Discover the JOY in Journaling!
Somehow, journaling activity HELPS so many people and often those who least expect to benefit from a regular journal practice are the people who actually BENEFIT most, TRUTH!
Rewiring the people-pleasing / burnout loop
It is often debated whether or not Einstein actually coined the famous quote –‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’
The meaning of open-water swimming
With the first wave of the pandemic, there was a resurgence in the popularity of swimming in natural bodies of water. Irish coastal swimming areas became dotted with colourful dryrobes, marking this occupation as “trendy”
Allow me to introduce you to Dave: Now a 50-year-old man, Dave was bullied as a teenager by some bold little bastards who knew no better themselves at the time. Unfortunately, for Dave, the damage was already done, severe, and long-lasting
How to recognise and ease the physical symptoms of anxiety
Everyone experiences some level of anxiety in their lifetime, however, people with anxiety disorders will often experience it in everyday situations
Adapting to post-pandemic normality when you have social anxiety
Communicating behind face masks and working behind the laptop screens became the new normal since the pandemic-resulted lockdown
Are you substantially less excited about returning to the business of socialising than perhaps you expected?
Exercises and wellness practices to help seniors reduce anxiety and depression
Have you ever felt like there is no way out of the dark hole that you are in? Maybe your stress level has been so high for so long, that it feels like this is all there is
The menstrual cycle, hormones and mental health
Do you struggle in some way with your menstrual cycle or is it a burden to deal with once a month? You’re definitely not alone! Here in Ireland, we don’t talk much about periods
Take PRIDE in your mental health
Pride is a time when LGBTI+ people from all over the country can come together and celebrate who they are. For many young people, Pride is the first time they feel comfortable celebrating their identity because they are no longer alone
Three kindness habits you need to practise
In this week’s ‘The Positive Habit’, Fiona Brennan focuses on kindness. She teaches us how we can bring kindness into our lives
What’s on during mental health awareness week
The Workplace Wellbeing Ireland webinar in partnership with Irish Life Health and AJ Products today with Professor Niall Moyna
It's really important to look after your wellbeing, and it's especially important during unusual times like these, when you’re out of your normal routine - missing school, your hobbies and friends
Suddenly feeling more alone and more single during CV-19 lockdown?
What can you do? First of all, reframe the belief that your single status is responsible for all your feelings of loneliness at this time
Part of our ability to survive and thrive during this crisis, or indeed at any time, is based on sleeping peacefully for at least eight hours per night. Many of my clients struggle with sleep issues at the best of times
It’s so important we mind our mental health at this time. Throughout the global pandemic, A Lust for Life is working to ensure we help as many people as possible with resources to help with self-care and wellness
Where is my Mind? is a podcast about how we can navigate the manic, always-on, and head-melting world we live in. Our lives are changing so quickly, it’s hard to keep up
Covid19 – Psychological Survival
I started off blogging about how to talk to kids about covid-19 and as things continue to escalate it is important to consider our own self-care, now, if we need to self-isolate and what happens afterwards
Grief Encounters: How emotions change throughout grief with Laura Kennedy
This weeks guest is The Sunday Times’ writer Laura Kennedy, a leading voice in grief conversation here in Ireland over the past five years
A Lust for Life seven day social challenge #soundsocial - disconnect to reconnect. Follow the daily challenge with the aim that by the end of the week you'll have created more time in your life to enjoy something truly worthwhile
Feeling anxious? Self-Compassion is the key to calmness
Have you ever had a morning where you woke up and just could not face going into school or college? Not because you were physically sick, but for some weird reason, you just couldn’t quite put your finger on?
