We all have an innate bias to spot and remember negative events much more easily than the positive ones. In Psychology this is known as the negativity bias. The negativity bias affects our attention, how we learn and retain or recall information, the conclusions we come to when evaluating peoples’ behaviour and our decision-making.

Shame and guilt are both powerful emotions; but what is the difference? Shame-ammunition is loaded with the poison of self-doubt. This will lead to reduced resiliency for further attacks and the wounds from previous attacks heal much slower. But guilt can play an important role in accepting ourselves.

I am the emotion, being alone is describing a situation. When you are surrounded by people you can still feel lonely, even though you are not alone. And when you are alone I don’t necessarily come and visit you. When you are alone you may meet me, loneliness, but just as often humans can feel happy and content when they are alone. So please do not say that we are the same.

Starting therapy for the first time, or meeting a new therapist can be daunting, especially for children and young people. I strive to provide a safe, warm and compassionate environment for my clients—an environment that allows them to be open and honest, free from judgement, pressure or stress.

My experiences lit a passion in me to develop my practice as a psychologist to help LGBTQIA+ young people who may share some of the challenges or concerns I faced. Through my own therapeutic journey I have learned to love myself and to be proud of who I am and what I have achieved. I want the same for every child or young person I work with.

Even though it is not exactly know what the precise function of sleep is everyone agrees that sleep is essential and serves a restorative purpose. Our mind and our body, they both need sleep.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is about so much more than loosing weight, looking skinny, or constantly being on a diet. It is much more complex than that. Anorexia does not discriminate. Anorexia affects not only females but also increasingly males, it can affect people from all ethnicities and different social classes.

I believe that Depression is one of the nastiest mental health disorders. Partly because of the symptoms it comes with but also because Depression is significantly underestimated by the general population as well as mental health services.

Medication is often the first line of treatment as it provides a quick fix. This is not wrong, however, ADD/ADHD encompasses so much more and the symptoms of ADD/ADHD result in much more impairment than most people know of.

Play is an important part of my approach to integrative therapy. For children free play is a way with which they communicate, they can face new experiences, process events, try and learn new ways of thinking and feeling as well as practice new behaviours.

I strongly believe that childhood and adolescence should be characterised by carefreeness and happiness. I believe that young people should be able to enjoy this time of their lives to the fullest. Growing up is all about finding out what you like, what you’re good at and finding out who you are, who you want to be.

Evidence-based tips for positive play time. But the most important tip is this one: let go and have tons of fun!