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Grove Counselling

Grove Counselling

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Contact

You can get in touch with me by emailing caroline@grovecounselling.co.uk or by calling or texting 07963070548.

I always aim to respond to your enquiry within the same or next working day depending on when your message was sent.

You can also find and contact me through the Counselling Directory.

theselfcarebearclub

Sharing ways to manage anxiety and build self-esteem with Self-care Bear and friends! 🐻
Caroline Misselbrook | Illustrator and Counsellor | šŸ³ļøā€šŸŒˆ

Getting a bit tougher to get out of bed on these c Getting a bit tougher to get out of bed on these cold mornings and feels even better to get back into a warm bed after a long day! šŸ’¤ 

Sleep is such a fundamental part of our health and well-being so making sure you have a cosy, safe and relaxing environment to fall asleep in is really important.

Went to bed singing this last night so had to make an illustration for it today šŸ˜‚

Unfortunately the audio wasn’t available to go with it! šŸŽµ So you’ll just have to use your imaginationā€¦ā€Back in bedā€ šŸŽ¶ 

#acdc #backinblack #bear #illustration #blackandwhite #selfcare #autumn #procreateillustration #selfcareisntselfish
Recently rescued 6 more hens and they’re settlin Recently rescued 6 more hens and they’re settling in nicely! šŸ“ 

Their indoor coop where they roost and lay eggs needed a clean out. I find this so satisfying to do and always makes me feel good giving our girls a clean bed and treats 🄰 

#backyardchickens #chickensofinstagram #chickens #chicken #selfcare #mindfulness #rescuehens #hens #rooster
A little announcement! šŸ“£ 🄳 I’ve changed A little announcement! šŸ“£ 🄳 

I’ve changed the name of this account to something I feel better reflects the community that I am trying to grow here ā¤ļø 

Welcome to The Self-Care Bear Club! šŸ»ā¤ļø

I really hope you feel welcome, comforted, uplifted and supported by my illustrations featuring Self-Care Bear and all their friends.
When we struggle to sit with our own uncomfortable When we struggle to sit with our own uncomfortable feelings then we can unconsciously try to pass them off onto other people…or if others are feeling uncomfortable we might be tempted to take responsibility for their feelings and try to fix it! 

What’s important in either case is to speak compassionately to yourself and remind yourself where the responsibility lies. Bobble hat bear is not a bad friend for not being in touch, they’ve had a lot going on…but they need to learn to be vulnerable with their friend, bow tie bear, and explain this rather than using an unhelpful ā€˜hello stranger’ as a defence mechanism.

Bow tie bear needs to remind themselves that they are also not a bad friend for not being in touch…they’ve also had a lot going on but don’t need to take on responsibility for bobble hat bear’s emotions either!

#bear #responsibility #selfcarebear #relationships #selfcare #illustration #bearillustration #anxiety #selfesteem #mentalhealth #therapy #arttherapy #illustration #counselling #queertherapist #illustratorofinstagram #therapistofinstagram #illustrator
Do you find it easier to be loving and kind to oth Do you find it easier to be loving and kind to others than to yourself? šŸ»šŸ’• 

What if you treated yourself with the same empathy and understanding that you so freely offer your loved ones?

There are many reasons why this can feel difficult, but with time, patience and practice, it’s possible to change old habits!

#selfcarebear #selfcare #anxiety #mentalhealth #counsellor #therapy #counselling #therapist #mentalhealthawareness #selfesteem #selfworth #bear #illustration #therapistofinstagram #illustratorofinstagram
Self-care Bear wants you to know a little bit abou Self-care Bear wants you to know a little bit about them on #worldmentalhealthday ā¤ļøšŸ» 

#selfcare #bear #bearsofinstagram🐻 #cartoon #illustration #selfcareisntselfish #anxiety #depression #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #selfesteem #selfworth #therapy #therapist #queertherapist #counselling #counsellor #traumarecovery #traumatherapy #illustratorofinstagram #illustrator #therapistofinstagram
You win some you loose some I guess šŸ˜‚ I’ll b You win some you loose some I guess šŸ˜‚

I’ll be moving my head like a robot today then! šŸ¤– 

#pigeon #cartoon #pigeonsofinstagram #pigeonlover #pigeoncartoon #illustration #blackandwhite #drawing #illustratorofinstagram #selfcare #sleep #neck #shoulder #therapy #arttherapy
Asking for help can be one of the most challenging Asking for help can be one of the most challenging things to do for all kinds of reasons…growing up you may have always been praised for being independent and self-sufficient but never encouraged to seek support, maybe asking for help was met with frustration, annoyance or anger, or perhaps prioritising other people’s needs was part of your survival mode. 

