The Red Couch Counselling & Psychology Clinic in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Mental health service

The Red Couch Counselling & Psychology Clinic

Locality: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 1800 232 152

Address: Suite 402, 370 St. Kilda Rd. 3004 Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.theredcouch.com.au

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• Mental health service
• Psychologist

24.01.2022 When we live a value-based life, we usually feel a greater sense of life satisfaction, happiness and are more insulated against depression and anxiety. Here are a few tips on living a more meaningful life. Remember, a psychologist is not just a great resource when you have a problem but can also help enhance good mental health. http://www.lifehack.org//10-ways-to-live-a-more-meaningful

24.01.2022 "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" or so the saying goes... When it comes to goals HOW we tackle them is as important as WHY we tackle them. Having a plan that involves little measurable steps that we can review and adjust as needed is key. You have to have a strategy and a way of checking if the strategy is working and tinker with it as needed.

22.01.2022 It's "Back to school" time and many of our youngsters are returning to the classroom after a significant break. This can be challenging for kids and young people. Our psychologist Jack Miers specialises in working with children and young people. Here are some of Jack's top tips for helping with the transition back to school: After weeks and weeks of going to bed late, trips to the beach, movies and general freedom from the demands of school, the time has come for your childre...Continue reading

22.01.2022 It does not matter how fast you get there! Patience and perseverance! A psychologist can help when the going gets tough...

22.01.2022 Yesterday we discussed the benefits of staying active in terms of reducing the risk of depression and reducing the severity of depression. But did you know that staying active is also good for your brain health? There are three activities in particular that promote good brain health and have been associated with healthier aging and reduced risk of dementia. These activities are: 1) learning to play a musical instrument; 2) learning another language; & 3) physical exercise. That is because these activities promote neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, in other words the growth of new brain cells and the flexibility and resilience of brain cells. So staying active really has more benefits than you may initially think! So how will you spend your weekend?

22.01.2022 The reasons and emotional connection we have to our goals become very important, especially when motivation is hard to muster. When we have a greater sense of purpose and are doing something that does not just make life better for ourselves but helps others too, motivation can be easier to maintain. For example, find a good cause that will also address your personal goals such as Febfast for health-related goals. It is a win win for everyone and will help boost motivation. http://febfast.org.au

21.01.2022 Yesterday, we talked about ways to lead a more meaningful life. Here is what the Dalai Lama has to say on the matter with his 18 rules to live by. Why not set a goal of practicing just one of these in the next week and see how you go and feel afterwards. http://theunboundedspirit.com/18-rules-of-living-by-the-da/

21.01.2022 Being more self-aware allows us to build our skills in managing emotions better. A psychologist can provide expert coaching on how to develop these important skills.

18.01.2022 Psychologists are experts at helping people work through and dissolve emotional pain also. When we can process an emotional trauma in a new way and better understand it, we can reclaim some power over it. We can learn to see what has happened in a new light and this new perspective can help us relate to the emotional trauma in a new way. Just like we have been talking about strategies to help manage physical pain over the past few days, psychologists can teach strategies to help manage emotional pain more effectively. This can allow us to make peace with an old emotional 'demon' and find new ways to move forward.

18.01.2022 Its "Back to school" time and many of our youngsters are returning to the classroom after a significant break. This can be challenging for kids and young people. Our psychologist Jack Miers specialises in working with children and young people. Here are some of Jacks top tips for helping with the transition back to school: After weeks and weeks of going to bed late, trips to the beach, movies and general freedom from the demands of school, the time has come for your childre...Continue reading

18.01.2022 Stress and anxiety can have an impact on all sorts of health issues but are frequently associated with sleep problems and digestive problems. This article provides some options for using herbal teas to reduce stress and anxiety as well as improve associated sleep and digestive issues. The article also list some nice stress management strategies and highlights that the act of taking time out to make a cup of tea can be a lovely stress management ritual. So is it tea time yet? http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au//calming-teas-for-sleep/

18.01.2022 Learning to pay attention to our emotions just enough is an important skill which takes time and practice to develop. Learning to regulate our emotions and use them constructively can be a hard task to master. Psychologists specialise in helping people get a better understanding and handle on their emotions. Talk to us to see how...