How mindfulness saved me from 15 years of heroin addiction
And then led to the life of my dreams. I was first introduced to mindfulness in 2013 while attending a detox facility for a 15-year opioid addiction
Grief Encounters: Grief’s Complicated with Erin McGathy
Erin McGathy is an American podcaster and comedian who has found her home in Dublin, since moving here in 2016
You can’t stop thinking, but you can turn down the volume
Distance yourself from problematic thoughts with these 3 timeless metaphors
Overcoming the terror of indecision
Long before #MeToo, a beautiful young lady by the name of Erica found herself seduced by an incredibly charming man. Smitten, she thought all her dreams had come true. She had found her one true love
Replacing New Years resolutions with new pathways: the neuroplasticity of new habits
This January at A Lust for Life, we’re debunking the annual tradition of a New Years Resolution and the pledge of “New Year, New Me”
Ways to manage mental health in college
When you’re a young adult, it feels like nothing can stop you. Your body is in its peak physical condition and your emotions haven’t yet been run down by the gamut of life
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it
I am just back from a visit to Krakow, the beautiful southern Polish city steeped in history. You may be aware that the Nazi death camps of Auschwitz
Take some time out to check in
New year, new you hey!? No, I’m not feeling it either! The you that you are right now is already magnificent, so don’t let anyone else tell you differently. We all know that there are certain aspects of our lifestyles that we can change in order to look and feel better
Everything suffers when you don’t set your intentions for the day
The gun goes off with a crack. The guy to my right explodes out of the blocks. I stay put, preparing for the race ahead
Grief Encounters: Nine Weeks with Sean Kennedy
This week’s guest is a tenor, writer and performer whos beautiful show Nine Weeks received widespread acclaim at this years Dublin Fringe Festival
Grief Encounters: A False Sense Of Hope With Deirdre Donnelly
This week’s podcast is slightly different, as we hear one woman’s account of undergoing fertility treatment, and the pain and disappointment that was to follow
Grief encounters: Shapes of Grief with Liz Gleeson
Liz Gleeson is an experienced grief therapist and also the host of the excellent podcast Shapes Of Grief, which came out in January 2019
HIV and mental health: When you lose yourself
What do you know about a human immunodeficiency virus? I believe, despite a huge informational campaign of the past few decades, many of us still believe that HIV infection is another name for AIDS
GAD – Generalised Anxiety Disorder – is there more of it about?
With the always-on-the-go, technology-loaded lifestyles we lead these days, I am hearing more and more about an ‘anxiety epidemic’. Anxiety is not new
How to stop problematic self-talk
For the past six years, I’ve been obsessed with self-talk, and how it relates to emotion. This obsession grew out of the realization that self-talk and anxiety drove me toward a life of chronic heroin addiction
Have you EVER called a HELPLINE? If not WHY not?
I did a depression therapy group course during the summer over 10 weeks. It was excellent and so nice to meet a lovely group of people who were kind, supportive and non-judgmental
Self soothe and wellness tools
A friend was going through a difficult time having gone through family stressors. She contacted the local nurse as part of her support network. After the nurse listened to everything that had been going on she recommended my friend to ‘self soothe’
Thursday, October 10th was World Mental Health Day. October is a funny time of year. We come into darker days and nights and sometimes for those who suffer with mental health problems, this can add to the difficulty with less daylight and sunshine
Fifteen years of chronic heroin addiction brought me to the very edge. I lost my job, my health, my mind, and every important relationship in my life. But I was lucky. Pounded into submission by the most painful night of my life, I received a gift
Trusting your anxiety: A path to freedom
For those who suffer from anxiety, like myself and many others, it seems that our in-built response to arising anxiety is to avoid it at all costs. This may be especially true for those of us who have faced traumatic anxiety
Sources of inspiration in different corners of life are many; like grains of sand on a beach varied in size, shine & outlay depending on where exactly you may be. What's measureless can be beautiful & what may not resonate with one person may well be celebrated by the next
William Worden’s Four Tasks of Grief
Grief, the universal reaction to loss, affects everyone. Death being inevitable, the loss of significant people in our lives is bound to occur. The grieving process, therefore, is both a normal and natural one. Although painful, it is a necessary process
Grief encounters: Grief In The Public Eye with Abie Philbin Bowman
The immediate grief after a sudden loss is completely overwhelming, often making it impossible to process the present and the future. Our guest this week had the sad reality of experiencing this in March 2000
Why we need to check up on one another more often
