Know your triggers – the importance of self-awareness
Self-awareness is one of the key building blocks of a sustainable recovery and allows for recognition of ‘triggers’ that can cause distress
How to navigate the Christmas season if you are struggling
Two of the best Christmas songs of all time have to be Fairy tale of New York by The Pogues and Judy Garlands Have yourself a merry little Christmas. And of course they have something big in common. Pathos
How distraction can build children’s resilience
Developing resilience is one of the key elements in mental health and wellbeing. So it’s good to know that research now shows that resilience is a skill which can be developed, rather than a specific inbuilt disposition
Validation of children’s feelings promotes positive mental health
Dignity is defined as “the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect”. For me dignity means acknowledgement and validation of feelings
The habit of thinking too much – Mindfulness and Buteyko breathing video series
Over the coming weeks we will be sharing some of Patrick McKeown’s techniques via a new video series he has created
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 7
Congratulations on making your way to the final week of this CBT blog! If you have completed all the steps along the way then hopefully you have learned something valuable that might help you achieve more balanced ways of thinking
Blue Mindfulness: How big-wave surfing has taught me to live in the moment
I can see the wave coming, building momentum and I move to position myself to match its speed so I can meet it at just the right instant. Then it comes fully to life, towering over me
Boost your happiness with acts of kindness
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, announced that together with his wife, he would give away 99% of his shares to create a fund to make the world a better place for their newly born daughter, Mia
Helpful tips for managing the dreaded Christmas exams
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and for many young people, this can cause the onset of exam stress and anxiety
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 6
This week we are going to explore rules and assumptions and the important role they play in our thinking. We all have rules and assumptions which guide our behavior
Ways to encourage your children to grow in gratitude
Some say that the amount of gratitude we feel on a daily basis directly corresponds to the amount of happiness we have in our lives
Mindfulness – The Bicep Curl for the Brain
The growing interest in Mindfulness is an indication that there is a need to slow down, create space and reduce stress. It is time to focus on wellbeing, resilience and self-awareness. So what exactly is Mindfulness?
Iron-minder and A lust For life ambassador Jade, has a story so many young women can relate so closely to. A story where self awareness became so important, as this allowed Jade understand the importance and power of self compassion
Teaching a black dog new tricks
Men in Ireland for too long have ignored the conversation surrounding their emotional and mental well being. We can’t ignore this anymore, we need action and we need attitudes to change among our men
Mark, an Iron-minder and A lust for life ambassador, was an elite high performance cyclist, when he was suddenly and tragically knocked off his bike, where he received a serious acquired brain injury, changing his life
Are we listening to our young people?
The first step in the journey to wellbeing is to listen to our young people. For adolescents, having their voice heard is a key and vital part of social cohesion
Sunny weather does not make you happy. What you choose to do with your precious time, when the sun is shining makes you happy
Ironmind: We are all capable of great things
About 15 months ago, I started playing with the idea of developing a television documentary that’s fundamental objective was to explore the intrinsic link between our bodies and our minds
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 5
This is week 5 of Dr. Clare’s A Lust for Life online CBT course. It’s best to follow it week by week and take your time with the processes suggested. Good luck!
A beautiful image can have incredibly positive effects on a person’s mood or stress levels. Capturing a moment with a photograph has for many years allowed people restore and relive memories that ignite happiness or calmness
Walking towards wellness – Ecotherapy and Ecopsychology
Only too well I remember the first time I sought help and support from a psychotherapist. I recall sitting in a bland room looking down at a carpet the colour
‘Vote for ‘Me and My Mate Jeffrey’ to win Irish book awards
'Me and My Mate Jeffrey' nominated for Irish book of the year, in the non fiction section. Find out how to vote
Patience is a virtue in this modern world
Learning patience can not only boost your well-being, but also enhance your self-esteem, hopefulness and keep your blues in check
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 4
This is week 4 of Dr. Clare’s A Lust for Life online CBT course. It’s best to follow it week by week and take your time with the processes suggested
People matter – the importance of friendship
A positive psychologist, Christopher Peterson, became well known for his motto that ‘people matter’. We are social beings and in order to feel psychologically well, we need to experience closeness with other human beings every day
Building resilience – how to protect your lust for life
As an academic lecturer and sport psychologist, I am often asked by athletes, and indeed my students, about strategies to help them cope with the stresses of training, competition, exams and difficult life events they face in general
How to help your children if going through separation or divorce
About one in every ten marriages ends in separation or divorce, in Ireland. That might seem high, but it is actually the lowest rate of separation and divorce in Europe and the third lowest in the world
How mindfulness and Morgan Freeman helped me become a better Mum
We all have an internal ‘narrator’ in our heads. It’s like an ongoing newsreader that’s usually unkind, judgmental, and quite critical
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 3
This is week 3 of Dr. Clare’s A Lust for Life online CBT course. It’s best to follow it week by week and take your time with the processes suggested. So did you actually find the time to sit down and do the exercise we talked about last week?
