CBT Stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

It is used for a whole range of mental health problems and, increasingly, to develop the mental health and resilience of people who don’t have any particular problem. It was originated in the United States by Aaron T Beck in the late 1970’s and has developed since then. It is generally considered as the treatment approach of choice in the UK and other countries.

With so many crazy pressures at the back of 2021 I took a decisive step to press pause, I paused all our Solving Minds social media, it was not a decision I made lightly, I stopped putting out content, stop interacting with our audience, stopped checking on followed #s. I was worried that our followers would drop, that our reach would shrink, however, I felt that no content was better than recycled, generic, empty messageless posts.

Journaling is a therapeutic, expressive style of writing. Its primary aim is to allow you to write expressively. To write supporting our feelings.

There are two key tools you need to journal. These are a simply a book and pen, making these appealing will encourage you to use them. Some people favour a computer or notes app on their phone, however, the physical process of writing with a pen and paper is more therapeutic and allows creativity to flow easier.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back when things don't go as planned. According to psychologist, Susan Kobasa, there are three main elements that resilient people possess. These are challenge, commitment, and control.

The good news is that even if you're not naturally a resilient person, there are ways to grow your resilient mindset and attitude. Where you can, try to include the following methods into your day. If this is all new to you, take each one at a time to perfect and then build on.

If you have bee overly restricting your food intake and want to find a happy balance then here are a few tips to help.

Firstly keep a food diary and plan your meals in advance. Don’t eat on the go. Eat mindfully and enjoy.

The Pomodoro technique is a simple yet effective tool for focused work with planned breaks in between.

The technique encourages you to work within the time you have, rather than struggle against it.

You will finish each day with a sense of accomplishment by doing nothing more than working in 25-minute blocks (called pomodoro sessions), followed by 5-minute breaks.

Gratitude is a state of being thankful for or appreciative of what is valuable and meaningful to us.

“We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count“ Neil A. Maxwell.

By writing down things you are truly grateful for in the gratitude log you will get into the habit of recognising the good things in your life. Your find gratitude becomes a habit and gratitude is a habit, happiness will soon follow

Self-care is just as it suggests, it is all about taking care of yourself. It is anything you do to take care of you so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well. Self-care activities can help to cut down everyday stress, maintain a healthy work life balance and to help you refocus.

You need to prioritise your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing – it is important.

Taking time for self-care can help manage the symptoms of many mental health problems. It may also help prevent some problems from developing or getting worse.

Serotonin is the body’s “happy hormone” the key hormone that stabilises our mood. Serotonin is synthesized from an amino acid called tryptophan. For a natural approach to trying to increase your serotonin levels, you can try eating foods that contain tryptophan. It’s known that tryptophan depletion is seen in those with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Did you know food is good for your mental health? With organic food being better still due to the ways it is created.

The word ‘organic’ refers to how food products have been grown and processed.

A bit about my mental health journey and what prompted my change in direction I took my life.

I have always told myself I am a trouper, that I dig deep and battle on, I am very tough on the outside and it is exceedingly difficult for me to open up and let anyone in. To show anyone the real me, its easier to build that massive defence and keep myself safe. There are probably a handful of people who I have truly opened up to and let in.