“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”
Tag Archives: Mental health support
The Different Pathways to a Life Well Lived
As exam season begins, there’s a particular kind of pressure that settles in the air — unspoken but heavy. The Leaving Cert, A-levels, finals… whatever the name, the message often feels the same: This is it. Your future starts (or ends) here. But I want to offer another truth, one that might sit more gentlyContinue reading “The Different Pathways to a Life Well Lived”
“Never Quite enough”: The Trauma of Mediocrity
As a psychologist, I have often worked with teenagers and adults who can’t point to a single traumatic event in their past, but who carry a quiet heaviness — a sense that they were never particularly good at anything. These are often the clients who say things like: “I was never the top of theContinue reading ““Never Quite enough”: The Trauma of Mediocrity”
“The Quiet Echoes of Childhood: Understanding and Managing the Long Shadow of Trauma”
I often sit across from adults who are struggling—not just with present stress, but with the lingering echoes of pain that began decades ago. These are echoes from classrooms, hospital corridors, foster homes, playgrounds, and sometimes even battlefields. They come in many forms: the child who lost a parent too soon, the one who feltContinue reading ““The Quiet Echoes of Childhood: Understanding and Managing the Long Shadow of Trauma””
Music and Song Therapy Supporting Mental Health and Connection
I left the local hall this evening feeling noticeably lighter. There’s something about singing with others that lifts the fog, even after a long, emotionally taxing week. No one asked how I was doing—and somehow, no one needed to. In that space we all understand that we are there to support each other, the harmoniesContinue reading “Music and Song Therapy Supporting Mental Health and Connection”
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?”
Sunlight, Shadows, and the Roads We Walk
There’s something about sitting in the sun that brings the past into soft focus. On a quiet day, when the world finally slows down, and the light drapes gently across the floor, you find yourself caught between now and then. Not in a sad way—more like a quiet ache. A gentle nod to the lifeContinue reading “Sunlight, Shadows, and the Roads We Walk”
Dr M’s thoughts 