Moving beyond a one story life: Changing perspective
We can get trapped with a one story version of our life: ‘I’ll never amount to anything. I’m a failure at everything.’ ‘I’m worthless. I don’t deserve to be happy.’
Teacher Stress: How do you deal with it?
As a teacher, have you ever considered how much your stress really affects you? If you were honest with yourself, does it sometimes feel as though stress has invaded your life but you keep pushing it away in the hope it will just disappear
Are you feeling SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Are you feeling SAD? If so you may have SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD) a form of depression associated primarily with inadequate bright light during the winter months
If you put a bad quality petrol into your car, it will affect its performance. Similarly, instead of low cost petrol, give your body Formula 1 fuel. If you don’t eat well, don’t expect that your mind will miraculously function well
Why video gaming can be a useful activity for wellbeing
One of the most popular activities an adolescent or young person engages in is video gaming, and quite often it is considered a worry
How can you feel positive, when you are flooded with negativity?
A few years ago I participated in a fascinating experiment. I was one of seventy people randomly divided into two groups. The researchers brought us into a room and showed us a clip of all that could go wrong in our lives
Exclusive to A Lust for Life – Free book for Students: ‘Tools for health, wellbeing and resilience’
Dr. Margaret O’Rourke, Cork based Clinical Psychologist has very kindly donated this LifeMatters book for students - ‘Tools for health, wellbeing and resilience’ - to A Lust for Life, for our readers to download for free
We live in a frighteningly progressive society. Traditions and cultures continuously evolve, and values and beliefs alter almost chameleon like with whatever is relevant and popular at any given time
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 2
This is week 2 of Dr. Clare’s A Lust for Life online CBT course. It’s best to follow it week by week and take your time with the processes suggested. Did you manage to start getting in tune with what you’re thinking and feeling some of the time?
Child Anxiety: What to do if your child is anxious, worried or upset
Have you noticed that your child is displaying symptoms of stress or anxiety? Do you know what these symptoms are? You may have noticed that maybe your child has become withdrawn, is behaving poorly in school and at home
Young Irish band The Matthews to donate all funds from their new single ‘Save Me’ to Teenline
Young up and coming Irish band The Matthews are launching their new single 'Save Me' on Oct 10th and are donating every single cent from the sales on itunes to Teenline, which supports teenagers in distress
When good mental health is not good enough: we need to focus on wellness
We need more vision in tackling how we think about mental health. Previously, I have seen Mary (57) and Sean (62) both successful business people from different parts of the country, but are embarrassed to be seeing a therapist
Exploring ‘dignity’ and its connection to World Mental Health Week
I seem to be having mixed emotions leading up to World Mental Health Day this Saturday, October 10th
The reason behind A Lust for Life
I spent almost 50% of my time on this earth disguising, ignoring and waging war against my mind, which at times seemed hell bent on destroying every relationship, career and passion that I pursued
Almost everyone will experience mental health difficulties. How could they not? Our mental health comes under pressure at times of stress. At times of loss
It’s been hard to escape the word ‘mindfulness’ in recent years. Whether it’s a celebrity singing its praises in the media, or the shelves of ‘mindfulness colouring books’ in your local book shop, the ‘m-word’ seems to be getting more popular
Chasing normality in the haze of addiction
Today I am incredibly grateful that the only thoughts occupying my mind when I wake in the morning, is the day ahead and the health of my children and loved ones
Free book for A Lust for Life readers – ‘Active and Healthy Aging’
Cork based Clinical Psychologist has very kindly donated this LifeMatters book Active and Healthy Aging - A Practical and Complete Guide To Psychological Health and Wellbeing
A Lust for Life Online CBT Course – WEEK 1
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Clare Kambamettu has very kindly developed an online CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) course exclusively for A Lust for Life readers
Minding your mind in pregnancy
Congratulations on your pregnancy! If you’re newly pregnant it probably all feels a bit surreal, exciting and terrifying all at that same time. You might be feeling a bit ‘green’, but not showing yet, but behind the scenes your body is changing
Positive Psychology: what is it all about?
Over the years, hundreds, if not thousands of books have been written and even more articles published about courageous people who have overcome their adversities
A while back I was delighted to hear the inspiring Conor Cusack, Cork Hurler, mental health advocate speak. During his talk Conor talk about the uniqueness and preciousness of each one of us
Mental fitness is a pre-emptive building block to tackling and addressing some of our nation’s oldest challenges and is central to our requirements for new conversations about our emotional wellbeing and (mental) health
Tired but wired? Let’s wake up to the importance of sleep
Getting good quality sleep (7 -8 hours ideally) makes the other 16 so much easier
Preventing suicide: reaching out and saving lives
World Suicide Prevention Day each year affords us an opportunity to reflect and to remember that the battle to reduce the numbers of people completing suicide is one we can never afford to lose focus on
Are you thinking about suicide as an option for you?
