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    Ways to Support Your Children’s Mental Health using Therapeutic Play, including Techniques & Activity Ideas

    4th February 2021

    The act of play can be a great therapeutic tool for children, and not just for those with complex needs. Play therapy can help any child to act out and work through their pain, confusion, worries, fears and anything they’ve found traumatic.

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  • Boy sad against a wall
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    Signs My Child Needs Support With Their Mental Health

    1st February 2021

    It’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2021 and the theme this year is EXPRESS YOURSELF, to encourage young people to find ways to share their feelings. Life is harder than usual at the moment, and it’s easy to forget how children can also be affected mentally by current circumstances

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    Giveaway: 4 Copies of Daniel’s Dreams- Monster Mountain, a Children’s Book about Mental Health

    25th January 2021

    A brand new book that talks about mental health in a child-friendly way, Daniel’s Dream*, is one of my current favourites during this difficult time. If you’ve read my recent suggestions for indoor activities with kids to beat the boredom, you will have seen this book is featured.

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About Me

Hiya, I'm Claire..

Mum of one, step mum of two and dog mum to Yogi. A veg-growing, food-loving, trashy TV addict. I write openly about life, parenting and my quest to be healthier in mind, body and bank balance. Now a bride to be!

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💪🏾Mental Health | PCOS | Chronic Pain Warrior
🙋🏾‍♀️Solo Mum
👩🏾‍🎓Social Worker | Blogger
✍🏾Sussex | Suffolk
💚@mentalhealthmumday & @mindvoxpod creator