In 2017, the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland became the subject to 6213 suicides, 5821 of which were in the UK and 392 of which in the ROI. In the UK, men are 3 times more likely to take their own lives than women
Women, their secret social code, mob mentality and toxic cliques among 30 somethings today
I have given myself a pat on the back recently. I pretty pleased with my efforts in attending (self-motivated) all therapy sessions over the past ten months
Calm and steady: Writing and mental illness
The mental health blogger looks to people with mental illness, including himself, who have become published authors as a result of sharing their hard-earned wisdom with the world
This week, we’re sharing an episode of the Life Well Lived podcast with special guest, Darren Gavin
Recently I’ve been thinking about how much we have been told we can’t do something and so often we accept it and don’t do what our hearts desire on this basis
It seems to come in those most doubtful of times, a silent whisper, as if cast by a distant God, dropping to tell you it’s time to forgive. Undisputed by your intuition, the only obstacle to bestowing forgiveness, is to detach from the rational mind
Skills & Health …. & Courage …. “I’ll Try Again Tomorrow”
As an academic and applied sport and performance psychologist, I’m often asked how the individuals I work with, from many different performance backgrounds, can improve their performances
Imagination is the essence of recovery
Growing up we were often told that by using our imagination we can bring our goals even dreams to life. Everything seemed possible as nothing felt out of reach
Grief encounters: The Many Ups And Downs Of Illness with Andy Gaffney
A chronic illness can bring with it many devastating lows, but also moments of hope and relief. Anyone who has spent periods of time caring for someone who was ill, will know these range of emotions far too well
Getting better sleep to help mind your mental health
Dealing with insomnia is a battle you have to fight constantly. Every sleep disorder is a story of its own, but insomnia is the one I feel most comfortable discussing, as I’ve had to live with it for a long time
A 3-Step Method For Making Quicker And Better Decisions
Terry Crews is an actor, comedian, activist, artist, and former American football player. As a self-confessed “book nut” - mostly in the area of self-help - he is also one of the most insightful people I’ve ever listened to
Grief encounters: You Left Early with Louisa Young
This week’s Sasha meets the award winning UK writer Louisa young, who’s book You Left Early accounts her relationship with Robert Lockhart, an extremely talented and prolific composer from Wigan
Healing through shame as Gay or Bi men
I would really like to share something with you. Something that I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been thinking about shame and how we, as gay and bi-men, experience shame
Grief encounters: Everybody Died, So I Got A Dog with Emily Dean
In this week’s episode of the podcast Sasha and Venetia meet the incredibly talented writer and podcaster Emily Dean who speaks about “starting again” after a series of painful losses
“I don’t mix with him”: Bullying in the classroom
I don’t tend to watch the news as it’s usually negative and doesn’t add anything to my existence. I am however finding myself following the Ana Kriegel murder trial
In consideration of anger, I wrote this article looks at three different types of the emotion: anger in its outward expression, in its inward expression, and constructive use of anger
What Nobody Tells You About Funerals with Jonathan Stafford and Gus Nichols
Whether a death is anticipated, or happens all of a sudden, the amount of preparation involved
On knowing the difference between sadness and depression
We all experience times in our lives when we feel fed up or miserable. We wake up one morning and discover we feel listless
How to grab life by the throat
Having lost 15 years of my life to addiction, mostly through inaction and fear, it seemed like I’d nothing to lose
May is Mental Health Awareness Month over in the UK - a month geared towards breaking down stigma and starting conversations about mental health. It’s about that message of “it’s ok not to be ok”
The toxic habit of people pleasing
Whitney Cummings is a highly successful comedian from Los Angeles. From 2011 to 2013, she produced and starred in her own comedy show called Whitney. During this time, she was plagued by the toxic habit of people pleasing
It’s OK That You’re Not OK with Megan Devine
On this week’s podcast Sasha (Venetia will be back next week) got the opportunity to speak to the psychotherapist, writer, and grief advocate Megan Devine
Sometimes we can all feel a little, or a lot, down in the dumps. For good reason, financial, family illness, loss, employment, not enough time, too much time, or for many other reasons we can’t quite put our finger on
It’s not uncommon for children to feel anxious from time to time, so it’s encouraging to know that there are a lot of practical things that parents can do to help
Master Your Emotions in Three Steps
Jenny is a 38-year-old, kind, caring and hardworking woman, married with a young child. Like many of us, Jenny is juggling a lot of different responsibilities in her life
Anxiety can be triggered in us all and I don’t doubt we’ve all experienced it in some form or another. When I used to read stories of people who suffered badly with anxiety I used to wonder how can this happen?
