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If you haven't read Part 1 yet, I'd encourage you to go back and start there. This piece will land differently if you do. Let me start with a confession. With something that took me a long time to admit. When I first encountered love that was genuinely steady, I didn't trust it. Not because there was anything wrong with it. But because my nervous system had no map for it. It didn't feel like the love I had been chasing. It didn't hurt in the right places. It didn't keep me gu

A personal note before we begin, as always. I don't write about theory from a distance. Everything I share here comes from a genuine belief that the most powerful thing we can offer each other is honesty. Not something carefully curated. But something brutally real. Because growth and healing come from the ability to be vulnerable and authentic. And this is what trembles sometimes as it finds its way onto the page. There is a feeling most of us know. It arrives without warnin

You always hear it, it practically flows from the taps: Trust your gut. Your instincts never lie. If something feels wrong, it probably is. It 's one of the most universally offered pieces of advice when it comes to relationships, and on the surface, it sounds empowering. Your body as a compass. Your feelings as a truth-teller. Don’t overthink; just listen within. But what if that’s not exactly correct? That advice can fail to mention the alternatives. If you've lived throug

A personal note before we begin. I don't write about theory from a distance. I never have. Everything I share on The Honest Journey comes from a genuine belief that the most powerful thing we can offer each other is honesty. Not the polished, carefully curated kind, but the real, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally trembling kind. I am a trainee psychotherapist, a psychology graduate, and a woman who has done significant work on her own healing. I understand attachment theo

I was talking with a friend recently and we found ourselves reflecting on trauma, and how deeply our past experiences shape our sense of self and our behaviour. It was one of those conversations that stays with you long after it ends. And somewhere in the middle of it, a question surfaced that I have not been able to let go of: how do you know where self-preservation ends and self-sabotage begins? What You Went Through Leaves Its Mark If you have ever lived through Adverse Ch

Valentine's Day. For some, it's a day of romance and celebration. For others, it brings up feelings of loneliness, pressure, or inadequacy. Regardless of your relationship status, or healing from heartbreak, or somewhere in between, the cultural weight of this day can feel overwhelming. But if you think about it properly, you’ll see that Valentine's Day doesn't necessarily have to be about romantic love alone. And it certainly doesn't have to leave you feeling 'less than' if

There are moments when someone we care about is struggling, and we feel it in our chest before we even have the words for it. Maybe they've become quieter. Maybe they're putting on a brave face or a smile that doesn't quite reach their eyes. Maybe they've told us something that scared us, and we're lying awake wondering what to say or do. The instinct to help is one of the most human things about us. But so is the fear of getting it wrong. This article is for those moments. F

In Part 1, we talked about what self-harm is, why young people do it, and the warning signs to look for. If you haven't read that yet, I'd encourage you to start there. But understanding is only half the journey. Now comes the harder part: what do you actually do ? If you've discovered that someone you love is hurting themselves, you're probably feeling a mix of emotions right now. Fear. Guilt. Anger, even. Maybe a desperate urge to fix it, to take the pain away, to make it s

A gentle note before we begin: This article discusses self-harm in detail. If you're currently struggling, please be gentle with yourself as you read. If you're a parent or carer seeking to understand, thank you for being here. Your willingness to learn could make all the difference to a young person in your life. Few things are more terrifying for a parent than discovering their child has been hurting themselves. The shock, the guilt, the desperate questions: Why didn't I se

If you've been following The Honest Journey, you might have read my recent piece about living with undiagnosed neurodivergence. But there's something I didn't fully explore in that article: for most of us, it's never just one thing. Maybe you've got an ADHD diagnosis, but you also can't sleep. You're anxious all the time. Your stomach never feels quite right. You're exhausted in ways that coffee can't fix. Maybe you've mentioned these things to doctors over the years, but the

Sometimes you feel the buzz and are full of energy. You're on fire, ticking things off your list, feeling like you can take on the world. But other times? You find yourself sitting on the edge of your bed, barely alive, unable to face the day. Does this sound familiar? You're unable to get out of bed or get anything done. You sit there, seeing exactly how much needs to be done, but you feel paralysed. Then it starts escalating. You begin blaming yourself. Your inner critic ge

When it comes to understanding our mental well-being, staying updated with the latest research can feel overwhelming. But what if I told you that recent mental health studies UK are opening new doors to how we approach mental health care, support, and self-awareness? It’s an exciting time, and I want to share some of the most promising trends that could make a real difference in your life or the life of someone you care about. Exploring New Frontiers in Mental Health Studies

When you're in a relationship, it can be surprisingly difficult to see clearly. Love, history, and hope have a way of clouding our perspective. We might explain away behaviours that concern us, or we might not realise that what we're experiencing isn't normal because it's all we've ever known. It doesn’t mean labelling your partner as "good" or "bad." Relationships exist on a spectrum, and even healthy ones have difficult moments. What matters is the overall pattern: how you

Have you ever looked back on a relationship and thought, "How did I miss that?" You're not alone, and you're definitely not foolish.  It’s more common than you think. And it’s not because you’re stupid or blind. Our brains are wired for connection, and sometimes that wiring works against us. Okay, let me break it down into digestible pieces. When we meet someone we are attracted to, we see everything in a different light. We see the chosen one’s positive characteristics and o

When I first started thinking about mental health in the workplace, I realised how often it’s a topic wrapped in silence and misunderstanding. Have you ever felt hesitant to share your struggles at work? Or noticed colleagues holding back because they fear being judged? It’s a common experience, and it’s rooted in the mental health stigma in the workplace that still lingers far too much. But what if we could change that? What if workplaces became safe spaces where mental well

Mental health is something we all experience, yet it often feels like a mysterious part of our lives. Have you ever wondered what really goes on inside your mind when you feel anxious, happy, or overwhelmed? I’ve been on a journey to understand this better, and I want to share what I’ve learned about the fascinating science behind mental health. It’s not just about feelings or moods; it’s about biology, psychology, and even our environment working together in ways we’re only

The last of the tinsel has been packed away. The tree is gone, the leftovers have finally run out, and the calendar has flipped to a brand new year. Happy New Year, everyone says. Fresh start. New beginnings. Time to set those resolutions and chase your dreams. But what if you don't feel any of that? What if the holidays left you more drained than before they started? What if, instead of feeling refreshed and motivated, you're sitting here wondering how you're supposed to fac

Depth psychology refers to therapeutic approaches that explore the unconscious mind and its influence on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Carl Jung, one of its founders, proposed that our psyche contains both a personal unconscious (our individual repressed experiences) and a collective unconscious of universal patterns and symbols he called archetypes. Modern depth-oriented therapies build on these foundations while incorporating contemporary research. Research suppor

Mental health is something we all have, yet it often feels like a topic wrapped in silence and misunderstanding. Have you ever hesitated to share your feelings or struggles because you feared being judged? So did I! And I'm sure we're not alone! The stigma surrounding mental health can make it difficult for many to seek help or even talk openly about their experiences. But what if we could change that? What if, together, we could create a community where mental well-being is

Last week we discussed burnout and how it affects us. Now, here comes the hopeful part: It is preventable, and recovery is possible. It requires action on multiple levels, and yes, that includes changes that need to come from organisations and systems, not just from you individually. But there are things you can do, starting today. Individual Strategies (The Things Within Your Control) Stress management techniques  genuinely help. Cognitive-behavioural strategies (challengin