17.01.2022 The tragic and horrible events that took place in Melbournes Bourke Street and CBD last Friday sent shockwaves through our community. Our hearts and well wishes go out to those families impacted through injury and loss as well as those who witnessed these horrors. It is not unusual for us to take some time to make sense of an event that is really senseless and incomprehensible. It is not unusual to experience emotional aftershocks of such an event. Such emotional reactions c...an include anxiety, overwhelm, a sense of powerlessness, irritability, and grief. There may also be physical and cognitive reactions such as sleep disturbance, headaches, upset stomach, disturbing dreams, difficulty thinking clearly or maintaining attention as the mind processes difficult thoughts. These types of stress reactions are common and with care and support should pass within a few days. Physical symptoms should always be checked by a medical practitioner. If these emotional symptoms persist, it may be helpful to seek the assistance of a mental health professional such as a psychologist. Psychologists can provide an assessment and strategies to help process and better cope with tragedy. See more

17.01.2022 Yesterday we talked about managing pain using the power of the mind. In the video, we saw how we can use our imagination as a pain management tool. Whilst it is good to focus away from the pain, our imagination can also be used to target pain. For example, if our pain feels sharp like needles, you can try to imagine the needles melting, or turning into floppy blades of grass. If the pain feels like a hot throbbing ache, you can try to image it slowly cooling like an iron take...n out of the fire with the colour slowly turning from bright red to a dull orange to a cooler icy colour like a soft blue. You can also try to slow down the throbs in your imagination, like slowing down your heart rate. Our imagination has limitless possibilities to change our experience of pain. A psychologist can teach you how to get good at using these techniques. Clinical hypnosis can also help. If you are interested in learning more effective ways of managing pain, why not book a consultation with one of our psychologists today? See more

16.01.2022 We have posted before about "Mindful in May" as a great way to tackle the goal of learning meditation and mindfulness and contribute to a great cause at the same time... This post has included the FREE "Tiny Habits" program developed by behaviour change expert B J Fogg. Here again is a short video where B J talks about his approach to behaviour change, seeing it as a logistics challenge. Hope this is useful in helping you with your habit change goals! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBQqLQnvaaM&t=6s http://tinyhabits.com

14.01.2022 Good habits and discipline helps maintain good mental and emotional health. Here is a short video by Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson on how to manage procrastination and develop the skills related to good habits and self-discipline. Remember, a psychologist is experienced in helping you to develop these important life skills. https://youtu.be/OoA4017M7WU

13.01.2022 The start of a new year is often a time when we set new goals (new years resolutions?), commit to changing habits, or think about what direction we want to go in next. Often though as the weeks roll by, our motivation dwindles a little... It can be an easy trap to write a list of things we think we should do without really emotionally connecting with what we deeply want. That emotional connection is important to help us maintain motivation when things get tough or don't work ...the way we had hoped in our first attempt to make a change. If you want to set new goals or new year's resolutions, experiment with doing it at a time when you feel inspired (it does not have to be the start of a new year to make a change!), and in touch with your body and emotions. What ideas come to you when you're out walking? Or in the shower? Or seeing something beautiful? Being more emotionally engaged with your goals can help you stay motivated and make sure you are putting your efforts into things that matter most to you. A psychologist is an expert in human emotions and behaviour and can make an excellent coach to help get you to where you want to go.

11.01.2022 Every mistake or failed attempt can teach us something we can use to fine tune what we are doing. Our regrets tell us something important about what matters to us and how we would prefer to do things next time. To help you work through regret and make good use of its potential to guide you, talk to a psychologist!

11.01.2022 As the infographic below shows, good nutrition is an important part of good brain health alongside of staying active. Good nutrition has been found to be an important cornerstone of good health but also good mental health. The article below lists some foods that are associated with good brain health. These are foods that literally make you feel good, not just in the moment you eat them (like many sugary or fatty junk foods that feel nice in the moment but make you feel bad afterwards) but in the long term, too. Why not see how you might combine these foods for good health all round? http://www.webmd.com/di/features/eat-smart-healthier-brain

11.01.2022 Goals can take many shapes and forms. The important things is to try and focus on small achievable steps and not tackle too much at once. It is good to have a plan or a map but it takes a step by step approach that is manageable and does not overwhelm to reach your goals.

10.01.2022 Hard work and a keen interest to understand something better or in a new way can be really important qualities to bring to success in achieving our goals! Psychologists are "passionately curious" about human behaviour and emotions, what drives us and what helps us achieve well-being. Our psychologists are "passionately curious" with you about your life and your experiences and your well-being.