Know your ACE score: the long term health effects of early childhood adversity
After watching Dr. Nadine Burke Harris’ TED Talk entitled How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across A Lifetime
Setting goals for a simple life
Self-made billionaire, Ray Dalio, is the founder of Bridgewater Associates. They are the world’s largest hedge fund, managing over $160 billion in global investments
The pressure of Social Media impacts our wellbeing more than we know. We are constantly switched on, never spending time with our own thoughts. The minute we have some time alone, the phone is out and we are scrolling
We need a culture shift when it comes to wellness in the workplace
For many of us, work is such a huge part of our day to day lives. We spend on average 40 hours at work and many more hours commuting and thinking about it
Man’s internal struggle with his mental health
The number of those suffering from anxiety and depression continues to soar with no sign of slowing down
I am becoming more aware of how reliant we are on our phones. I have written about the impacts of Social Media on our mental health but I have started to notice even more the level of addiction we have to our phones
Do you ever look at the ads for slimming groups or the front of magazines which show the “before” and “after” of the person’s figure. A lot of us have them. The old photos that you don’t know why you keep except perhaps as a warning
3 powerful metaphors to help you see more clearly. “Unless you are educated in metaphor, you are not safe to be let loose in the world.” — Robert Frost. In John F. Kennedy’s speech about the Space Race
When we can’t reach out for help, they reach in and mend our soul
Taking responsibility for your life
There are times when you just have no choice but to stop and bring everything to a halt. All too often, we allow things to spiral out of control because we either take on too much or talk ourselves down with the inner critical voice
On 18th October 2018, I sat at Everest base camp taking in the most incredible views, energy and spirituality. It was one of my highest times in my life to date. Six weeks later, I hit one of my lowest points
We have become social media addicts. Whether it’s on the train, sitting in a restaurant or watching TV, we always have our phones within reach, ready to check for notifications. Have you ever wondered what your life would be like
Mental health during pregnancy
Most of us have heard of postnatal depression. It’s discussed openly, the medical profession has plenty of help available, and it’s an accepted and widely known concept. However, mental health issues during pregnancy don’t get...
Grief encounters: Karen Docherty tells her story of losing both her sons to suicide
Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people, both in Ireland and worldwide
Why your anxiety wont just f**k off
Most have about as much interest in a relationship with anxiety as they’d have dangling their jewels near a crocodiles jaw. However, the consequences of the former (wanting anxiety out of your life forever)
Grief Encounters: Fighting For Answers with Stephen Teap
Stephen Teap’s life changed forever in July 2017, as he lost his wife Irene to cervical cancer. Their story - which is known to many across Ireland
It may sound absurd to say there is a formula for happiness, but various neurological scientists have agreed that four main hormones and chemicals are responsible for the activation of happiness in your brain
How to embrace and inhabit The Calmness Habit
Love, calmness, confidence, gratitude, hope and happiness: these are the six emotions that tip the balance of our mindset in favour of a positive outlook
Changing your relationship with anxiety
My obsession with language grew out of the realization that self-talk and anxiety drove me towards a life of chronic addiction
Hi all....we took the Christmas and first 2 months to consider this article and feel it appropriate to discuss Stress at work and how we might change that for the better. It’s inevitable really that there will be ‘stressful’ days; weeks etc
