Counselling

The Countryside Counsellor

~ claire ballardie

The Countryside Counsellor

Living and working in the countryside, I fully understand that rural life is not as idyllic and easy as people can think.  Solo working can be lonely, with no-one to share your fears and concerns and comes with a whole range of stressful situations.

Counselling with horses Anxiety

With long term stress, anxiety can take hold, affecting your self-confidence and self-worth. Feeling scared is hard to admit to yourself, but it has a far-reaching effect on handling and riding horses and other animals, and affect personal relationships..

Depression

As an equestrian professional myself for many years, I understand this world and how tough it can be, especially in the long, cold and dark winter months. Long days with little rest can have a negative affect on mood and wellbeing.

Bereavement

Losing a beloved horse or pet can be devastating, as can taking the decision to end their life if they are suffering. Letting go is so difficult, and finding support through this dreadful experience really helps.

Coping with Injury

Personal injury is common, and can be hard to deal with if you are a fit and active person. Physical jobs such as vets, farriers, farmers, horse trainers, for example, demand physical fitness and stamina: injury can knock this for six, and the mental impact of not being able to do what you need be very stressful.

I offer counselling in Market Lavington.

contact me for details.

Relaxation

~ claire ballardie

What is relaxation?

  • The ability to rest and recovery after work, physical effort, or mental challenges.
  • Doing something that you enjoy, for pleasure.
  • Finding a sense of peace, of fulfillment.
  • Feeling calm, safe, comfortable.

 

Why is it good for me?

  • It calms the nervous system, reducing stress, anxiety.
  • It slows your beathing and heart rate,
  • It reduces stress, improves sleep
  • It helps you to feel better about yourself, lifts your mood.
  • It improves rational thought, reducing the ‘what ifs’ and worries in your mind.

 

 

 

How do I relax?

  • Pay attention to your breath, focusing on calm, rhythmic breathing.
  • Send this calmness to where you feel tense in your body.
  • Move gently, stretching your muscles to shift tension.
  • Visualise a peaceful scene, imagining you are in a safe, calming place.

Summary

We can relax when we feel safe, and able to let go of our fears, our worries.

Relaxation is essential- without the ability to relax, we live in a permanent state of anxiety, you have need to ‘keep busy’.

So, let go of what you think you need to do right now, and just be present, pay attention to yourself. Feel safe, calm and take that deep breath right now. Relax.

Self Awareness

~ claire ballardie

Self awareness

How well do you know yourself? How do feel emotion in your body?Developing self-awareness helps to identify emotional triggers which cause anxiety. Once we notice what happens to us, both mentally and physically, we can start to  learn how to keep calm and focused on what we need to, improving our ability to concentrate. This in turn improves self-confidence and feeling more able to cope with daily life. Self-awarness can improve relationships, noticing  how we respond to other people and why.

In counselling, self-awareness can be helped by the following:

 

  • Talking therapy
  • Body awareness
  • Meditation
  • Relaxation and breathing techniques..
  • Learning more about yourself as a person.

Venturing into the realms of self-awareness takes bravery. Are you brave enough to open the door into the world of self-discovery?

Contact me for more details about how psychotherapy can help you..

 

Depression

~ claire ballardie

What is Depression?

With depression, you may have been feeling lonely or withdrawn for a while, and not been able to ‘snap out of it’. Daily life becomes a chore, and simple things become a challenge. It may be difficult to socialise, and things that you enjoy doing lose their appeal.

How does it start?

Depression may start from a life event such as bereavement, or build up through lifestyle or relational difficulties. You may suffer from a loss of confidence and self-esteem, and lose interest on yourself: how you dress, and care for yourself. Feeling tearful and irritable, a lack of patience, a sense of frustration are all common signs of depression. Life is no fun, and it is difficult to lift your mood.

How can counselling help?

Counselling can unlock the door into understanding what contributes to depression. It is about being able to talk about your experiences, without being judged, or feeling embarrassed or awkward. Depression affects people on different ways- you are unique, and important, and deserve a chance to feel better.

NHS Definition of Depression

  • feeling hopeless and helpless
  • having low self-esteem
  • feeling tearful
  • feeling guilt-ridden
  • feeling irritable and intolerant of others
  • having no motivation or interest in things
  • finding it difficult to make decisions
  • not getting any enjoyment out of life

If you would like to talk,, I will listen. Please contact me. 

Pet Bereavement

~ claire ballardie

Pet Bereavement: Losing a pet.

We generally live longer than our pets, so most pet owners experience grief from a beloved animal companion in their lives.

Sammy Poodle

Pets fulfill our need to nurture, and are a valued family member, often being more important to us than people. We love them because they love us unconditionally. They are our best friends regardless of how we dress, our social standing, or if we have had a bad day at work.

The powerful feelings that arise from such loss are often overlooked, or dismissed. Common responses to pet loss are ‘Well, it’s just a dog. Surely you can just get another one.’ or ‘Cheer up, you’ll get over it.’

Our pets are by our sides through thick and thin. They listen to our woes, comfort us when we cry, and share our joy when we celebrate happiness. For this reason, losing our ‘animal buddy’, our best friend,  leaves a huge hole in our hearts.

Coping with pet loss

Grief is grief. Losing a pet is just as devastating, or more so, than losing someone we hold dear. Grief waves over us, like a Sunami. Over time, these waves lessen, come less frequently, subside more gently, as we come to understand our own individual way of coping. It is said that ‘grief is love with nowhere to go’.

Cats

Sharing your experience with a therapist, like me, who ‘gets it’ can really help. I understand the impact of pet loss: I have lost much-loved animals in my life. As a therapist, my role is to support you as you find a way of understanding your feelings. I  can guide you through the process of  bereavement, helping you to find a way forwards, to acknowledge the pain of your loss.

 

 

As an animal lover, I share your tears. We will find a way to love them still, and enjoy wonderful memories, to keep them forever in our hearts.

Please contact me if you would like help coping with pet bereavement.