This list could go on…But for whatever reason, not asking for help when we need it could be reinforcing the message to ourselves that we aren’t safe i.e. stay in the familiarity of survival mode or otherwise bad things could happen! āš ļø 

We need to start with something small when it comes to learning how to ask for help. This helps to convince our brains that it’s safe to do so, and we can gradually move away from survival mode and towards living with less anxiety. 

#selfcare #bear #selfcarebear #counselling #therapy #therapist #selfesteem #survivialmode #traumaresponse #traumacounselling #anxiety #depression #askforhelp #selfreliance #therapysupport #therapytips #traumacounselling #mentalhealth #mentalhealthsupport #illustration #blackandwhiteillustration
Make a Self-care Bear with me! šŸ»ā¤ļø I mana Make a Self-care Bear with me! šŸ»ā¤ļø 

I managed to get a video to upload šŸŽ‰ Not quite the full time-lapse that I’d planned but maybe I’ll try that again another time! šŸ˜‚ 

#felt #bear #feltcraft #selfcare #mentalhealth #anxiety #therapist #counsellor #counselling #selfesteem #mindfulness #crafting
I made a little Self-care Bear key ring today! šŸ»ā¤ļø 

I also tried to upload a reel of me making it but Instagram was having none of it šŸ˜‚

The irony of something that was so relaxing to make becoming a source of stress when it came to putting it on social media!

I’ll try to figure it out and try again soon šŸ’• 

#selfcare #bear #felt #craft #crafting #counselling #therapy #therapist #bearsofinstagram🐻 #feltcraft
Supermarkets and shopping centres can be an anxiet Supermarkets and shopping centres can be an anxiety inducing environment for many people, putting us into a fight, flight, freeze or fawn response āš ļø 
Here are ways that I reduce anxiety and stress in supermarkets and shopping centres: 

I TAKE MY TIME
I prefer to get our weekly shop from the supermarket rather than online. I know this reduces stress and anxiety for some people but I like to see what I’m buying and add last minute bits and pieces!
I choose a day when I have a big gap between clients or on my ā€˜admin day’ so I can fit work around the shop. If these options aren’t available then I’ll go late at night when it’s quiet. 

I SLOW DOWN
I mindfully walk up and down the isles. When we do things in a rush we are telling our brains that there is something to be running away from. So SLOWING DOWN calms our nervous system, even if we still have anxious thoughts, the pace at which we are completing the job either ramps this anxiety up šŸ†™ or brings it down ā¤ļø 

I COME PREPARED
I always have a physical list now that I cross off with a pen. Rather than it being on my phone, there’s something that makes me feel less stressed about having a paper list.

I TREAT MYSELF
If I can go shopping on an ā€˜admin day’ I often take my laptop or iPad so I can do some of my work there with a coffee and cake šŸ° ā˜•ļø 
Or if I’ve done all my admin then I’ll just take a book and read for half an hour before I get on with the shopping. This routine helps me feel looked after and incentivised to do the boring/uncomfortable bit šŸ˜‚
You could also look at the things that bring you joy, like the toys or stationary…this keeps our inner child happy too and less likely to have a meltdown halfway through the shop! 🧔 

I BREAK UP THE TASK
If I’m going to a shopping centre or retail park where I know it’s going to take a couple of hours to get everything done, I’ll break up the trip with a coffee stop halfway through. Again, I’ll choose a day where I don’t have to rush.

#selfcare #shopping #tesco #anxiety #shoppinganxiety #anxietyrelief #traumaresponse #traumarecovery #shoppingtips #goshopping #selfesteem #innerchild
The spooky season is upon us…COO! 🐦 šŸ‘» 

šŸŽƒšŸ–¤šŸ§™

#pigeon #pigeonsofinstagram #pigeonofinstagram #ghost #spookyseason #halloweenillustration #illustration #illustrator #procreateillustrations
Just in case you needed reminding today šŸ–¤šŸ»šŸ¤ 

#selfcare #youmatter #selfesteem #selfworth #imatter #mentalhealth #therapist #therapy #illustrator #animation #bear #bearsofinstagram🐻 #counselling #queertherapist #lgbtq
This is a question that can be a profound moment f This is a question that can be a profound moment for all of us! 

