Cost of living stress and mental health are closely connected. When rent, food, transport, childcare or mortgage payments become harder to manage, the impact is not only financial. Ongoing pressure can affect sleep, relationships, concentration, mood and a person’s sense of control over their life. In Aotearoa New Zealand, many households are having to make [...]
Infant mental health can sound like an unusual term. Babies do not talk about feelings, describe worries, or reflect on their experiences in the way older children and adults can. Yet from the beginning of life, infants are developing ways of sensing safety, managing distress, connecting with others, and making meaning through their bodies and [...]
Questions about children, social media and mental health are increasingly part of family life in Aotearoa New Zealand. Many parents are weighing up the benefits of online connection against concerns about sleep, attention, body image, bullying, privacy and emotional wellbeing. Public discussion about age limits and regulation reflects a real uncertainty: how do we help [...]
Postnatal depression in fathers is real, and it can be deeply unsettling for the person experiencing it and for the wider family. While pregnancy, birth and infant care are often centred on mothers, fathers and non-birthing parents also go through major psychological, relational and practical changes. Sleep disruption, financial pressure, shifts in identity and changes [...]
Coming off antidepressants can be a significant decision. For some people, medication has been an important part of getting through depression, anxiety, trauma-related distress or a difficult period in life. Others may reach a point where they wonder whether they still need it, feel concerned about side effects, or want to understand their options. Deprescribing [...]
Weight loss and mental health are often discussed separately, yet they are closely connected for many people. Information about nutrition and movement can be useful, but it does not automatically change long-standing patterns with food, exercise, self-criticism or body image. The emotional context matters. Why weight is not simply about willpower Eating and activity are [...]
The therapeutic relationship is often one of the most important parts of counselling and psychotherapy. People sometimes imagine therapy as a set of techniques applied to a problem. Techniques can be useful, but they tend to work best within a relationship that feels safe enough, honest enough and steady enough to support real reflection. In [...]
Staying together for the kids is one of the most difficult questions many parents face. It often comes from a place of love: wanting to protect children from disruption, loss and uncertainty. At the same time, children are not only affected by whether their parents live together, but by the emotional climate they grow up [...]
Getting the most out of therapy is not about being a “perfect” client or arriving with everything neatly worked out. Many people begin counselling or psychotherapy feeling uncertain, stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to explain what is happening. The therapeutic process can still be useful. What often helps is having a sense of how therapy [...]
Being ghosted — when someone suddenly stops responding without explanation — can happen in dating, friendships, family relationships, workplaces and even professional settings. Although it may look from the outside like a small event, the emotional impact can be unexpectedly strong. Many people are left feeling confused, embarrassed, angry or preoccupied with what they might [...]
