When you’re feeling stressed or anxious, it can be helpful to try some of the techniques included in this 20 min recording. This includes 5* elements which all have been shown to help with relaxation.
Do not drive whilst listening to these recordings as they can cause you to fall asleep!

Choose one of three places where you feel secure and happy – a beach or a countryside setting, or another place. (*based on breathing, muscle relaxation, mindfulness, visualisation and music)

1000dreams-Calm-beach

1000dreams-Calm-country

1000dreams-Calm-other

Do you battle with intrusive thoughts, emotions and urges? See these 4 recordings (based on ACT):

Recording 1 (11mins) – introduction and intrusive thoughts
Recording 2 (7 mins) – emotions
Recording 3 (4 mins) – urges
Recording 4 (5 mins) – a grounding technique if you ever feel overwhelmed by emotion

1000dreams-ACTintro-thoughts

1000dreams-EmotionsACT

1000dreams-UrgesACT

1000dreams-GroundingACT

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) can be difficult to diagnose.  This simple questionnaire (called GAD-7) just gives you an idea of whether you may have generalised anxiety disorder, and its severity. Please note it is only a basic assessment tool and not a diagnosis. Whatever the ‘score’ that results, it’s really important that you see your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life or is causing you distress. And consider booking an appointment for an introductory session (50% discount) with one of our Counsellors. 

AnxietyQuestionnaire

Worrying is simply part of our body and mind looking out for threats. But when worry turns from a tool into a tyrant, becomes a bad mental habit, or even an addiction, it’s time to learn how to ‘worry well’.

Worrying well

Often, when we are worrying about the future or going into a downward spiral of depression, it’s our thinking that is responsible.

We frequently have certain thinking biases and this PDF resource provides an overview of these biases.

Balanced Thinking

Are you clear about the values that are guiding your life? Having clarity helps you to make changes, and provides an outlet if you struggle with intrusive thoughts, emotions or urges.

Determining your Values

When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge — or embrace forgiveness and move forward.

Forgiveness

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a proven therapy and helps people to accept and defuse the thoughts, emotions and urges that can lead to unhelpful behaviours. This illustrative video uses a metaphor to help in understanding these concepts.

If you think you’re feeling really depressed, then complete this 9 question questionnaire on the NHS website (similar to the one used by doctors), and it will give you an idea of the severity of your depression. Please note that this is an assessment tool and not a diagnosis. Depending on the result it provides some guidelines to help you. For a diagnosis you will need to see your GP. And consider booking an online introductory session (50% discount) with one of our Counsellors.