Notebook Archives - Karen Toms Counselling

Winter sunrise through trees symbolising hope and recovery in eating disorder counselling.

How Counselling for Eating Disorders Can Support Long-Term Recovery

Eating Disorders, Notebook9 hours ago6Views 0Likes 0Comments

Counselling for eating disorders provides compassionate support to help rebuild trust with your body, develop healthier coping strategies, and sustain long-term recovery. Learn how therapy can guide you through the emotional and psychological aspects of healing, while preventing relapse and fostering lasting wellbeing.

Silhouette of a person between sunlight and night sky, representing the body’s circadian rhythm and balance between light and dark.

The Role of Circadian Rhythms

Notebook2 days ago18Views 0Likes 0Comments

Our circadian rhythms regulate sleep, energy, and emotional balance, yet modern life often pulls us out of sync. As winter approaches, this piece explores the science behind our internal clock and how light, rest, and daily habits can support mental and physical wellbeing.

Illustration of a tree in full leaf with its roots visible underground, symbolising self-worth as the roots and self-esteem as the growing branches.

Self-esteem vs. Self-worth: The Difference and Why It Matters

NotebookOctober 24, 202540Views 0Likes 0Comments

We often use self-worth and self-esteem interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Self-esteem shifts with our achievements and others’ opinions, while self-worth is the quiet knowing that we are valuable simply because we exist. This post explores the difference — and how we can nurture both with gentleness and self-compassion.

An illustration of a clenched hand striking a tangled ball of string, symbolising anger and inner tension in the fight response.

The Fight Response: When Protection Looks Like Anger

Notebook, TraumaOctober 21, 202523Views 0Likes 0Comments

You might know the feeling - your jaw tightens, your chest feels hot, and words spill out faster than you intended. Later, you replay it all in your mind and wonder why you reacted that way. For many people, these moments aren’t just about losing your temper. They’re your body’s way of saying: I don’t feel…

Muted illustration of leaves, representing calm, reflection, and emotional wellbeing during menopause and anxiety.

Anxiety and the Menopause – Understanding the Overlap

Anxiety, NotebookOctober 19, 202529Views 0Likes 0Comments

October is Menopause Awareness Month, and yesterday was World Menopause Day — a reminder of how vital it is to talk openly about this transition and its impact on women’s emotional wellbeing. For many women, menopause is not just a physical shift; it’s also an emotional and psychological one. Anxiety, in particular, can rise sharply…

World Mental Health Day 2025

NotebookOctober 10, 202559Views 0Likes 0Comments

Today is World Mental Health Day (WMHD) 2025. I believe that it would be great if everyone was more aware of mental health every day. There is so much scope for it to be discussed more openly. Some of the stigma needs to be reduced and for those with issues to feel more comfortable seeking…

A close-up illustration of hands gently pulling apart a tangled bundle of string, symbolising how therapy helps untangle the emotional impact of trauma.

What Is Trauma?

Notebook, TraumaOctober 7, 202556Views 0Likes 0Comments

What does the word ‘trauma’ mean to you? You may think of the impact that extreme events like war, accidents, or natural disasters can have. Or perhaps you know personally that it’s not just about ‘big’ events — it can also come from experiences such as bullying, medical treatment, relationship difficulties, chronic stress, or sudden loss. It’s helpful to…

Muted pale pink and beige dried leaves creating a calm, natural background

The Anxiety Series 04: Anxiety in the Body: Symptoms, Triggers & Coping Tips

Anxiety, NotebookOctober 2, 202567Views 0Likes 0Comments

Sometimes anxiety can show up in your body long before your mind catches on. May be your chest tightens before a meeting, or your stomach knots before you send a difficult email. Perhaps your shoulders are tense all day, but you only notice when a headache appears. These physical sensations can feel confusing, frustrating, or…

Pink jade stone with two visible fault lines, symbolising the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders.

What is the Difference Between Disordered Eating and an Eating Disorder?

Eating Disorders, NotebookSeptember 25, 202574Views 0Likes 0Comments

A lot of people struggle with food, body image, and eating habits during their lives. Sometimes this happens for a short period, while for others it continues for many years. In 2019, around 16% of adults in England were estimated to have an eating disorder1 , and these numbers are likely even higher today. It's common for people…

Close-up shot of woman's hand touching dry grass in autumn meadow at sunset.

Changing Your Story Through Counselling: Inside / Outside Stories

NotebookSeptember 18, 202578Views 0Likes 0Comments

Introduction We all carry stories about ourselves—some we keep inside, and some we share with the world. These stories can shape how we think, feel, and navigate our lives, but not all of them serve us well. Sometimes our inside stories are critical, harsh, or outdated, whilst our outside stories may present a very different…

A boat named 'Happy' seen from the rear which represents the pursuit of a happy state.

Pursuing happy vs focusing on your mood baseline

NotebookSeptember 11, 202565Views 0Likes 0Comments

Introduction Pursuing a state of happy is one of the most dominant purposes of our time. It can be hard to not be bombarded in daily life with messages demanding happy needs to be your goal. I took the photo below in a café a few days ago. If I spent a week monitoring, I…

The Anxiety Series 03 – The Different Forms of Anxiety: Types, Symptoms & Causes

Anxiety, NotebookNovember 1, 20242KViews 0Likes 0Comments

As outlined in the first and second posts in this series, anxiety is a common experience that affects millions of people globally. While it’s normal to feel anxious occasionally, chronic anxiety can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. The different forms of anxiety can manifest in different anxiety disorders, each with…

How Counselling for Eating Disorders Can Support Long-Term Recovery

The Role of Circadian Rhythms

Self-esteem vs. Self-worth: The Difference and Why It Matters

The Fight Response: When Protection Looks Like Anger

Anxiety and the Menopause – Understanding the Overlap

World Mental Health Day 2025

What Is Trauma?

The Anxiety Series 04: Anxiety in the Body: Symptoms, Triggers & Coping Tips

What is the Difference Between Disordered Eating and an Eating Disorder?

Changing Your Story Through Counselling: Inside / Outside Stories

Pursuing happy vs focusing on your mood baseline

The Anxiety Series 03 – The Different Forms of Anxiety: Types, Symptoms & Causes

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