mental health

Help With Mental Health from The Centre of Excellence

I am an affiliate of the Centre of Excellence so if you purchase a course from my links I will earn a little money at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support for my blog, I really do appreciate every single purchase. Saying that, I’m also doing a course myself with the Centre of Excellence and so far my experience has been really good.

In this post I’m looking at courses that are specifically aimed at improving your mental health. I also have a code you can use which will give you a massive 70% off any purchase of a full priced course. The code is Raisiebay466 to be used at the checkout.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is an exceptionally powerful tool that enables you to adopt a new mindset with a proven, lasting impact on the self-management of stress and anxiety.

I am a big fan of mindfulness and there are many ways to learn the techniques required. Here are some offered by The Centre of Excellence.

Mindful Mental Health Course

The Mindful Mental Health Diploma Course takes a specific look at how the practice of mindfulness can be used alongside other medical treatments and lifestyle changes to help sufferers of various mental health disorders.

Mindfulness Based CBT Diploma

This powerful course will teach you everything that you need to know about Mindfulness based CBT and how to start using the techniques and principles in your daily life.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Diploma Course (MBSR)

The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Diploma Course has been created to give those who suffer from stress, whether constantly or occasionally, the tools to combat negative thoughts and turn the mind into a weapon of positivity that will help you to reclaim your life.

Neuro Linguistic Programming Courses

NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming is the art of modelling excellence. It is a powerful set of tools and techniques that can be used to help you to excel in all areas of your life. With the skills being so transferable you can use them in your personal life, business, health, coaching or sport.

NLP Foundation Skills

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is the study of how we think and communicate, with ourselves and with others, and of how we can use this to get the results we want from life. It looks at successful behaviours and shows us how we can model these in our own lives to reach our goals.

NLP Practitioner Course

Would you like to change your mind? Not on a decision you’ve made, per se, but in the way you think – your mindset. Learning and applying the skills and techniques of NLP can help you to. You can change your outlook on life through the use of words, and retrain the way you perceive things. You can even set up guideposts to a more successful, purposeful future that you direct and control. The NLP Practitioner Course provides the knowledge you need to gain control over your mind and your life.

Body Love Diploma Course

Through this powerful and inspirational course you will learn how to change your way of thinking and guide yourself towards a healthier mind, which will in turn help you to learn to love the skin that you’re in.

Fitness Courses

Improve your overall health and wellbeing or embark on a journey to help others to do the same with our wide range of fully accredited Fitness and Well Being courses. From Yoga, Pilates and Chi Gung to Tai Chi; you’re sure to find an exciting new way to increase your fitness levels.

Yoga Diploma Course

The more you embrace Yoga, the more you will feel its benefits in your daily life. From complete beginner in yoga, guided through movements and postures to energise the body and rejuvenate the spirit.

Pilates Diploma Course

This comprehensive online Pilates Course will teach you everything that you need to know about Pilates, the benefits for yourself and how to carry out the exercises, and how to set yourself up as a Pilates instructor running a business teaching others.

Ayurveda Diploma Course

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic health system from the Indian subcontinent – also known as ‘The Science of Life’. Aimed at complete beginners this course will teach you how you can apply the wellness practice of Ayurveda to your daily life and how you can use these practices to help others.

Other Courses for Mental Health from The Centre of Excellence

Hygge the Persuit of Happiness Course

The Hygge: The Pursuit of Happiness Diploma Course teaches you how to incorporate hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) into your life to achieve daily pleasure, relaxation and comfort and create daily rituals for sustainable mindfulness and the eradication of negative thoughts.

Shinrin Yoku Course/ Forest Bathing

Modern life is forever moving, unrelenting in its eagerness to push us forward onto the next thing and the next thing, and the thing after that. And so our minds are just as busy. Too infrequently do we stop and enjoy the stillness of a place.

