Changing old patterns
Understanding the difference — and how it shapes relationships affected by trauma, addiction, and codependency When you care deeply about someone who’s struggling — whether with addiction, trauma, or emotional instability — it’s natural to want to help. But sometimes, feeling sorry for someone can become tangled up with romantic or emotional attachment. Many people …
Continue reading “Why Do Some People Confuse Pity or Sympathy With Love?”
When people talk about “daddy issues,” it often gets thrown around as a joke. But the truth is, what many call daddy issues is more accurately described as the father wound — a deep emotional imprint left when a father is absent, unavailable, or critical. This wound can shape how we see ourselves, our sense …
Continue reading “Daddy Issues: Understanding the Father Wound”
Many people assume trauma only comes from big, dramatic events. Yet, often the most lasting emotional wounds come from subtle, everyday experiences that shape how we see ourselves and the world. As a trauma psychotherapist, I’ve seen countless clients who describe their childhoods as “idyllic,” only to discover that beneath the surface, small experiences left …
Continue reading “When Trauma Isn’t Obvious: How “Little” Childhood Events Shape Our Self-Worth”
Many of us grew up hearing well-meaning phrases like “You can be anything you want,” or “You don’t need anyone to complete you.” But if we’re honest, those words didn’t always match the actions we witnessed. Maybe our parents said all the right things—but couldn’t live them. And whether we realised it or not, we …
Addiction is a complex, multifaceted issue that impacts millions of individuals and families worldwide. While genetics, environment, trauma, and peer influence all play a role, one often under-discussed yet critical factor is parenting. The way a child is raised—the emotional tone of the household, the boundaries set (or not set), the way love is …
Continue reading “How Bad Parenting Can Contribute to Addiction: A Hard Look at Root Causes”
From the perspectives of psychologists like Jung and Freud, our choice of a life partner is significantly influenced by the formative experiences of our earliest years. As completely dependent children, our primary caregivers – and their inherent imperfections or strengths – left an indelible mark. Whether they were distant, overbearing, or even unkind, or consistently …
Continue reading “The Three Stages Of A Loving Relationship”
You may have a mother wound if you were invalidated or made to feel that your weren’t important. If your feelings were ‘wrong’ or you were blamed for things you didn’t do. By your mother. If you weren’t allowed to ever express or explore negative emotions, this may result in chronic low self-esteem. Do you …
I remember a few years ago, a friend persuaded me to attend a meditation class with her. I couldn’t concentrate or focus, it was boring, and I was just desperate to get down the pub after. This is just one example of how I typically lived for most of my life. If I did ever …
Imagine this. You are waiting outside the shopping centre for a friend or family member to pick you up, but they don’t arrive. Minutes turn into an hour, and you have no mobile phone. How would you be feeling? Slightly anxious? Worried about your friend/relative? Wondering whether to leave and find another way home, …