TAPPING TO STOP RUMINATING OVER THE PAST

Rumination is when your minds get stuck on certain thoughts, usually negative ones. It's like a broken record in your mind that won't stop playing. When we ruminate over the past we keep replaying certain events, worrying about things we said, overthinking our actions and wishing their was a different outcome. This can easily make you feel overwhelmed, anxious and has a detrimental impact on your mental health.

This is because it's a completed wasted energy - we can't change the past! What we can do though is anchor our minds in the present moment and tapping is a great way to do that and stop the rumination.

YOU ARE ENOUGH

Do you struggle to believe that you are enough? If you do, then you’re alone. One of the most common limiting beliefs is 'I'm Not Enough'. Whether it's I'm not good enough, I'm not rich enough, I'm not beautiful enough, I'm not successful enough - not feeling 'enough' can have a big impact on your confidence and self worth.

Tapping is a powerful way to start to change your inner narrative and rewire your mind to think differently.

If you would like some more support please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to help xx

COLLARBONE BREATHING

Collarbone breathing is a great way to quickly reduce stress and anxiety. You're working specifically with the collarbone point (chest area) which is a common place that most people experience their stress and anxiety. It also has a very specific breathing technique that helps to deepen your breathing and focus your mind on the present moment.

If you’re interested in private sessions and 1:1 coaching please get int touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you and always offer a FREE 20 min consultation call xx

HAPPY HEADS - PRIVATE SESSIONS

We would never think twice about asking a fitness instructor to help us with our physical fitness so why do we ever question getting someone to help with our mental fitness? It's not your job to be an expert on how to look after your mind - that's what I do!

I help people of all ages look after their mental health and wellbeing and I take that role very seriously. I've been a trained Meditation Teacher and Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping) Practitioner for nearly 8 years now and regularly do specific trauma training on the brain, the inner critic and how as humans our nervous systems react to stress, anxiety and trauma. I work with adults and also specialise in children and families. I bring a wealth of personal and professional experience into all that I do.

For a private session, I send out some pre questions first and then from that I tailor the session to your exact needs. The sessions consists of breathing techniques, guided meditation, and a full round of Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping). EFT is a powerful tool at helping you release negative tension held in both your body and mind. It’s the perfect partner to meditation as it helps your brain get to the core route of a problem and takes the emotional / negative charge away from it. 

I always provide a full support document after the session and a meditation recording / tapping video for you to use. The sessions are 1hr 30 mins, £135 and will be over Zoom.

If you really want to give your mental health a reset and you’re looking for something longer term I have the brilliant Happy Heads Wellbeing Programme. It’s been designed to completely transform your wellbeing over the course of 6 - 8 weeks and includes:

SILVER PACKAGE 

• 3 x 1-1 sessions (1.5hr each)

• Processing several big blocks in life that might be holding you back

• 1 x 20 min phone call 'wellbeing check-in'

• Several guided meditations to use across the programme

• Tapping and breathing videos to follow

• Daily practices to integrate into your own routine 

• Regular Whatsapp communication with me to ensure you feel fully supported throughout

Silver package is £390.

GOLD PACKAGE 

• 5 x 1-1 sessions (1.5hr each)

• Processing several big blocks in life that might be holding you back

• 2 x 20 min phone call 'wellbeing check-in'

• Several guided meditations to use across the programme

• Tapping and breathing videos to follow

• Daily practices to integrate into your own routine 

• Regular Whatsapp communication with me to ensure you feel fully supported throughout

Gold package is £650.

I’m flexible with days and times so just let me know what works for you and if you have any questions at all. I always offer a free 20 minute consultation call to see how best I can support you so please get in touch kim@happyheads.me xx

I look forward to hearing from you :)

Take Care

Kim x

WORKPLACE BULLYING SUPPORT - 29th November, 8pm UK Time

Have you ever experienced bullying within the workplace? If you have, then you’re not alone. Recent studies show that 47% of UK workers have observed bullying at work and 1 in 10 people have experienced being bullied. It’s something that can deeply impact your mental health, isn’t always obvious to spot and affects thousands of people every day. Unlike bullying at school, which may be more overt, bullying within the workplace can be subtle with passive aggressive communication and gas lighting.

