Chrysalis Counselling & Consultancy in Bendigo, Victoria | Psychotherapist

Chrysalis Counselling & Consultancy

Locality: Bendigo, Victoria

Phone: +61 428 722 734

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• Medical and health
• Counsellor
• Psychotherapist

23.01.2022 We’re all in this together. I think we’ve all heard that phrase a lot in the last 12 months. But it kind of gets you thinking though, doesn’t it? How many of you have known a friend, or family member, or a local business owner that has experienced difficulties arising from COVID, and everything that came with it? Just recently, as Victoria was plunged into a third lockdown, it truly drove home how important it is to continue to support th...e people and businesses in your local community. I think many of us are on edge at the moment. It’s hard to not be always expecting the next wave, the next announcement, the next lot of bad news. Remembering that many people are under pressure right now and connecting to our shared values of kindness, respect and community can truly help others during this difficult time. So, keep buying your coffee from your favourite cafes. Keep buying local produce. Even a kind word to the supermarket staff can go a long way, and you know what they say, kindness doesn’t cost a cent! To everyone reading this right now, I hope you’re well. If you’re struggling, I hope that you can find your feet. And remember that it’s ok to feel overwhelmed, or upset, or confused, but that you can always seek help when you need it. - Ange See more

18.01.2022 You’ve heard me talk about it. You’ve seen me post about it. So, what IS Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT)?! In the simplest terms, ACT is a therapeutic approach that I use as a counsellor to help my clients deal with difficulties that they may be experiencing. It’s about acknowledging one’s thoughts and feelings rather than trying to fight them or brush them aside. But it’s not just a therapeutic approach to helping my clients, it’s something t...hat has relevance outside my counselling room too. ACT is a multifaceted therapy and, like most good things, has more going on than what you see at first glance. Unlike other therapies out there, ACT is about recognising that life is a series of ups and downs, and acknowledging that we will experience good times AND bad times. At the heart of it, it is about giving you the tools and knowledge you need to make it through the difficult times. ACT doesn’t ask you to push aside your emotions. It doesn’t demand that you pretend that your difficult thoughts and feelings do not exist. It doesn’t expect you to ignore those very REAL parts of you. We’re humans, not robots. We are going to experience lows as well as highs, and ACT is about helping us find ways to effectively navigate the complexities of the entire spectrum of human emotion. If you would like to know more about ACT and how it can be used to help you, let’s make a time to chat. The link is in my bio. - Ange See more

16.01.2022 But why would you choose to be a counsellor? If you’re sitting there wondering that, you’re not the first and you probably won’t be the last. There is this common misconception that being a counsellor must be a difficult, draining profession. After all, when you’re helping people overcome everything from depression and anxiety to anger issues and parenting concerns, it’s understandable for people to think that it’s quite a painful job to do. ... I’ve always felt called to help people. Throughout my teaching career, I was always drawn towards assisting the children that found school particularly challenging and being able to do that gave me great satisfaction. But after many years of teaching, I knew in my heart that my true calling lay in helping others to work through difficult thoughts and feelings, and that’s when my counselling career was born. As a self-confessed psychology nerd, I find I’m always seeking out new knowledge and information and soaking it all up like a sponge! I am particularly drawn to helping women, and through the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, assisting them in moving through life armed with the knowledge to handle difficult thoughts and feelings as they arise. So even though it might seem as though - from the outside at least - counselling is a painful profession, the honest truth is that I have found the thing I love to do, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. What do you do? I’d love to hear about it in the comments! - Ange See more

15.01.2022 Are you trying to be the perfect mother? I was caught in this illusion for many years until I realised that the perfect mother doesn’t exist. And you know what? That’s ok! There I was with my cape on trying to be supermum. The problem with trying to live up to that particular - unattainable - ideal is that it only leads to anxiety, depression and burn out. Sure, perfection sounds good in theory, but the reality is vastly diffe...rent. Trying to be a perfect mother puts so much pressure on you, and prevents you from being able to live your best life. Instead of being able to enjoy the experience of being a parent, you find yourself chasing unrealistic expectations, and inevitably feeling bad or disheartened when you aren’t able to reach them. When you put your energies into trying to be super mum, does that take you closer to, or away from what truly matters to you? Does chasing that ideal make you a better parent? Or is it enough to raise happy, healthy children, who remember you in their adult years as a mother who was not just comforting, caring and warm, but who was also able to take care of herself as well as others? It’s ok to go easy on yourself. Being a mother is a hard job, and it’s not like there’s a training manual! You learn as you go, and you do the best that you can. So take some time this week to step back, and reconnect with the things that really matter in regards to your parenting. And if trying to be the perfect mother is wearing you down, this is your gentle reminder not to be so hard on yourself. Sometimes, it’s about connection over perfection. - Ange See more

12.01.2022 Sometimes, life can get overwhelming. For example, have you ever been trying to manage parenting responsibilities, housework and work deadlines, and struggling to find time for everything you need to do in a day? When life becomes a juggling act, it can often feel like you’re sinking under the weight of pressure and expectation. There is a concept within ACT called ‘contacting the present moment.’ It is essentially an exercise that... asks you to focus solely on what you are doing in the here and now. It can be effective if you find yourself often going through life on ‘autopilot’, or if you have a feeling of being disconnected from the present or in your relationships. If you are someone that has a tendency to focus on past events, or concerns about the future, it’s so common to want to avoid our complicated thoughts and feelings, but even if we try to brush them aside, it doesn’t mean they’re going to go away. Take a moment to breathe. Feel the rise and fall of your chest as you take a normal breath in, and then release it. Listen to the sound of your inhale, and then your exhale. Try making your exhalation slightly longer than your in-breath. Pay attention to your body. Is your heart beating faster? Are your hands shaking? Focus on each of these things for a moment, and allow yourself time to really feel them. If your mind begins to wander, gently acknowledge that it is happening, and bring your attention back to your body and your breath. The most important thing at this moment is this moment. This is a simple exercise that you can use in moments of high emotional stress to help bring you back to the current moment. Once you can acknowledge the things you are feeling, you now have the power to decide whether those things serve you in the present. - Ange See more