Shinrin Yoku (also known as Forest Bathing) brings us back to nature. It takes us out of our busy lives and heals us – reconnecting us with our environments and ourselves. The Shinrin Yoku – Forest Bathing Diploma Course explains the theories, practices, and science behind forest bathing.

Homesteading Diploma Course

Open the gates onto a whole new way of life – onto your homestead.

The Homesteading Diploma Course takes you on a transformative journey full of information and practical activities that will give you a taste of the homesteading life. You’ll explore how to keep animals, grow vegetables, fruits and herbs, make cheese, nurture multiple income streams and more.

Have you tried a course from The Centre of Excellence? If you are thinking of trying something, don’t forget my code raisiebaby466 as it could save you a lot of money, it’s available for all of the courses.

Are You Feeling SAD? Help for Seasonal Affected Disorder.

by Anne Sweet 8 Comments

I am not a SAD sufferer but I know others who are. So, what is SAD? Seasonal Affected Disorder is a recognised mental health disorder that affects people during particular season and is most frequently felt during the cold winter months. It can be really debilitating for some.

I am not a doctor or qualified to give medical advice, but I hope I can give you some coping techniques if you are suffering from SAD. These are tips I’ve picked up while trying to help others and ones that I’ve used myself when suffering from stress and depression. At the end of this post I will list places in the UK where you can seek professional help if you are not coping. Please don’t suffer alone, and don’t think you are the only one. There is help available and you can feel better.

Photo shows a silhouette of a person sitting on bench with their head in their hands while the sun sets in the background. Seasonal Affected Disorder

Symptoms of Seasonal Affected Disorder

You may feel some or all of these symptoms. If you do then please seek some help to make you feel better. You are never alone!

lack of energy, wanting to sleep a lot, or not being able to sleep at all
Not Being able to concentrate
Feeling ill all the time, like you are catching every bug going
Feeling negative all the time, sad, lonely, guilty, hopeless
Changes in appetite, not wanting to eat or snacking constantly
Not being able to sleep properly
Wanting to spend more time alone without anyone around
suicidal feelings
Other feelings that come with depression.

This list is not extensive but you may recognise something in yourself.

Tips for Coping with Seasonal Affected Disorder

These are some tips that I’ve picked up. They may help you feel better but if the SAD feelings continue please seek medical intervention.

Light therapy. As a lot of people suffer SAD in the winter season it could very well be linked to the lack of light in the daytime. You can make your days brighter with special lighting.
Getting as much daylight as possible is good for you, so make sure you don’t start sleeping the day away, and when you can, spend some time outside in the daylight. Wrap up warm and go for a walk.
Exercise if you can. A lot of people find that exercise helps a lot, whether it’s yoga, running or something else, just a little each day can help a lot.
Talk about it. You’ll be surprised at how many people will understand how you feel and it can be a help to share your worries.
Plan ahead for those times that you know are going to be worse. Make meals in advance and freeze them so you know you have something when you don’t feel like cooking.
Keep a diary and write down how you feel. Writing can be very cathartic.
Brain Training, Re-thinking anxiety Use these tips to help look at things differently.
Choose a Creativity Mindset. This post has a great morning routine that can set you up for the day.

There is a lot more help available from the sources listed below.

Do Children Get SAD?

Children can definitely get depressed and it may very well be seasonal. Especially for a child who spends a lot of time playing out during the summer months. The cold, dark winter months can feel like a hard slog to get through.

You can watch out for the signs of depression in your child which are similar to those mentioned above. If you are worried about them then talk to them. Just let them know that whatever they are feeling they can always turn to you. Listen to their worries no matter how trivial they may seem. To them it’s not so trivial and it can be life changing. Keeping the communication going is vital during these times.

Children may be able to get help from school too. If you are worried about your child’s mental health, do speak to their school and see if there is anything they can do. My girl’s school have a great mental health team which is available if needed.

