My Blogs

What has happened to them? A recent BBC article on links between children’s behaviour and mental health, caught my eye. Initially I was full of optimism for a breakthrough in how we are understanding children’s behaviour as communication of their distress. After all, as Dr Bruce Perry, Oprah and many others are saying. The most…

Photo by Paul Hanaoka  Why is biting so bad? I remember only too well picking my son up from pre-school and being told there had been a ‘biting incident!’ When we got home he showed me a clear bite mark on his arm. Initially I was really upset but, as he seemed to be less…

Transformations, changes..are you ready? Have you considered what your work and personal experiences could become, if you were more tuned into your energy? When I first studied Bruce H. Lipton’s work in The Biology of Belief, it turned out to be a LARGE missing piece of my personal and professional puzzle. Maybe it could be…

A ‘safety focused’ version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need On a dull August afternoon it seems like a good time to update a longstanding model of the hierarchy of human needs. (as you do!!) Not to be disruptive, honest. But because my work, studies and life have taught me the immense value and necessity of…

I love dogs But…I’ve always wondered why it is easier for many to feel compassion for a traumatised dog than for children and adults with early experiences of trauma. Is it because humans often show their trauma in ways society finds challenging, and judges harshly? My friend and colleague Fiona Scott has recently welcomed Jessie,…

To be surrounded by broken pieces of your child’s new furniture surely feels bewildering. Or, like a heartrending rejection of the love, kindness, time and energy you have gladly offered them. The furniture, so lovingly chosen, was meant to help them settle in and have a sense of their own things and of belonging. Purchased,…

Self Harm UK says it so well, “Let’s get one thing straight right here: self-harm doesn’t feel nice, it just sometimes feels better than the emotional pain it’s trying to hide. In reality, it doesn’t even do that; not really. Self-harm isn’t nice, the person you care about isn’t hurting themselves because it feels good,…

It’s important for every child to be able to feel all of their emotional states. Boredom is one of those. When they struggle to tolerate feeling bored, it can become a real problem. Boredom is a very normal physical and emotional experience so it’s important we resist the temptation to help children to avoid it!…

When should we start? Children are going to go on social media. That’s why we need to be educated in all the latest apps that spring up like weeds. Most of your children’s friends will be on something, and will share their phones etc. My son is grown up now. If he was young nowadays.…