Blog

Therapists often find themselves disorientated by the very word dissociation. This is understandable, explains Kathy Steele, because it can be used to refer to everything from the ‘spaciness’ we might all experience when tired, stressed or ill, to a division of the self and personality that is often a response to severe trauma. Ahead of a free live webcast for PESI UK on Thursday May 14, the international trauma, dissociation and attachment consultant talks us through the four key definitions of dissociation.

Domestic abuse has surged during the coronavirus lockdown, with calls to one dedicated UK helpline doubling in recent weeks. Dr Jeannette Roddy is a counsellor, author and academic specialising in this area. In the second of a five-part weekly blog about working with victims of domestic violence during the Covid-19 crisis, she outlines three key skills therapists need for this deeply relational work.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week will have the special theme of ‘kindness’, in celebration of its power to strengthen relationships, develop community and deepen solidarity at a time of global crisis. In response, PESI UK is announcing a five-day online Mental Health Awareness Summit bringing together eight leading voices from May 18-22 – and it’s all completely free.

Today marks the start of Maternal Mental Health Matters Week, with a focus this year on ‘supporting mums during difficult times’. As mother, author and trainee integrative counsellor Bridget Hargreave points out, new and expectant mothers are likely to be especially vulnerable to mental health issues in the wake of Covid-19. Drawing on her own experiences, she shares some basic principles for helping women with postnatal depression.

Domestic abuse has surged during the coronavirus lockdown, with calls to one dedicated UK helpline doubling in recent weeks. Dr Jeannette Roddy is a counsellor, author and academic specialising in this area. In the first of a five-part weekly blog about working with victims of domestic violence during the Covid-19 crisis, she provides insight into the psychological control perpetrators exert – and the compassionate counterpoint therapists can offer.