I experienced this myself 7 years ago and it’s not something I’d ever spoken about until recently. It had a huge impact on my mental health and the burnout it created took years to recover from. I've learnt so much over the 7 years I’ve been running Happy Heads and I wish I had these techniques back then because I would have been able to prevent burnout.

I can't control the bullies who you may be being faced with or change the toxic workplace you are in BUT one thing I can do is help you nurture your mental health, reduce anxiety and rebuild your confidence.

This 1 hour ONLINE workshop on 29th November, 8pm UK Time is about helping people find their voice again, validating their experience and reminding anyone that is going through it right now - that you’re not alone.

It includes:

• Insight - into the brain, burnout and the impact of bullying on your mental health.

• Breathing Techniques - to calm and soothe your whole nervous system.

• Guided Meditation - to help you identify your worries and process your emotions.

• EFT (Tapping ) - to help you overcome any anxious, negative thoughts that you might be having, overcome self doubt and rebuild your confidence.

Spaces are limited and only £20. To book on click the button below or get in touch kim@happyheads.me. The Zoom link will be sent to you a week before.

I can’t wait to see you all.

Big Love

Kim xx

REFRESH YOUR ENERGY

Your body is filled with a very complex nervous system that is always trying to regulate itself. Many things can have an impact on your nervous system, depleting your energy and affecting how you feel, often without us consciously realising it (doom scrolling through instagram for example).

One of the first steps to refreshing your energy is to first identify what your ENERGY DRAINERS are. What are the things in life that make you feel depleted, low, sad or exhausted?

The next step is to identify your ENERGY GIVERS. These are the things in life that feed your soul, make your cup feel full, make you happy and give your energy a boost.

Take a moment now to look through the below lists and see what your ENERGY DRAINERS vs ENERGY GIVERS are. You can then start adjust yourself accordingly - doing less of the drainers and more of the givers.

ENERGY DRAINERS

1. Lack of Sleep

2. Too much screen time / being on your phone too much

3. Social media

4. The news

5. Feeling stressed or anxious

6. Overworking or burning out

7. People pleasing

8. Overthinking

9. Dehydration / not drinking enough water

10. Not eating enough / not nourishing your body

11. Eating too much junk food

12. Fear and self doubt

13. Ruminating over the past or overthinking the future

14. Spending too much time around: bullies, people you can’t be yourself  around, really negative people, people who are really judgemental, people who have a big ego, people who gossip a lot, complainers, people who expect  perfection, people who are abusive, people who are fake

15. Unprocessed anger, bitterness, or resentment

16. Not exercising or physically moving your body

17. Family

18. Fixating on your imperfections

19. Focussing on what you don't have

20. Wearing a mask / hiding or suppressing emotions

21. Comparing your life to others

22. Doing a job that you hate

What else drains your energy? Remember that we are all different. Only you will truly know what your ENERGY DRAINERS are. Write out your list and then you can see what things you need to do less of or what changes you may need to make.

ENERGY GIVERS

Energy Givers

1. Meditation

2. Good quality sleep / rest

3. Breathwork  / deep breaths

4. Nourishing food

5. Setting healthy boundaries with toxic people

6. Therapy – talking to people

7. Water / hydration

8. Being out in nature

9. Sunlight

10. Playing with my kids (parent specific)

11. Love and intimacy

12. Meaningful connections

13. Responding to your body’s needs/emotional needs

14. Tapping

15. Positive Affirmations

16. Learning something new

17. Cooking / Reading

18. Art / Being creative

19. Exercise / moving your body

20. Play! Doing something with no particular outcome - just for the fun of it.

21. Hot baths, massages

22. Watching movies that make you laugh

23. Dancing / listening to music that you love

24. Journaling

25. Doing a job you are passionate about

What else gives YOU energy? What feeds your soul and makes you happy? Write out a list and start to do more of the things in life that GIVE you energy.

Tapping is a great way to refresh your energy when you’re feeling a bit depleted because it physically brings your nervous system back into balance AND helps to rewire your brain to think differently. Watch this video now to see how easy it is to do.

