Category: Uncategorized

At this time of year it seems that we often get the message that we should be enjoying spending time with our families and loved ones. We see lots of messages and images in the media and on social media of people enjoying the ‘perfect’ Christmas. We get told it is ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.

But for some people Christmas and the festive period can be difficult, for all sorts of reasons. We may have lost a loved one, and this is our first Christmas without them. We may be unwell, or have a loved one who is unwell, and worry that this might be our last Christmas together. We might have difficult relationships with people in our family. We might be struggling with our mood or emotions, or have difficulties around eating, that make it hard to enjoy the festivities.

The messages we get from the media and social media can make an already difficult time even more difficult. We can find ourselves making unhelpful comparisons to what we see in the media and on social media. This can make us feel even worse as we feel everyone else is having a better time than us. 

In case you need a reminder: what you see in the media or on social media is not real! 

If you are finding things difficult at this time of year, you are not alone. Lots of other people are probably also having a difficult time. We just don’t often talk about it.

If you need someone to talk to over the festive period there are lots of helplines available. I’ve listed a few below:

Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/wales/

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

BEAT (the eating disorders charity): https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/ 

Relate (for information around relationships): https://www.relate.org.uk/ 

Cruse (bereavement support): https://www.cruse.org.uk/

Marie Curie (for support around terminal illness and bereavement):https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/ 

I hope you can be gentle with yourself and have a good enough Christmas and festive period.

Taryn

7th December 2024

I was talking to some Trainee Clinical Psychologists earlier today about self-care. I shared with them that I think about self-care in terms of ‘fluffy self-care’ and ‘fierce self-care’. They seemed to find this helpful so I thought I would write about it as it may be helpful for other people too.

There is a lot of information about self-care available. This tends to focus on things that help us to feel better and manage stress. People seem to think of things like getting a massage, lighting candles, or snuggling on the sofa with a blanket and a hot drink when we talk about self-care.

This is what I would call ‘fluffy self-care’. Things that help you feel better now.

What I call ‘fierce self-care’ is things that might not feel great at the time, but help you feel better in the long term. That might be things like making a difficult phone call, going to the doctor or dentist for a check-up, or organising a part of your home so you can find things more easily to help you feel less stressed. Things like standing up for yourself, or setting boundaries, can also be types of fierce self-care.

I view both types of self-care as important. They complement each other – we need a balance of fluffy self-care and fierce self-care. Sometimes you need something that helps you feel better now, and sometimes you need to do things that will help you feel better later.

As a reminder: self-care is different for everyone. It’s about finding what you need. What works for someone else might not work for you, and that’s ok!

Taryn
21st November 2024

Jade Fullick is a trainee clinical psychologist with a research focus on trauma recovery and mental health in young adults. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Cardiff University. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here, or email: fullickj@cardiff.ac.uk. 

Invitation To Take Part in Research: Exploring Positive Change After Trauma

Hi, I’m Jade Fullick, a trainee clinical psychologist, and I’m currently conducting research as part of my doctoral work at Cardiff University. My study dives into an important and often overlooked topic: how young adults who’ve experienced trauma, especially complex trauma, can experience positive changes through therapy. The formal term for this is ‘posttraumatic growth’, which recognises that people may sometimes emerge from trauma with newfound resilience or strengths. This isn’t about ignoring the challenges trauma brings, but rather offering hope that recovery can include unexpected positive shifts.

Why This Matters

For young adults who’ve gone through repeated early traumas—like difficulties in early relationships or other long-term stressors—the journey to healing can feel complex and delicate. For some people, talking therapy is an essential support in this process, but what makes it effective at promoting growth? My research aims to find out how therapy can be a catalyst for change, focusing on what helps individuals feel stronger, more resilient, or find new meaning in life after challenging experiences (both in and out of the therapy room).

The Study Process

In my research, I’m interviewing young adults between 18-25 who feel they’ve experienced growth after trauma and received some form of mental health support before turning 18. Through these conversations, I aim to build a model that therapists can use to understand and support growth in young adults who’ve faced complex trauma. Ultimately, I hope this model could guide therapists in developing better approaches for clients on similar journeys.

Why I’m Passionate About This Work

I believe that every trauma survivor’s journey is unique, and understanding these individual experiences can help us develop better mental health support. Hearing how young adults have navigated their paths through adversity and found hope is a privilege, and I’m motivated by the chance to make their insights useful for others.

How to take part

If you’re interested in taking part, please complete the survey here.