It’s NORMAL to normalise the environment we grow up in and the types of relationships that surround us. It’s only until we see alternative examples that we might start to question how our experiences have shaped us.

This process can help us to recognise why we might have negative beliefs about ourselves and therefore struggle with anxiety and low self-esteem.

Just because something feels normal doesn’t make it ok. Just because something is normal for a whole generation of people doesn’t make that ok either.

If we continue to normalise unhealthy behaviour then we are more likely to continue to tolerate it. This shows the importance of talking about your experiences in a safe environment with those that you trust ā¤ļø 

#selfcare #traumarecovery #traumatherapy #anxiety #depression #selfesteem #therapy #counselling #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #bear #illustration #illustratorsofinstagram #therapistofinstagram
Counsellor muscles get tight (a lot of sitting dow Counsellor muscles get tight (a lot of sitting down and working with stress, anxiety and trauma) and so I try to get a massage once a month at @you_massage_therapy šŸ’š 
Today my masseuse used cinnamon scented oil and so not only did I come out feeling relaxed and practically half asleep I also smelled like autumn which was wonderful šŸ‚šŸ„¾šŸ§”

#southampton #localbusiness #supportlocal #supportlocalbusiness #massage #autumn #helloautumn #selfcare #bear #selfesteem #anxiety #therapy #counselling
Self-care Bear of course! Here to wish you all a v Self-care Bear of course! Here to wish you all a very happy October 🧔🐾 and to say a big thank you for all your support…

#selfcare #bear #selfcarebear #anxiety #mentalhealth #counsellor #therapist #autumn #fall #happyautumn
Self-care Bear just here to remind you how delicio Self-care Bear just here to remind you how delicious and versatile you are! šŸ»šŸ„”šŸ’— 

#selfcare #potato #bear #illustration #selfesteem #selfesteemboost #mentalhealth #bodyimage #anxiety #counsellor #therapy #counselling #therapist
The exact words I said to my partner whilst I was The exact words I said to my partner whilst I was at a conference in London on Friday šŸ˜‚ 

Here is a short sequence of illustrations to represent how I (and I imagine many of you) feel when I’m doing something I enjoy but it happens to be where there’s lots of people, loud noises, unusual smells, lots of look at and so on. 

I don’t want to miss out on these experiences but I have learned to be realistic about how much I can give of myself in these environments without getting totally exhausted. 

I think I got the balance right on Friday but still needed the whole weekend to recharge 🪫 āž”ļø šŸ”‹ 

Something that helped a lot was finding green spaces to be in nature (lots of interesting birds in the London parks!), regular food and drink stops, giving myself permission to NOT engage in too much small talk with new people and allowing plenty of time to get to and from places. I also treated myself to a new book and some cute stationary!

Giving myself positive experiences that are pretty overstimulating and tiring (but that I am able to enjoy (mostly) and recover from relatively quickly) helps to expand my comfort zone, increase confidence when it comes to trying new things, reduce anxiety and build self-esteem. So this is really a reminder to myself but perhaps those of you who might need to hear this too! ā¤ļø 

I know we all have different tolerances but doing something that gently pushes you to manage self-care and regulate your nervous system more intentionally is really helpful!

#overstimulated #selfcare #anxiety #mentalhealth #counsellor #therapy #counselling #therapist #mentalhealthawareness #mindfulness #selfesteem #comfortzone #queertherapist
Giving the phrase ā€˜don’t chicken out’ a whol Giving the phrase ā€˜don’t chicken out’ a whole new meaning! šŸ”ā¤ļø 

It’s important to share your vulnerabilities with people who are going to handle them with care by showing empathy and compassion; this could be a counsellor, a friend or family member…or even writing down how you feel! Expressing your emotions takes courage and is certainly NOT a weakness.

Don’t be a chicken and bottle things up, it’s ok to reach out, talk about your feelings and ask for help. 

#selfcare #chicken #chickensofinstagramšŸ” #anxiety #mentalhealth #counsellor #therapy #counselling #therapist #mentalhealthawareness #selfesteem #illustration #illustratorofinstagram #therapistofinstagram #chickendrawing #chickenillustration #selfhelp #therapytips
ā­ļø Happy Saturday everyone! ā­ļø #selfcare ā­ļø Happy Saturday everyone! ā­ļø 

#selfcare #mentalhealth #therapy #counselling #therapist #wellbeing #selfesteem
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