When facing a crisis we often have the awkward and unsettling tendency to first consider the worst possible outcome. The bad takes precedence over the good...the dark over the light. In short, we abandon logic. Correct reasoning gets thrown to the wind. Fear leads to panic, panic to confusion and confusion to error. There is … Continue reading Halt Harm And Heal
Author: garybentleycounselling
After 40 years in the media, several years in business and a total of 37 years married life, I am now a fulltime and qualified counsellor with a passion to help individuals become the best person they can be.
See Self Seesaw
Self-care can sometimes feel self-indulgent. Responsibilities can overwhelm. We can lose sight of the fact that we need time to restock, restore and recharge. So much to do and so little time. All too often we can push ourselves to the point of emotional exhaustion. So focused are we on the wants and needs of … Continue reading See Self Seesaw
A Friend In Need
Commonsense and caution should be two essential prerequisites in the decision-making process. Care and consideration must also be included. We want the decision we make to be the right one at the right time giving us a reasonable assurance of the best possible outcome. But then the entire process can be derailed by self-doubt. Over-thinking … Continue reading A Friend In Need
Betwixt And Between
When it comes to the difference between mental wellness and mental illness there can be a great deal of confusion. The problem is that there are degrees of both states of mind. On any given day it can be a relatively simple matter to decide the category that best describes the way we are feeling. … Continue reading Betwixt And Between
Look, Listen And Learn
In a world where instant gratification is so readily achievable we run the risk of losing the appreciation and understanding that comes with patience. Patience lies within the gap of idea and action. It's that buffer that offers us the chance to reconsider. What can seem like a good idea at the time can be … Continue reading Look, Listen And Learn
Writ, Wrote, Right
Calculated risk is a survival tactic. It's a risk that precedes change...both positive and negative change. We will not always get it right. There will be times when the wrong choice is made. At that point we must be prepared to live with the consequences. We have to come to an understanding of the direction … Continue reading Writ, Wrote, Right
Spoken And Awoken
It's not difficult to see that - in so many circumstances - silence can be more damaging than verbalised disagreement. Words can quite easily be used as weapons aimed to upset and disorientate their target. But the lack of words means the conflict remains internalised, eroding both the confidence and the mental wellbeing of the … Continue reading Spoken And Awoken
Was, Is, Will Be
Things are not always what they seem. And things change, adapt and adjust. What was once one thing can become a different thing entirely. In a heartbeat. The familiar and expected can shapeshift into the unknown and the unexpected. Rarely does something remain the same. The reason is as difficult to understand as it is … Continue reading Was, Is, Will Be
A Tale Once Told
Any attempt to rewrite, retell or reconstruct the story of our life thus far is most certain to result in a combination of confusion and disappointment. Different people remember different events in different ways. What was significant and life-changing for one person can be of far less consequence to another. Recollections diverge despite the best … Continue reading A Tale Once Told
Who, What And Why
The person we are has - to a greater or lesser degree - been created by both nature and nurture. In the final analysis, however, it's what we do with what we have that makes all the difference. The bottom line is a matter of choice. And while there will always be contributing factors well … Continue reading Who, What And Why
Gary Bentley Counselling 