Mind Maps & Managing the Madness: May Reflections
☀️ It’s a four-week half-term, exam season is officially underway, and maybe... the beginning of some nicer weather.
If you're supporting a young person through exams (or if you're in the thick of them yourself), I’ve written an Exam Season Survival Guide. It covers what stress might look like, why comparison can be toxic, and a few practical tips for getting through it all intact.
A follow-up post is coming soon: how to navigate the post-exam crash. That strange sense of... nothingness, once the adrenaline wears off and there's no more to revise. It’s not always beach days and freedom, but with a bit of awareness and care, the good times can feel genuinely good.
📘 Book Update: The Therapeutic Companion You Can Dog-Ear
Now that my book is officially out in the world 🎉, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s bought, shared, or reviewed it - it makes such a difference. If you haven’t yet, you can find it here:
A Practical Guide for Working Therapeutically with Teenagers and Young Adults
And now? I’ve flung myself back into my fiction project - following a teenage girl through the beautiful chaos of a hard life, with a strong therapeutic thread (naturally). I mention it here for accountability and because it’s equally terrifying and joyful to write.
📖 Substacks I’ve Loved Recently
The Mysterious Alchemy of Holding – Dr Vicki Connop
Long-Term Therapy Becomes Something Else – Thomas Smithson
Depression Resists a Simple Answer – Selda Koydemir
What If Chatbots Are For Therapists, Not Patients? - When Freud Meets AI
📚 Podcasts for Busy Minds
I’ve returned to a comforting old favourite: The Ghostly Thistle Podcast. The author narrates her own stories in a soothing Scottish accent. It has enough intrigue and beautiful writing to keep me engaged, but calming enough to slow my busy mind. Slowing my mind is almost impossible, I'm using this podcast medicinally, a minimum of 2 doses daily.
🌀Tools to Try: When Practical Beats Theoretical
In therapy, we often sit in the deep stuff, emotions, history, internal patterns, but sometimes, it’s the small, practical things that change lives. Whether it’s:
A revision technique that finally sticks
Wearing earplugs to reduce overwhelm
Using a mood-tracking app
Or turning off the big light (seriously, lighting can be a game-changer)
Don’t underestimate how helpful a grounded, sensory-friendly suggestion can be.
💡Ideas to Consider: Mind Maps Aren’t Just for Exams
It’s that time of year when mind maps take over teenage bedroom walls - and for good reason. They’re brilliant at making the big picture visible.
But here’s a twist: I often use mind maps as a journal alternative.
For people who don’t love journaling or feel overwhelmed by blank pages, a mind map can be a playful, visual way to reflect. A “journal hack”, if you like, whether for moods, goals, or life in general. Highly recommended.
🎉 Events & Networking
This week I am attending the next Therapy Network North East Event on Friday, 9 May, 10:15 am to 11:45 am at Newcastle Arts Centre with the speaker Alan Wildsmith
Let me know if you are going, I would love to see you there.
🖥️ Online Resources
For those who are newer to the field of private practice, this will be a great resource: Prosper in Private Practice Virtual Summit, happening 13th–15th May. Also, the lovely Caz Binsted is presenting!
Closing Thought
What small practical step could make a big difference in your life right now?
Lovely to share a moment with you. 💛🍃
Until next time, Helen