top of page


Before we process trauma, we need to feel safe
When people think about therapy, they often imagine the work beginning with difficult conversations about painful memories, past experiences or events they have tried hard to leave behind. It is a common assumption that healing starts by confronting trauma directly. In reality, this is rarely where the work begins. Trauma does not simply leave us with memories of what happened. It changes the way our nervous system learns to respond to the world around us. For many people, e
Julie Smith
19 hours ago2 min read


Big T v Little t Trauma: It's Not Always What Happened
When most people hear the word trauma, they think of catastrophic events. A serious car accident, physical assault, a natural disaster, combat or sexual violence. These experiences are what’s known as “Big T Trauma” and are events most people would recognise as overwhelming, frightening or life-threatening. It's what we most readily think of when someone talks about trauma. But trauma is not defined by the event alone. Two people can experience the same situation and be affe
Julie Smith
Jun 12 min read


Understanding ADHD: It’s Not About Laziness
ADHD is often misunderstood. Many people grow up believing they are disorganised, unmotivated or “just not trying hard enough.” But ADHD is not about effort or intelligence. It is about how the brain regulates attention, motivation and emotion. At a neurological level, ADHD involves differences in how the brain uses dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical that helps us feel motivated and rewarded when we complete tasks. For people with ADHD, this system can be less efficient. This
Julie Smith
May 202 min read


The Role You Were Given
In many families, one person ends up being seen as “the problem”. The anxious one, the difficult one, the one who can’t seem to get it together. Family Systems Theory offers a different perspective. It suggests that what we see in one person is often a reflection of something happening across the whole family. Rather than a collection of individuals, the family operates as a single emotional system. When stress builds, everyone adjusts, often without realising it. This is whe
Julie Smith
Apr 131 min read


Understanding Boundaries: Learning to Say Yes to Yourself
Many people come to counselling feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or quietly resentful in their relationships. Often, this sits underneath one core issue: difficulty with boundaries. Boundaries are not about pushing people away. They are about understanding where you end and someone else begins. They allow you to recognise your own needs, limits, and capacity, and to respond in a way that feels respectful to yourself and others. For some, boundaries were never modelled
Julie Smith
Mar 92 min read


What is a psychodynamic approach?
Psychodynamic therapy looks at the deeper patterns shaping your thoughts, feelings and relationships. Often, we develop ways of coping early in life that made sense at the time. These patterns can stay with us into adulthood, even when they no longer serve us. You might notice repeating relationship struggles, strong emotional reactions, or feeling stuck in the same cycles. In this approach, we gently explore: Where certain patterns may have started How past relationships sha
Julie Smith
Feb 161 min read
bottom of page