I didn’t become pregnant and think I was going to be a terrible parent. I worried I wouldn’t have a clue what I was doing, sure. But I felt fairly confident I was going to be a good mum – a fun mum, a happy mum. Yet as I sat on my sofa, listening to my baby cry in her cot for what seemed like the millionth time, I felt like none of those things. Instead I felt stuck, trapped; with a feeling of despair I had never experienced before. I was a long way from the happy mum I wanted to be, and instead all I felt an overwhelming sense of doom and failure. I longed for something to...
At any veterinary conference you will see dozens of vets wearing sweaters emblazoned with Be Kind. Here’s why. Most people probably assume being a vet is a dream job. This is in many ways true because most vets started dreaming about helping animals since they were in primary school. There are many exhilarating moments in the life of a vet, for example attending calvings at night and successfully bringing a new life into the world against all the odds. Or treating beloved pets who are considered to be members of their family - sometimes a dog or cat can be that person’s only companion. However, many people will be surprised to learn that vets struggle with mental...
When my lovely friend Jo and her work wife Chloe said they were doing a gold themed jumper for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month I was delighted. Not just because it would raise awareness and funds for the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group, but because our experience of childhood cancer fits so well with their ethos. An experience with cancer is about more than chemotherapy and the physical effects, it's a mental battle too. Not just for the patient, but the whole family. It's about love and support from others, learning you are not alone and how much difference a simple act of kindness can make in the darkest of days. It's realising you don't need to be strong all the time. That it's...
Crying. That’s the first thing I remember about when Gary told me he thought he had Depression. It was August 2015 and he was driving home from work, pulled over and called me, crying from inside the car. When he got home, he told me that he often felt this way, unexplainably sad and angry and didn’t know why. I made him an appointment with the GP and within a few weeks, there it was, the diagnosis of “Severe Depression”. He was signed off work and given medication and referred to an online self help CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) course. That month that he was off was tough. We had an 18 month old baby, I was back at work...
Supporting your child to open up: TLC Worried about your child’s emotional or mental health? Not sure where to begin in even beginning to address things. Before you have ‘the conversation’, ask yourself these 3 key questions; an easy way to remember these is using the abbreviation TLC; T is for Time: is this the most appropriate time to have the conversation? L is for location: is this the most appropriate location to have the conversation? C is for Child: is this right way to talk to this child? Time of conversation The timing of your conversation is hugely important. Make sure you set aside some time for it. Don’t rush your child. Give them your full attention. Clear your...
