Impact North West - Insights

When clients ask me about how they can manage Stress and Anger, they generally describe feelings of being ”Out of control,” “Not being able to think straight,” and “Seeing red,” these Fight or Flight responses can become really difficult to manage  if left unchecked. So my clients often feel a huge sense of relief when they start to make sense of what is happening to them, when they struggle to manage their anger outbursts. The Dan Siegel- Flipping Your Lid- Hand Model, is a great reference point. https://youtu.be/qFTljLo1bK8   It can take also take away some of the shame a client may feel when they have a Fight or Flight or Freeze response to a very uncomfortable emotional trigger.   If you or anyone in your family is affected by Anger or Stress issues and would like to know more about how Psychotherapy, Counselling or Coaching would help, please get in touch. Emma Appleby is the Clinical Director of Impact North West, providing:- Counselling, Psychotherapy and Coaching to Adults and

When working with the pain of Grief and Loss in all it’s forms, some of my client’s find they can relate to the following models of grief.  The Dual Process Model. This model shows how people alternate between Loss Orientated Coping (things that focus on the grief, like:-  memories, photos and feelings of sadness) and Restorative Coping (things that focus on rebuilding life after the loss like:-discovering who we are without our loved one, having new experiences). The space in between, refers to our everyday life- experiences. Some clients find this helpful as they realise, the process of going from Loss Orientated Coping to Restorative Coping is a normal and healthy part of the grief process. Clients realise they can experience episodes of deep grief and still maintain intervals of everyday life experience, moving forward to rebuild life after loss.  Tonkin’s Model of Grief. Lois Tonkin’s model often referred to as ”Growing Around Grief” suggests that for some people, grief stays the

I often ask the adolescents that I work with, "What top tips would you say, help with anxiety?" the firm favourite is using the Calm Anchor, a calming and regulating technique. What is an Anchor? An Anchor is a way of changing or altering a state or emotion, an example being, when we hear music, or see a particular colour. It can be a trigger to a change in emotion. An Anchor can be imagined or real. An Anchor can help when we want to change a negative state to a more helpful one. Safe Place Anchor. Remember or imagine a place you feel calm and safe. As you remember your safe place take some deep breaths in and out. Remember or imagine it as if you are there experiencing it through your eyes. Use all of your senses to look around you and notice what you see, notice the colours, the sounds, textures, smells and how calm you feel. Make the image as big and bold as you want and when you notice yourself feeling really calm and safe, put your finger and thumb together of your righ

Whilst working with adolescents I often get asked to explain what's happening in the teenage brain. I share this really great video by Dan Siegel. https://youtu.be/0O1u5OEc5eY If you or your adolescent think you may benefit from some Counselling or Psychotherapy, or Coaching, please get in touch at www.impactnorthwest.co.uk Emma Appleby is the Clinical Director of Impact North West, providing:- Counselling, Psychotherapy and Coaching to Adults and Adolescents.

When working with Adolescents who are experiencing Anxiety, parents always ask how they can best  help their teenager, I offer the following ideas and like referencing, Dan Siegel's work on how the Adolescent brain works, it's fascinating.  Modelling our own emotional  regulation can really help adolescents. Keep body language open and clear, and state what you’re feeling. Facial expression and body language can be misinterpreted by adolescents and can lead to heightened emotions like anxiety. Listening without jumping in to fix, is a great way to enable your teenager to be able to think independently.  When they are sharing something difficult with you, it’s great to ask,” How can I help?  Do you want advice, or me  to listen,” this is a great way to validate and promote emotional regulation and problem solving.  It helps to say, “So what you’re saying is------,” adolescents need to feel heard. Acknowledge what your adolescent feels- say, “So you’re feeling-----”, this validat

Counselling and Psychotherapy can really help. I often work with individuals who want help with Stress, often caused by a major life change or a decision that's been difficult to make. Therapy can support individuals by working through Stress, enabling clarity and problem solving. If you are suffering with Stress or Worry and think you would benefit from some support get in touch at www.impactnorthwest.co.uk Emma Appleby is the Clinical Director of Impact North West, providing:- Counselling, Psychotherapy and Coaching to Adults and Adolescents.

Sadly, due to the impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic, social isolation and the restrictions that have come with it, anxiety is on the rise. My Counselling and Psychotherapy practice has seen a huge increase in referrals for help with anxiety in both adults and particularly, teenagers. So one of the most frequent questions I get asked by parents is, " How can I help my teenager with anxiety?"  Studies on the teenage  brain are increasingly  revealing why anxiety is heightened during adolescence. Scientists  have focused on the connection between the brain's Limbic System, particularly the Amygdala  and the Prefrontal Cortex. These connections  are essential  for regulating emotions. The Amygdala  and  Prefrontal Cortex connections  are slow to  develop during adolescence. This means that connections  in the brain that help  to  regulate emotions  are in flux during this development  period, making the adolescent particularly  vulnerable  to anxiety and stress. Alongside the s