For more support on nurturing your wellbeing please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you xx

TAPPING ON BEING BULLIED

Have you ever experienced bullying within the workplace? If you have, then you’re not alone. Recent studies show that 47% of UK workers have observed bullying at work and 1 in 10 people have experienced being bullied.

It’s something that can deeply impact your mental health, isn’t always obvious to spot and affects thousands of people every day. Unlike bullying at school which may be more overt, bullying within the workplace can be subtle with passive aggressive communication and gas lighting.

I experienced this myself 7 years ago and it’s not something I’ve ever spoken about. It had a huge impact on my mental health and the burnout it created took years to recover from.

You can listen to one of the things I experienced in the workplace with a female boss here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxItGLUoV-F/

Comments like this are deeply damaging to an employees mental health for a number of reasons:

1) it’s a personal attack on the employees personality and has nothing to do with their role .

2) They are using an umbrella term ‘everyone thinks’ rather than owning their personal opinion.

3) These types of comments are a form of emotional abuse, used to put a person down.

4) Language like this is used as a form of control in order to make a person feel small.

5) Statements like this don’t allow the person to really respond (what can you say to something like that) and is another way to assert control.

6) Derogatory comments in any form can negatively impact a persons self esteem.

It’s important to remember that while you control other people, you can always control how you react.

It may not feel like it at the time but you have a choice as to how much of someone’s toxic energy you take on.

Tapping is the perfect way to calm your nervous system and give that toxic energy back so watch the video above to help you nurture your mental health and process beeing bullied.

If you are going through it now, know that you are not alone. For more support please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you.

Kim xx

TAPPING TO BOOST SELF LOVE

Self Love is a term that is often talked about but many people still struggle with it. How do you cultivate self love if you've been speaking negatively to yourself for a long time?

This is where tapping is hugely powerful because it helps you to literally change the way you think - transforming your inner narrative from self criticism to self compassion and loving kindness.

• Do you struggle to speak kindly to yourself?

• Do you you find it hard to give yourself a compliment?

• Do you often want to reject the term ‘I love myself?

• Do you struggle to be compassionate to yourself?

• Do you find it hard to say words of loving kindness to yourself?

• Are you often self depricating?

If you answered YES to any of the above then this tapping process is exactly what you need right now! Watch the video above to boost your self love and kick start the path to thinking differently.

For 1:1 support please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you xx

TAPPING FOR TEENS

Your teenage years are a HUGE time in brain development and for many adolescents (and caregivers) it can be a tough time to navigate.

Brain changes during the early teen years set up four qualities of our minds during adolescence: novelty seeking, social engagement, increased emotional intensity, and creative exploration. There are changes in the fundamental circuits of the brain that make the adolescent period different from childhood. Each of these changes is necessary to create the important shifts that happen in our thinking, feeling, interacting, and decision-making during adolescence.

This video by Dr Dan Siegel explains exactly what happens to the brain:

For any teen these changes are a big transition to go through so it's normal to experience worries, anxiety or negative thinking. Tapping is a powerful tool to help process your emptions and overcome your anxious, negative thoughts - perfect for teens! Watch the video below to see how easy it is to nurture your wellbeing.

If you’re a teenager, parent or caregiver and would like some more support please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to help xx

TAPPING FOR CHILDREN

Childhood forms the foundation of your mental health and wellbeing, this is why it's so important (as parents and caregivers) to empower children with tools that help them process their emotions. It's really normal for children to have worries but it's often hard for them to identify or even verbalise what’s really going on for them. Tapping is a great way to help children gently process their worries so that things never build and become overwhelming.

As long as your child can speak - they can follow along with the tapping above. If they can't yet speak you can always play a game of 'simon says' and get them to copy what you do as you tap on your body.

If it's your own child and (and they would like you to) you can also try tapping on them. I sometimes tap on my daughter just before she goes to sleep to help her feel calm and relaxed.

