Over the past few years, I have seen a marked increase in clients coming to therapy not because they “can’t cope with work,” but because work itself has become harmful. They describe workplaces that are chronically stressful, hostile, and dismissive of their wellbeing. What begins as a demanding job slowly shifts into something more insidious:Continue reading “When Work Turns Toxic: Psychological Reflections on Burnout, Bullying and Gaslighting”
Category Archives: Coercive abuse
Trauma, Triggers, and Moving Forward
Introduction I’ve spent years sitting with people in their most vulnerable moments. The therapy room is a place of truth, courage, silence, and sometimes, tears. It’s where pain meets compassion and where stories long buried find their voice. Over time, I’ve come to believe that while each client’s journey is unique, the emotional echoes theyContinue reading “Trauma, Triggers, and Moving Forward”
When the Past Doesn’t Stay in the Past: How Childhood Trauma Echoes Through Adult Life
When people seek therapy, they often describe symptoms like anxiety, low mood, relationship struggles, or a persistent sense that something is missing. Yet when I ask about childhood, the response is frequently: “Nothing terrible happened, it was fine really.” This is an important moment, because trauma is not always obvious. It doesn’t always look likeContinue reading “When the Past Doesn’t Stay in the Past: How Childhood Trauma Echoes Through Adult Life”
“Energy Vampires”: Who’s Draining You and Why It Matters for Your Mental Health
Often we don’t realise how much emotional weight we are carrying until we finally speak it out loud. Clients often come in describing exhaustion, burnout, irritability — but without a clear reason why. Their work might be manageable. Their sleep, sufficient. Yet they feel chronically depleted. As part of a session we trace this feelingContinue reading ““Energy Vampires”: Who’s Draining You and Why It Matters for Your Mental Health”
Behind Closed Doors: The Lingering Wounds of Coercive Control
“They never hit me. But they made me doubt my mind, my worth, my sanity. And that’s the scar I still carry.” Coercive control is an insidious, often invisible form of abuse. Unlike physical violence, it operates beneath the surface—through manipulation, isolation, control, and degradation. The amount of people who are met with statements suchContinue reading “Behind Closed Doors: The Lingering Wounds of Coercive Control”
Should I Suffer On in Silence?
A Reflection from the Therapy Room She sits in the chair across from me, clutching a tissue, her eyes weary with the kind of tiredness that goes beyond sleep. Her voice is barely audible, but every word is soaked in pain. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this… I love my childrenContinue reading “Should I Suffer On in Silence?”
Dr M’s thoughts 