SingleParentPessimist
Ad- PEACE FOR PETS How do you calm your pets dur Ad- PEACE FOR PETS How do you calm your pets during firework season? Even the boys are celebrating Halloween this year, which they usually hate due to the dreaded fireworks that happen across the neighbourhood Whilst I live in hope they will be banned soon (or only sound-free ones used) I have to manage the boys' anxiety as much as I can @lilyskitchenpetfood are aware this time of year can be stressful and have made some Bedtime Biscuits which contain calming chamomile which are perfect for nights full of firework fear They've also created the hashtag #peaceforpets to spread the word that fireworks should only be at 7pm on Bonfire Night so pets can relax for the rest of the night- I totally agree! Lily's Kitchen kindly sent us some of these biscuits to try, as well as more from their range including a Halloween inspired Beef Ghoooulash, chicken and beef treats and their new nutritionally complete dry grains in Rustic Chicken Pie and Farmhouse Stew flavours These pics were hard to take as the boys wanted to rip open the treats! #lilysmoments #lilyskitchen #diginifyoudare #gifta #halloweenpets #bonfirenight #daschund #daschundpuppy #daschundlife #chorkie #chorkiemom #chorkielife #dogsarebetterthanpeople #doglife #tameyourlittlemonsters @gifta_uk
Ad- RING GIVEAWAY My partner is now on his THIRD Ad- RING GIVEAWAY My partner is now on his THIRD engagement ring This time, he has a Wonder Ring from @rocksolid.rings and I’m so impressed with it's strength and design! To celebrate finally finding a ring that will last, Rock Solid Rings have given me the chance to give one of you a ring of your choice from their range The range is made from the central core of the highest grade Tungsten Carbide, which itself is made from the remnants of volcanic eruptions. This is mixed with other metals to produce what they describe as the hardest ring metal ever made. They're hypo-allergenic, very hard to scratch and come in 28 design combinations, including four widths, 20 finger sizes and six finishes; Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, Black, Blue and Original GIVEAWAY: Click the link in my bio to go to my review of our rings, and at the bottom of the review is a link to the giveaway, which expires 30 Nov 2021 DISCOUNT CODE: Here's a 20% discount code for you to use on any Wonder Rings of your choice There’s no expiry date on the code currently, so it can be used multiple times! Enter SPP20 at the checkout
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MENTAL HEALTH MUMDAY! I am so prou HAPPY BIRTHDAY MENTAL HEALTH MUMDAY! I am so proud that we have been running @mentalhealthmumday for one whole year 😲 It was something that derived from chats i had with @that.honest.life (we met on insta as we both posted lots out of lockdown boredom!) as we wanted to provide a safe space for mums to talk to other mums about their mental health We also created a weekly check-in using the hashtag #MentalHealthMumDay to inspire other mums to not feel alone, and to reduce the stigma of how we're negatively perceived I cannot believe I've committed and posted on this grid every monday for an entire year- nobody has to, they can tag us as and when they feel, but personally I challenged myself to do it weekly to keep myself talking about how I feel Because I struggle to talk in real life about it, and typing is much easier for me. Putting it online makes me accountable, makes me feel like people are listening to me, which a journal can't give me So thank you to all the wonderful women who have taken part one this year and I hope I will be here again next year celebrating year number two! 💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 Parenting whilst managing your own mental health can be hard. Seeking support from mums with similar struggles? Look no further than @MentalHealthMumDay We’re a supportive group of mamas who understand the particular challenges that come when parenting with mental health issues, whatever they may be If you want to make new mama friends who know it’s ok not to be ok & will be there for you when the going gets tough, DM @singleparentpessimist or @that.honest.life to find out how to be part of our DM safe space chat We post a mental health check-in every Monday (or Mumday!) on our pages using the tag #MentalHealthMumDay. We hope you will join us 💚
“I don’t cry because we’ve been separated by “I don’t cry because we’ve been separated by distance, and for a matter of years. Why? Because for as long as we share the same sky and breathe the same air, we’re still together.” Long distance is hard Really hard Especially when it's been nearly 3 years and you're getting closer to 40 😬 This isn't how I pictured myself at this point in my life if I'm honest The longer we do this, the harder it gets weirdly Seeing everyone else moaning about the little things each other does around the house that annoys them, or how they're sick of the sight of each other sometimes always gives me a pang of sadness I don't get to moan about his messy clothes on the floor, or how late we are getting to someone's birthday or an event We don't get lay ins watching movies with our 3 kids or weekends to do all the boring bits that make our home Instead we get tiny bits of time together that go way too quick and we try to squeeze in the boring DIY, kids stuff and us stuff as much as possible We get irritable when we see the hours running away that means one of us does the long drive home and take it out on each other when we feel any minute is 'wasted' I've been struggling with trying to work out how or if we will have a future lately, but it's affecting my depression, so last night I decided to try and reframe my perception I found some positive, happy quotes about long distance and it did remind me that it's not all bad This quote may be cheesy, but it is accurate to me!