You can follow the video above or try these:

1. You can simply tap and breathe (remember children need our nervous systems to help them regulate theirs, this is called co-regulation) so when you take a deep breath, this has a calming effect on them. Either tapping on them or tapping on yourself and they copy you.

2. Tap on them and repeat affirmations like - I love you just the way you are, you are amazing, you are clever, you are kind, you are funny, you are incredible, you are special, you are loved...

3. Get them to tap on themselves while they repeat affirmations like - I am good enough just the way I am, I am special, I am loved, I can be whoever I want to be, I am amazing, I love myself...

For more support helping your child please get in touch kim@happyheads.me xx

5 MINUTE TAPPING MEDITATION

Do you struggle with traditional meditation?

Do you find yourself constantly distracted?

Do you find it hard to sit still and breathe?

Do you often feel stressed and anxious?

If you answered YES to any of the above then you should try tapping. Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping) is a REALLY powerful tool for meditation because the physical tapping and movement help to focus your mind and energy.

Watch this video now to try a 5 minute tapping meditation that will help reduce anxiety, improve your focus and calm your busy mind.

If you would like some 1:1 support to help nurture your wellbeing please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you.

Big Love

Kim xx

CULTIVATE HAPPINESS DAILY

A negative mind will never give you a positive life

We have over 6000 thoughts per day so if you're always thinking negatively, it's easy to see how it can quickly consume and overwhelm your mind. For a lot of people, thinking  positively doesn’t come naturally - especially when you’re experiencing a  difficult time or big transition in your life. The good news is, your brain is soft wired not hard wired, so you can change the way you think, you just need to give your brain the loving attention that it needs.

Life can be hard and stressful but if you learn and grow from the difficult situations you’re faced with - you’ll go with the flow of life and find it much easier to tap into your inner happiness and contentment.

It only takes 66 days to create a new neural pathway, which isn’t long in the grand scheme of life. Reframing your mind to think positively and being grateful for what you do have rather than focusing on what you don’t, is an invaluable tool for nurturing your wellbeing.

You control your happiness and you control your thoughts. Tapping is a great way change the way you think - try the Tapping Video above to boost your mood and kick start neuroplasticity .

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

Scientific studies have been finding that happiness can make our hearts healthier, our immune systems stronger, and our lives longer.

Various studies have shown that positive thinking is good for both your physical and mental wellbeing. Here are just a few benefits of being happy:

• Happiness predicts lower heart rate and blood pressure

• Strengthens your immune system

• Combats stress

• Fewer aches & pains

• Combats disease & disability

• Lengthens our lives

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE

Being happy doesn't appear with a magic wand, it's something that you cultivate daily and make a conscious choice about how you view your world. Everyday you are faced with situations that you can either view positively or negatively. If you continually default to a moan and groan you're not experiencing the benefits of an optimistic outlook. Of course this isn't always possible but if you continually TRY to look on the brighter side, your brain will be much happier. Instead of being pessimistic, ask yourself...

• What would the positive perspective of this be?

• What could I learn from this experience?

• How can this teach me?

• How can I grow from this situation?

• Does it serve me any purpose to think negatively about this?

WAYS TO CULTIVATE HAPPINESS DAILY

• Gratitude is an amazing way to overcome negative thinking. At the beginning and end of every day, write down three things you are grateful for. You can keep it simple and say - I am grateful for my health, the blue sky, my breath...

• Process your emotions by regularly tuning in to see how you feel then naming your emotion (name it to tame it). This helps reduce the intensity of any difficult emotion that may want to overtake your happiness

• Remember that you don't need to be happy all the time - that would be weird! Take the pressure off yourself and allow yourself to be human. We have a whole spectrum of emotions and happiness can sit by the side of your other emotions.

• Drain your brain of negativity by journalling your stream of consciousness. All you do is write down your thought as they pop into your head. What's on the page won't make sense, this is a great way to get rid of any negative thoughts that have been building inside your mind.

• Positive affirmations are a powerful way to reframe negative thoughts. Simply use the affirmation that is the exact opposite of your negative thought. For example if you keep thinking 'i'm not good enough' keep saying (during meditation or writing it down) I AM good enough.