These Worrying Times

Things are particularly difficult at the moment. There is so much to worry about and everyone’s life is being disrupted thanks to the COVID pandemic. Whether it’s money, jobs or schools it all adds to the extra stress of coping with shorter days and not being with family and friends.

I’m going to list some helpful sites now. But I also hope that you don’t need them. If you ever want anyone to talk to then please feel free to seek me out on Social Media or even e-mail. Let’s get through this together.

I Let it Go!

by Anne Sweet 14 Comments

I’m a laid back kind of person. I don’t let things play on my mind or get me down. Something bad happens, I deal with it then I get over it. I don’t keep going back to it, raking it up, as they say.

I let it go.

I try not to let people make me angry, I bite my tongue a lot. I let a lot of things wash over me without soaking them up.

I let it go.

I don’t let bad things that happened in the past haunt me. I don’t bare grudges, I forgive and forget. If I do something to upset someone else I will apologise, no excuses unless there is a completely genuine one, just a sincere apology and I hope in my heart they can forgive me.

Then I let it go.

So why do I let go of the hurt?

Holding on to the past and the things that hurt serves us no purpose. Going over and over it in my mind only hurts me more. Blaming others doesn’t help, especially if they do not accept they are to blame. If I hold on to all the hurt and pain then it will consume me and I will not be able to fill my life and my heart with happiness and carry on living.

Letting go is a choice I have made myself and committed to it. When those thoughts of hurt and pain start to appear I banish them quickly. I realise that forgetting is the hardest part, it so difficult to forget, and honestly, who wants to forget anyway? But when I start to remember I can put those memories back where they belong, in the past. It happened, I got over it, I let it go.

I watched my own Mother become consumed by the past, as she approached the end of her life she became bitter and sad and trusted no-one. I hated that she became that way and resolved never to be the same. Yes, my Mother had a hard life and had suffered so much, then her later years she was so ill but determined to carry on. There was some strength in the way she fought to live and fought for what she truly believed in. But not enough for her to leave the past where it belonged. She left me a letter to read for after she had passed away and it was the saddest thing I ever read. So I vowed I would never become my Mother. The past wasn’t going to catch me up.

How do I let it go?

I accept responsibility for the things that have happened to me. No matter how much I feel that someone else was to blame I know that I am in control of my life so I had some part to play. Something happened, I got hurt, the blame game doesn’t really matter, because if it did then I’d be holding on to the pain and hurt for much longer than necessary. Blaming someone else means holding them responsible for your life and letting them take over, they don’t have that power if I won’t let them.

I understand that my feeling matter so I express my hurt in a way that I find comfortable. If another person has made me unhappy then I will tell them. If I can’t then I’ll write it down or tell someone else. I have to express my emotions in any way that I can, but I don’t let them take over forever. I get it out of my system in a way that helps me understand why I feel the way I do.

Focusing on the here and now is vital. I have to live in the present and not let the past fill my mind and soul. I started to realise this when I got sick. At first I wanted to live in the future because I believed that I would get well again. But since realising that is not the case then the future doesn’t look so good now. So, no point in waiting for things to get better and no hope of ever making the past different. The only other option is to live for today.

It’s Not Easy

It really isn’t easy letting things go. Not just the hurt that people have caused you but the things that have gone wrong. The people who have left life way too soon, the illnesses, the disabilities, the way life has treated you. Sometimes I look back and think why have all these bad things happened to me, what did I do to deserve it all? But, that sort of thinking gets me nowhere and just makes me feel unhappy.

Sometimes it’s okay to feel bad. I’ve just had a real bad weekend when I let my feelings consume me. I was hurting and I lashed out. I even did the unthinkable and posted a sweary vague post on Facebook which earned me loads of sympathy from friends who had no idea what I was going through. I was embarrassed but I didn’t delete it because people cared, they took the time to post a little something in the hope they could make me feel better. This is not something I am used to and I felt uncomfortable, but sometimes it’s good to rant and let it out.

Then I let it go.