MEET REGGIE This is the latest addition to the fa MEET REGGIE This is the latest addition to the fam, which you're probably aware of if you have been watching my stories for the past month It's been a rough ride, as my chorkie hasn't been impressed but they're now starting to get along He has definitely brought chaos, a high pitched bark and too much chewing, but we can all agree he's cute while he does it! #daschund #daschundsofinstagram #daschundpuppy #daschundlove #daschunds #sausagedog #sausagedogcentral #sausagedogs #dogsarebetterthanpeople #puppylove
💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 World Mental Heal 💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 World Mental Health Day yesterday reminded me again how important it is to talk about your mental health This weekend I got to see my partner (long distance sucks) and its so helpful for both of us to have that space for a day to just do things like go out got pizza to get out of our heads pace We are both going through so much in our individual lives which is putting a strain on us and affecting if and how we have a future So self care and couple care is all we can do, by finding tiny bits of time to do something nice rather than keep doing the deep, depressing talks that never seem to reach the answers we want or need The point of this long winded message is, talk but also take space to just be. Find little bits of fun to help ease the mental load ... Parenting whilst managing your own mental health can be hard. Seeking support from mums with similar struggles? Look no further than @MentalHealthMumDay We’re a supportive group of mamas who understand the particular challenges that come when parenting with mental health issues, whatever they may be If you want to make new mama friends who know it’s ok not to be ok & will be there for you when the going gets tough, DM @singleparentpessimist @mentalhealthmumday or @that.honest.life to find out how to be part of our DM safe space chat We post a mental health check-in every Monday (or Mumday!) on our pages and hope you will join us 💚 #MentalHealthMumday
Ad- WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2021 Today is World M Ad- WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2021 Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year's theme is 'Mental Health in an Unequal World'. This theme was chosen, because access to mental health services remains unequal across the world. The World Federation for Mental Health state that between 75-95% of people with mental health conditions in low-income countries are unable to access support services, and it's not much better in richer countries.  It's sadly becoming clear that there's still a lack of respect for human rights across the world for people living with mental health conditions. It's also recognised that other areas of inequality such as wealth, ethnicity, age, gender and sexuality further impact mental wellbeing. Mental health can affect so many people, from various walks of life, and we all need access to the same support. I've talked about my recent negative experiences with the NHS mental health services on the blog today (link on my bio) @antiburnoutclub are honouring WMH Day this year by opening their membership up for free to everyone for the rest of October. It's a wellness platform founded in science, which offers compassionate, intuitive, expert-led practices that teach people how to reclaim their sense of wellbeing and happiness.  When you join The Anti-Burnout Club, you’ll get access to: Curated monthly wellbeing calendar of challenges and lessons150+ on-demand wellness courses and videosA positive, supportive, and uplifting communityNew resources released each month to keep you motivated and encouraged20% off all the Goodies in The Anti-Burnout ShopMonthly Random Acts of Kindness Just sign up before the end of today to get 21 days free. How do we make mental health services more accessible for all? (PR gifted subscription)
Ad- BUILD IT FIRST, SOLVE IT SECOND @bigpotatogam Ad- BUILD IT FIRST, SOLVE IT SECOND @bigpotatogames know my love for jigsaw puzzles so have sent me this fab one that also contains a movie game! With 1000 pieces it’s a difficult puzzle to build but the challenge has only just begun once you slot the last piece into place. Now you’ve got to solve all 101 movie riddles! Crack each hidden riddle to find the name of a very famous movie. Then tick it off the checklist inside the box This is aimed at anybody over the age of 12 but as you can see, my son, niece and nephew wanted to help! My son loves a 500 piece puzzle so it was a great challenge for him to help me start this 1000 piece and teach his cousins how to look for all the straight edges first 😀 What movies would you want to find within this puzzle?
💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 It's been another 💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 It's been another tough week, and if you've seen my previous post you'll know I had a bit of a triggering health appt that brought up a whole host of abuse traumas up I am boring myself talking about my current issues, and today's had more with panic attacks because my new @emmasleepuk Mattress arrived damaged and faulty so I have to try and fight for a replacement - this may be easy for some but mentally I'm exhausted and just clinging on at the moment so it's something I don't need Breaking down today wishing I had a dad who cared and then the grief of the loss of my uncle hitting me again, 8 months down the line its no easier I'm feeling weak mentally and very fragile, crying a lot more than I like, but I have to start putting myself first to get my power back I'm sick of feeling this fragile, I need to find the strength and resilience that's got me through my life so far So I may start with some of the physical self care, like trying to move more and