LGBTQ + Mental Health Blog
Sharing regular reflections, articles, videos, and insights exploring LGBTQ+ mental health, relationships, shame, identity, trauma, recovery, and emotional wellbeing through an affirming, trauma informed, and psychologically grounded lens shaped by both professional training and lived experience.
Bisexual Clients – Making The Invisible, Visible
Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of bisexual clients who’ve described feeling like they exist in a strange in between space. Too queer for some people. Not queer enough for others. Constantly feeling misunderstood, questioned, or erased. There’s still a huge...
Growing Older in the LGBTQ+ Community: Loneliness, Visibility & Belonging
Growing older in the LGBTQ+ community can carry an extra weight. So much of queer culture has historically been centred around youth, bars, clubs, dating apps, appearance, nightlife, and the idea that visibility and desirability belong to the young. When you’re no...
People Pleasing & Boundaries in LGBTQ+ Relationships: Learning to Say No
Many LGBTQ+ people grow up learning to prioritise other people’s comfort over their own needs. Experiences of rejection, bullying, shame, identity invalidation, or conditional acceptance can make it difficult to say no, take up space, express disagreement, or set...
How Therapy Can Increase Self Awareness and Change Your Life
One of the most powerful things therapy can offer is greater self awareness. Many people move through life on autopilot, repeating the same emotional patterns, relationship dynamics, coping strategies, or beliefs without fully understanding where they came from or how...
Trans Affirming Therapy in Manchester: Creating a Safe Space for Trans & Non-Binary Clients
Many trans, non binary, and gender non conforming people are currently navigating increasing levels of hostility, misunderstanding, and political debate around their identities. Experiences of discrimination, invalidation, rejection, or feeling unsafe can have a...
The Mental Health Impact of LGBTQ+ Microaggressions & Everyday Discrimination
For many LGBTQ+ people, the most painful experiences are not always the openly hostile or obvious acts of discrimination. Often, it is the smaller, repeated moments that slowly wear people down over time. Comments, assumptions, jokes, exclusions, or subtle...
Why We’re Attracted to Red Flags in Relationships: Trauma, Attachment & Familiarity
Why we're attracted to red flags in relationships. Have you ever noticed how sometimes we do not run away from red flags in relationships, we run towards them? Controlling behaviour, inconsistency, emotional unavailability, poor boundaries and dishonesty can all seem...
Why Some People Get Drawn Into Other People’s Drama: Boundaries, People Pleasing & Emotional Exhaustion
Many people find themselves constantly pulled into other people’s problems, emotions, or relationship drama, often leaving them emotionally drained, overwhelmed, or resentful. You may notice yourself trying to fix situations that aren’t yours to manage, feeling responsible for keeping the peace, or struggling with guilt whenever you try to prioritise your own needs.
Negative Core Beliefs: How Shame, Rejection & Childhood Experiences Shape Self Worth
egative core beliefs can shape relationships in powerful ways. If somebody deep down believes they are unworthy of love, they may struggle to believe reassurance even when it is genuine. Compliments can feel uncomfortable, healthy relationships may feel unfamiliar, and emotional safety can sometimes feel harder to trust than emotional chaos.
Chemsex & Mental Health: Understanding the Emotional Reasons Behind Chemsex
Chemsex is a complex and often deeply misunderstood issue affecting many people within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly gay and bisexual men. While chemsex can sometimes begin as a way to enhance connection, intimacy, confidence, pleasure, or escape, it can also...