Grief is the Hardest Pain.

When my Mother passed away I felt so much pain. People gave their sympathy and told me that time would heal my pain. I was outraged, the pain was all I had left, I had to hold on to the pain, it would have felt almost sacrilegious to let that pain go. The pain of grief is a difficult one, you need to express it, you need to hold on to it, you need to feel it, let it consume you. But then it will fade into a memory of pain, then a memory of the person you lost and eventually, instead of welling up when you think of them you will smile instead. There is nothing wrong with this. You haven’t let your pain go this time you’ve just allowed it to grow into something else.

Grief stays with you a long time, and even when you have passed the stage of thinking of them all the time, there will still be times when grief consumes you again and takes over your emotions.

I always embrace grief, I think of my loss, and I let it fill me with sadness. I feel it, I accept it, I understand it’s how I need to be. It doesn’t last long but it’s always there.

Let It Go!

Pain is not justified, no matter how much we feel it is. The hurt can go away if you let it. I made the decision that I wouldn’t let pain and hurt take over my life. It wasn’t easy, it will never be easy, but it’s the best choice I ever made. I’m not going to die bitter and sad because the past is the past and today is today, and this could turn out to be the best day of my life. Even if it doesn’t, it’s still another day I’ve lived and for that I am thankful.

Admit it! You were singing this 🙂

I’m reviving this post for Blogtober 2020 Today’s prompt is ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ and I think Letting it go is a good fit.

Thinking of The Mental Health of Children

by Anne Sweet 5 Comments

It’s Mental Health Awareness Day and we often think of things we can do to improve our own mental health. I’m currently in a slump from my treatment, but I’m trying to stay upbeat and hoping it has worked. One thing that has worried me a lot more than my own health recently is the mental health of my Children.

Children’s Mental Health

It’s been a tough year for children. I thought mine were doing okay and to be honest they were during lock down. It seems kind of crazy but while everyone was locked in their own little bubbles we seemed to relax more as a family. The kids seemed to have no worries. We didn’t worry about the virus because we were not going out or seeing anyone. They didn’t mind being stuck at home, we missed our holiday, they didn’t really care. (I think it bothered me more, I love the sea side.) They did their own thing, enjoyed the pool in the garden on hot days, played games and chatted with their friends online. They were happy.

Then lock down finished and we attempted to go out. That’s when it became apparent that their little bubble at home was their safe place and they didn’t want to face the outside world. That’s not healthy. Even with the threat of a pandemic, we still have to carry on living in this world, which is a lot bigger than our house and garden.

Tackling Children’s Mental Health

I’ve a few years experience of how Children’s mental health can spiral out of control and I’m happy to say that things have improved. There is a lot more help now for children, where once they were not taken seriously.

Both my girls have taken advantage of Place 2 Be counselling which has been offered in their school.

1 in 8

children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem, and many continue to have these problems into adulthood.

50%

of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14.

1 in 10

boys aged 5-19 with a mental health condition are excluded in some form from school

Place2Be provides child counselling and mental health support in schools, including primary, secondary and all-through schools across England, Scotland and Wales.

Each school has a dedicated Place2Be mental health professional who is an integral part of the school team.
They work closely with pupils, families and staff to improve emotional wellbeing and provide mental health support for the whole school.

Books Helping Children with their Mental Health

My girls are difficult to talk to some times. So I try to help them in other ways. I have lovely friends who have written some great books for young people and without pushing them at my girls I’ve just left them lying around. It worked, both have picked them up and read them. Giving them both a little confidence boost and the tools they need to help them through the most difficult of times.

These books are;

Be Happy Be You book cover, mental health for children

This positive and insightful guide gives you the tools to build your confidence, eliminate negative feelings and boost happiness in all areas of your life.
Being a teenager has its own unique challenges, but it’s also the perfect time to shape your own mental wellbeing and happiness. Scientists reckon 40% of your happiness is within your control, that’s A LOT of happiness and this book will help you to harness it…
There are tons of ideas to try from creating an anxiety toolkit, to planning a digital detox and meditating, plus you’ll learn the science behind why they work. Carry out the activities by yourself or with family and friends and take your happiness into your own hands!