eat less, and see if this in turn helps my sleep issues and my mood I'm also going to start the daily gratitude list again, because maybe bad stuff like the mattress and my extra back pain wouldn't happen if I was sending out more grateful vibes to the universe? Who knows, but this lady needs to get her mojo back ASAP How are you caring for yourself at the moment? ... Parenting whilst managing your own mental health can be hard. Seeking support from mums with similar struggles? Look no further than @MentalHealthMumDay We’re a supportive group of mamas who understand the particular challenges that come when parenting with mental health issues, whatever they may be If you want to make new mama friends who know it’s ok not to be ok & will be there for you when the going gets tough, DM @singleparentpessimist or @that.honest.life to find out how to be part of our DM safe space chat We post a mental health check-in every Monday (or Mumday!) on our pages and hope you will join us 💚 #MentalHealthMumDay
INFORMED CONSENT DURING MEDICAL PROCEDURES STILL N INFORMED CONSENT DURING MEDICAL PROCEDURES STILL NEEDS VITAL WORK Please swipe to read my experience today at a health appt and share with anyone who may want to spread the message that we need this to change We need all survivors to feel safe during any hospital visit, or risk them avoiding their check ups and tests #survivor #NHS #survivorsofsexualabuse #sexualabuse #childhoodabuse #nspcc #abusesurvivor #abuseawareness #informedconsent #traumasurvivor #abuserecovery #abuseisabuse #educateyourself #triggers #traumahealing #healingtrauma #womensupportingwomen #empowereachother #empoweringquotes #empoweringwomen #supportsurvivors #survivorstories #brightonbloggers #brightonblogger #WeAreUndefeatable #wearethemovement
Ad- SENTIMENTAL GIFTS (Includes DISCOUNT CODE) I’ve been a parent for nine years now, but it feels like only a short while ago he was a baby The time goes so fast and I’ve lost so many special people in recent years that I’ve become quite sentimental @bellefever create personalised jewellery that’s special to you There’s a range of pieces to choose from, including charm bracelets, photo necklaces, keyrings, earrings, memorial pieces, floating dream lockets and tag necklaces that play songs You can design the tones, inscriptions, and use photos, handwriting and symbols that you treasure They use a Moneil Silver and Gold mix that they created which is hypo allergenic & won’t tarnish or go black like other metals can I have their Sparkling Tree of My Life Washer Birthstones Necklace which is handcrafted & can feature 10 people’s names & birthstones It can come in five tones; Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Two Tone Rose Gold or Two Tone Gold. I chose the silver tone, and love how it sparkles and shimmers whenever it catches the light. DISCOUNT CODE To get 15% off anything from the Belle Fever store, simply add the code SPP15 at the checkout. There is currently no expiration date for the code, so you can use it many times! What would you create as a keepsake? Check out the link in my bio for a full review of their range on the blog
💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 How has your last 💚 Mental Health Mumday 💚 How has your last week been? My mental health is still quite poor, to the point I'm getting sick of writing about it as I feel like a broken record! So the gratitude work needs to restart, its been a month without it at a time where I've probably needed it most I've put it off as I'm disconnected from my feelings, so cannot FEEL the gratitude to help make the work beneficial But I gotta try, so may post stories this week of gratitude as well as celebrating my wins at the end of each day when I feel I've achieved nothing Here's my pooch and I this weekend, happy we finally got to see my partner- long distance is hard and lonely, so we enjoyed him for 2 nights and that's the first thing I'm thanking the universe for today ... Parenting whilst managing your own mental health can be hard. Seeking support from mums with similar struggles? Look no further than #MentalHealthMumDay We’re a supportive group of mamas who understand the particular challenges that come when parenting with mental health issues, whatever they may be If you want to make new mama friends who know it’s ok not to be ok & will be there for you when the going gets tough, DM @singleparentpessimist @mentalhealthmumday or @what_effie_did to find out how to be part of our DM safe space chat We post a mental health check-in every Monday (or Mumday!) on our pages and hope you will join us 💚
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Single Parent Pessimist Single Parent Pessimist ·
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I'm proud to announce my brand new podcast is now LIVE!

@mindvoxpod is a fully inclusive pod, chatting all things mental health!

Visit https://t.co/hebF5FM148 to have a listen from your stream service of choice

Please share,subscribe, rate or review as it helps us so much https://t.co/RQP8Z1CO4O
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Single Parent Pessimist Single Parent Pessimist ·
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Big well done to the amazing people running for women at the #8kundercliff for @riseuk today, was lovely to see you at the starting line
#brighton #brightonbloggers #brightonbeach https://t.co/Z9VboQk59O
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Single Parent Pessimist Single Parent Pessimist ·
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Ad- How's your child doing in maths so far this term?

I have a FREE MATHS TUTORING LESSON code you can use with @TuitionWorksUK (subject to availability)

The code can be found in the final paragraph of my review of their lessons on the blog here:

https://t.co/CmXaxMCUBA
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