Thanks for taking a few minutes to read this, it won’t take very long. I can only assume that things in your life have become very painful, overwhelming and seemingly unbearable for you to have gotten to the point
Walking the path together: improving collaborative practices in mental health
When I started in Clinical Psychology, my main aim was to stick rigidly to the text books and the manuals
Fundamentally we are social animals. We all need connection. Isolation and loneliness set the conditions for despair and depression
My steps to recovery and how to avoid relapse from an eating disorder
For the past six years of my life I have been living with an eating disorder which also caused depression and anxiety
In the early 1980s, Professor James Pennebaker based in the University of Austin, Texas, began to run a simple experiment with students at the university
Bullying: tips for parents and children
Many children will be heading back to school this week. Most will be happy to see their friends but some are dreading the end of summer
How to take care of your mental health during pregnancy
So, you’re pregnant, you’ve got that BFP (big fat positive), you and your partner are having a baby…
Feed your mind – Top 10 healthy brain foods to include in your diet regularly
Dr. Lorna Doyle, Lecturer and Research Supervisor in Nutrition and Sports Nutrition in Waterford Institute of Technology tells us why eating healthy fats are a necessity for a healthy mind
I thought motherhood was not meant for me. I was broken, unreliable, a risk. After having a mental breakdown in 2003 and living with depression ever since, the idea of becoming a mother seemed irresponsible
Most parents would agree that what children need to develop into their true potential is a strong family unit, one where their beautiful and vital souls can take root and begin the journey towards healthy adulthood
An introduction to mindfulness for young people
I’ve noticed mindfulness has been cropping up a lot in the media recently. Some people have even referred to it as the latest fad. However mindfulness is over 2,500 years old
Putting a stop to your inner critic
When you see your inner critic doing its usual thing, catch it before it gets a hold of you. You could say something like ‘I see you’ or ‘where does this belief come from’, or find your own way of noting it
Helping a shy or anxious child engage more with the world around them
Even though I work with children every day, they never cease to amaze me
The effects of acne during adolescence
If acne is seriously affecting your mood, self-esteem or relationships it is important that you tell someone how you feel
If children were taught early on in life the symptoms of anxiety and how to manage them, then our world would be a much healthier place
How to help a child who is feeling anxious
We all experience fear. It is a natural response to threats to our safety. The oldest part of our brains is called the amygdala and its job is to help us survive
We all experience stress during the course of our lives. It seems as though there is no escape from it.
Options to consider if you didn’t get the college course you wanted
Didn't get that college place you wanted? Try not to stress too much, you have options, lots of them
The role of massage therapy in mental health
Massage therapy is becoming more and more recognised as an effective way to assist in the management of a variety of mental health problems
What is longer term Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a talking therapy used to treat emotional and mental health problems individually, in couples or in groups
The importance of peer to peer social support
Having normalised conversations amongst each other about something they have disguised is a powerful therapy
Eating Disorder, disordered eating or just a diet?
One of the questions many people have is how do you diagnose an eating disorder?
The link between nutrition and mental health (TEDx Talks)
We are what we absorb. A key message in this must-watch Ted Talk from Julia J Pucklidge, PhD
Quite a few people have mailed us for advice on medication, when it comes to depression and anxiety
For the next few blogs I will be introducing methods of expressive writing which have been shown to have a positive effect on wellbeing, starting with Free Writing
The healing power of Art Therapy
If we suppress our creativity, it may lead to depression. Humanity has always found creative ways to communicate how we feel, what we have witnessed, who we are and how we worship
The healing benefits of Mandalas and Zendalas
Mandala is the Sanskrit for ‘circle’ or ‘completion’. When somebody creates a mandala it becomes a window for exploring one’s inner self
Everybody on this planet could benefit from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help them cope with all that life throws at them
On average we check our device 150 times a day and a vast majority of users admit to being addicted to their smart phones
What to limit if you have anxiety
Alcohol, Caffeine, Processed food, Toxic People/Environments and Late nights
10 great songs to lift your mood
A collection of songs to help lift your mood. From The Beach Boys to Bill Withers
“To me the power of acupuncture is highly underrated and I have peace of mind in the thought that it is not addictive, not expensive and most of all that it has really worked for me”
Here is an essay from one of our followers Brid O’Riordan, on the power of music on regulating and improving mood, highlighting the science behind the thinking
GP’s – The gatekeepers on your road to improving your mental wellness
Having a good general practitioner that you trust is at the absolute foundation of your mental health journey
The ‘Forest Gump’ technique – a tool for panic attacks
Having struggled with crippling periodic insomnia throughout the years, I have always had an interesting relationship with sleep