• Reframe your negative thoughts by using Tapping. Emotional Freedom Technique is a powerful tool at helping you change the way you think. Watch the video above to give your mood the boost it needs.

This is a guided meditation called Loving Kindness. Listen to the link above to increase your self love and cultivate happiness daily.

If you would like more support to nurture your mind please get in touch kim@happyheads I would love to help.

Big Love

Kim xx

TAPPING TO NURTURE YOUR INNER CHILD

“Hold the hand of the child that lives in your soul. For this child, nothing is impossible.”

~Paulo Coelho

Your childhood forms the foundation of your mental health. It creates a blueprint for who you believe you are and how you see the world around you. Some memories will be positive and some will be difficult and challenging. Your inner child is that part of you that for whatever reason maybe didn’t have their needs met as a child.

When we have a strong emotional reaction to something we’re reacting to the present moment because of our past and it’s often your inner child that’s been triggered.

For example, let’s say your boss criticises you for a project you worked really hard on and you feel flooded with emotion - this may be triggering your inner child and your limiting belief ‘I’m not good enough’.

You may be able to access some core memories to help understand your emotional reactions but most will be completely unconscious.

“Your “inner child” is a part of your subconscious that has been picking up messages way before it was able to fully process what was going on (mentally and emotionally). It holds emotions, memories and beliefs from the past as well as hopes and dreams for the future”

No parent is perfect, even the most loving parents make mistakes and of course childhood can be tough in many ways. Nurturing your inner child is a powerful way to bring inner peace to your internal world and give your mental health the boost it needs.

Tapping is a great place to start. Watch the video above to start the healing process.

PREVENT BURNOUT

BURNOUT

"A state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, caused by prolonged and excessive stress" 

Burnout is a very real and very scary thing to experience. I had it myself over 7 years ago now and in the space of 6 months in the toxic work environment I was in, I completely lost my mental health to the point I had severe anxiety which lead into depression. Overcoming burnout and learning how to nurture my mental health and wellbeing was one of the main reasons I retrained as a Tapping Practitioner, Meditation Teacher and started Happy Heads.

Anytime you feel stressed or anxious your amygdala (brains fear response) has been triggered and your nervous system goes into high alert (also known as the fight and flight response). Your body fills with cortisol which is the stress hormone, adrenalin races through your body, your digestive system slows down, heart races, muscles tense and your thinking brain goes off line - your body is primed to fight what it perceives as a threat.

In short doses being triggered in this way is fine as you quickly come back into rest and relaxation but when you are being triggered constantly (which is easily done in a stressful work environment) your body is flooded with too much cortisol, which has a damaging effect on your nervous system. This creates anxiety, which can then lead into severe anxiety and that can easily lead into depression. Ultimately your nervous system becomes completely frazzled and  your brain can't function properly.

Watch the video above to see how you can use tapping to process your burnout and bring some much needed calm to your over worked nervous system. No matter where you are in your burnout journey, I promise you, the way you feel right now WILL NOT be how you feel forever.

TIPS TO PREVENT BURNOUT 

DON’T look at your phone first thing in the morning, you’ll be flooding it with information that it doesn’t need. Instead connect with your breath – your superpower!

MEDITATE every morning to set your brain up for the day. Regularly tuning in and processing your emotions ensures that things don’t become overwhelming and deep breathing engages your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and relaxation).

SET a clear working day for yourself and be really strict with it. Don't look at your emails outside of working hours!

TAKE BREAKS throughout the day to be fully present in the moment with your breath and body. This helps to reduce anxiety and strengthen your neurological pathways.

RELAX your mind before you go to bed. Don’t look at a screen at least an hour before bed and do something relaxing instead (meditating, journaling, hot bath, listen to music, calming smells…) the brain needs to unwind after a busy day.

WRITE your 'to do' list the night before and never write more than 3 things you absolutely have to get done - everything else will then be a bonus!

REDUCE your intake of the news and social media. The news is inherently negative and social media makes you compare your life to others.

TAPPING is a powerful tool for overcoming negative thoughts. Use Emotional Freedom Technique every day to make sure you are regularly reframing your negative thoughts.