My Review of Be Happy Be You.

Support children’s emotional well being and boost happiness. Empower children to shape their lives and the lives of others around them.
This illustrated activity book helps them take practical steps towards creating their own happiness and positive self-esteem.

• Full of simple, practical ideas to help children to feel confident, strong and happy
• Fun activities that can be done on their own or with friends and family
• Plant a seed bomb outdoors, make a happy playlist or create a recycling monster
• Learn about the surprising science behind emotions along the way
• From award-winning parenting bloggers

Talking Can Be Difficult

When your children get older it can be difficult to talk to them about the things that are bothering them. They seem to internalise everything which doesn’t help much. Sometimes though, they can just start talking, maybe you will notice a time of day when they are more willing to chat. Take advantage of this and talk. It may be over dinner, or while helping with tasks around the house. It’s amazing what your child may reveal while helping folding up the laundry.

Talking is good, but it’s frustrating when your teen won’t co-operate. You just need to let them know that you are there if they need you. And if they do start talking, it doesn’t matter how busy you are, let them know that they are more important. It’s just like having a new born, you have to stop what you are doing to feed them or change them. You can stop what you are doing to talk to your teen when they are ready to open up.

Joining in with Blogtober, todays prompt is relax, and that’s a great way to create the right sort of environment for your child. I hope everyone has the chance to relax this weekend.

How to stay healthy while stuck at home

by Anne Sweet 4 Comments

Maintaining your physical and mental health while stuck in lockdown can seem challenging at first. Many of the things you can normally rely on to make you feel good – going to the gym, family holidays, or even nights out with friends – are no longer available. Thankfully there are plenty of tips and tricks out there to help you adjust.

Much of it comes back to retaining a sense of routine (or creating a new one). Read five quick tips on how to stay healthy at home below.

Stay Healthy with Daily exercise

There are lots of ways to stay fit without stepping foot in a gym or sports hall. Many personal trainers are now offering free workouts online for you to join in with at home. Or you could weigh up your finances and kit out a home gym.

But of course, exercising doesn’t always need to be so strenuous. Simply getting out for a short walk each day, especially if working or parenting full time, can be enough to clear your mind.

Maintain a healthy diet

Whether you’re stuck at home with nothing to do or rushed off your feet as a key worker, eating a healthy diet may be the last thing on your mind. But making sure you’re getting enough of the good stuff at regular intervals is vital in fuelling your day.

Lockdown could even be the perfect opportunity to hone your cooking skills. And by getting fresh, tasty produce delivered from local suppliers, you’ll be supporting your community too.

stay healthy with fresh food, a chopping board of fresh vegetables ready to cook.

Look after your mental wellbeing

Emotional wellbeing has gained increased focus in recent years as awareness of mental health issues continues to grow. There’s lots you can do to look after yours, from yoga, to meditation, and getting better sleep.

Research shows meditation is Britain’s most popular wellbeing therapy. There are plenty of apps out there to guide you through the process.

Read, read, read

With international travel on hold for now, your next adventure could lie in the pages of a good book. Reading is an excellent way to pass time while focusing your mind – and it could make it easier to doze off at night too.

If fiction isn’t your thing, see what reading material you can find to help learn a new skill.

Check in with friends and family

Isolation doesn’t have to be isolating, The video conferencing software Zoom was downloaded 2.13m times when the UK lockdown was announced, and seeing a familiar face over the internet can go some way to restoring your sense of social connection.

Arrange weekly catchups, host a virtual pub quiz, or take part in a cook-a-long. Whatever you decide on, you’ll feel better for talking to those you love.

What’s helped you feel better while stuck at home?

This is a collaborative post.

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