going. It’s so subtle you hardly notice it. Maybe it’s part of the furniture of your life.  The way things have always been. It might feel like the ‘right’ thing to do.  You’re used to being the caring…

When looking for a counsellor, it can go a bit like this….. You decide to find a counsellor, and in the time it’s taken to make a cup of tea and sit down, you’ve got five counsellor websites open and they all say very similar things. They’re all qualified. They all belong to an ethical…

A conversation shifts, just slightly. Someone asks if you’re ok.A friend asks what you think.Your partner checks in with you. And you can sense something happening inside. Something tightens. Your mind starts searching for something to say that keeps the peace. Something that won’t upset the other person. Something that keeps things steady. You might…

Have you ever put something off because you were afraid you might get it wrong? Maybe it’s a presentation, a difficult conversation, or trying something new that actually matters to you. In your mind, you can already see everything going wrong before you’ve even started. When anxiety takes hold like this, avoidance can feel like…

An Existential Perspective on Why We Feel Anxious Do you ever feel on edge, even when nothing is obviously wrong? Maybe things look fine from the outside, yet there’s a quiet sense that you should be happier than you are. Sometimes anxiety doesn’t have a clear cause. It doesn’t shout. It whispers. When that happens,…

Anxiety can feed on the unknown. When you’re coming to counselling, it can feel like there are a lot of unknowns: what to expect in the first session, what’s going to happen, whether the counsellor might think you’re bringing a problem that’s ‘too small’ and that you should just get over it — or, on…

In the ever-evolving world, the art of forging genuine connections remains timeless. Whether it’s with colleagues, clients, or partners, establishing a genuine rapport paves the way for collaborative success.