10.01.2022 In therapy, one of the many tasks a psychologists works on with a client is building self-awareness. We cannot change something if we are not aware of it and better understand it first. Building self-awareness involves observing ourselves and noticing our internal experience and dialogue. Here is a short video by Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson which describes his experience of noticing his internal self-talk and the impact of this. If you feel that your internal self-talk impacts on your mental and emotional well-being and quality of life, our psychologists can help you to change your thinking and your language. https://youtu.be/IAFO3v_Ucio

10.01.2022 Life can get tough for everyone sometimes but that doesn't have to mean you have to tough it out! Spending time with a mate can be such an important thing to do. This is the underlying motivation for MAYEIGHT! MAYEIGHT is an initiative to get us to catch up with a mate and be a good mate to encourage us to seek and give support. So when is the last time you caught up with a mate and took the time to have a good chat about what is going on in each others' lives? For more information, go to https://au.movember.com/news/view/id/11483/

09.01.2022 Building self-awareness of the patterns and dynamics in your thoughts can empower you to find new ways of managing old emotions. A psychologist has special tools and expertise in helping you find out how.

09.01.2022 It helps when our goals are about something greater than ourselves and in some way contribute to our loved ones or the greater community. Find what speaks to you and matters to you and use it to help you reach your goals.

08.01.2022 Most of us have a mobile phone these days and can perhaps hardly imagine life without this popular favourite device. However, many people feel a growing dependency on their mobile phone and the easy access to social media it provides. Last Friday, the TV show, 'The Living Room' had an interesting segment on useful tips to reduce mobile phone use. It presented interesting data on the frequency with which we use our phones. It seems we check our mobile phones every 6 minutes wi...th some participants in their little experience checking their phones between 80 - 115 times a day. You can watch the episode via this link (the segment start about 17 minutes into the show). https://tenplay.com.au//the-living-room/season-6/episode-24 If you are concerned about the impact your mobile phone or social media use is having on your anxiety levels or the quality of your relationships, a psychologist can help. See more

06.01.2022 Here are some coping strategies that can help alleviate emotional stress following a shocking event: - Reduce your load, rest more and dont ask too much of yourself. Processing difficult and shocking situations takes time. - Try not to isolate yourself. Talk to friends, stay with a friend or family member. Talking things through can help process events.... - Maintain your usual routine as much as possible but reduce stress and demands where you can. - Some recurring thoughts, flashbacks, and dreams are normal. Try not to fight them. They will reduce over time. - Practice good self-care by eating well, exercising, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine. - Keep active without overloading yourself. Do not give up on hobbies and interests. They help us to continue to feel a sense of normality. - Express your feelings appropriately as they arise and try not to bottle them up. - Seek help if the emotional stress becomes too difficult to manage or persists more than a few days.

05.01.2022 The right mindset can help us see barriers to our goals in new ways. A psychologist can help us develop healthy mindsets and thinking styles.

03.01.2022 Learning to maintain motivation, especially when we hit a road block or plateau can be very important to reach a goal. A psychologist can help!

02.01.2022 Many of us struggle with chronic pain or may be having to manage acute pain associated with a medical procedure. There are many ways in which the mind can be used as a powerful tool to manage pain and turn down the volume on pain. Here is a great little video which was designed to help kids manage pain but has many useful tips for ALL ages. A psychologist can help you train your mind to manage pain better. Clinical hypnosis can be used to manage pain also. If you would like to learn how to manage pain better, you are welcome to book a consultation with one of our psychologist. https://youtu.be/UbK9FFoAcvs

02.01.2022 Life can get tough for everyone sometimes but that doesnt have to mean you have to tough it out! Spending time with a mate can be such an important thing to do. This is the underlying motivation for MAYEIGHT! MAYEIGHT is an initiative to get us to catch up with a mate and be a good mate to encourage us to seek and give support. So when is the last time you caught up with a mate and took the time to have a good chat about what is going on in each others lives? For more information, go to https://au.movember.com/news/view/id/11483/

02.01.2022 It may be winter and very cold and wet out there but staying active has its rewards. Staying active is one of the main factors that reduces the risk (and severity) of depression. This is for three main reasons: 1) When we are active we are usually moving which is good for our limbic system and circulation but also promotes healthy appetite and better sleep, all of which can be effected by depression. Physical exercise can be as effective as anti-depressant medication for mild... to moderate depression and gives us a boost that reduces the likelihood and severity of depression. 2) When we are inactive we are usually stuck in the same environment which can become a bit of an echo chamber for negative thoughts. If you have ever spent more than a day stuck at home or in the same place, you no doubt experienced some of that cabin fever where the outside world and other ways of thinking about things have disappeared. Being active and getting out means our thinking is challenged more frequently and our perspective changes regularly which can greatly reduce the likelihood of getting stuck in the negative thinking loops that are often part of depression. 3) Staying active often means staying connected to others, even if it is just passing a friendly face while out on a walk. This again challenges our thinking and perspective and promotes social engagement and connectedness which are important factors for good mental health. So why not rug up and embrace the cold and get out there for a little walk. You never know what you might see! See more

01.01.2022 Persistence, patience, and not giving up are important in achieving our goals!