AFFIRMATIONS are a great way to overcome your limiting beliefs. So if you keep thinking 'I'm not good enough' repeat 'I AM good enough' or if you keep thinking 'I'm not clever' reframe to 'I AM clever'.

Sleep is the foundation of your mental health but it's often easily disrupted when you're experiencing burnout. Listen to this meditation before you go to bed to help calm your busy mind and improve those much needed ZZZZ's.

““I contacted Kim while in chronic burnout desperate for tools to support myself mentally. From the initial chat she listened, put me at ease and reassured she could help. The programme was hugely insightful and expertly led by Kim, by the end she had delivered on all aspects from our first conversation and much more. I can not thank her enough for giving me new found confidence, resilience and excitement for what the future holds!””

— Kristina

HAPPY HEADS BURNOUT PROGRAMME

f you would like more support The Happy Heads Burnout Programme has been specifically designed to help you:

• Overcome burnout, bringing calm and peace to your frazzled mind

• Improve your mental and physical wellbeing

• Release negative energy from your nervous system thats built up in the workplace

• Rebuild your confidence and self belief

• Bring your nervous system back into balance (after being under constant stress)

• Reduce anxiety and stress held in both body and mind

• Bring you back to yourself once again!

• Improve your sleep & Focus

• Empower you will a whole toolbox of calm that you can use at home or in the workplace

I always send out some pre questions first and then from that I tailor the programme to your exact needs. 

Each private session includes breathing techniques, guided meditation, and a full round of Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping). EFT is a powerful tool at helping you release negative tension held in both your body and mind and help you overcome any anxious, negative thoughts that you might be having.

I always offer a FREE 20 minute phone consultation so please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you xx

TAPPING ON THE ANXIETY OF A FUTURE EVENT

A common anxiety trigger is worrying about a future event, this is also known as anticipatory anxiety. This is because the brain can easily catastrophise and likes to make up all of these worst case scenarios. We often like to think that we're mystic meg and can genuinely predict the future but the good news is - we're not! Reframing your mind to think differently about a future event is a powerful way to reduce anxiety and rebuild your confidence.

If you experience anticipatory anxiety then watch this video to calm your nervous system and boost your self belief.

If you would like some 1:1 sessions with me please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to help xx

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TAPPING ON BODY POSITIVITY

In a world where we can compare ourselves to others 24/7 it's so easy to speak negatively about your body if it doesn't fit with what you're seeing on the news, in magazines or on social media. Body positivity doesn't always come easy but it's a powerful way to boost your self belief and love your body exactly the way that it is.

Body positivity is less about what you look like and more about how you feel. When you’re mental health is in a good place you can literally view your body in a different way. I want to share a short story with you…

Around 8 years ago my self esteem was really low. I was in the middle of complete burnout in a very toxic workplace and my mental health had taken a sharp and terrifying decline. I had a wedding to go to and tried on a low cut dress. When I looked in the mirror I hated what I saw. I thought the dress made my boobs look tiny, I felt completely unconfident and couldn't imagine ever wearing it.

A year later when I had overcome burnout and transformed my mental health I had another wedding to go to. I got out THE SAME dress and put it on. What I saw was something completely different. Instead of hating what I saw, I liked it. I saw a dress that flattered by body, thought my boobs looked great and felt really confident.

My size and body shape hadn't changed....my mind had! I had been working so much on my mental health that my self esteem and self love had grown - I now viewed my body in a very different way.

I've now had two babies and my body has gone through SO many changes but I love it now more than ever. I appreciate my body for all that it does for me and make a conscious effort to speak kindly to it and myself.

I also now have the BIG responsibility to actively practice self love in front of my children because kids copy behaviour. It's no good me telling my children to love themselves but then speaking negatively about my body in front of them. They won't learn to love themselves that way - in fact the opposite will be true.

My children know that mummy loves her body and that they should love theirs - that is what body positivity is. Loving your body for all that it is and all that it does. Honouring that some days may be difficult and making a conscious effort every day to speak kindly to yourself - especially when little eyes are watching your every move.

Watch this video to see how tapping can help you honour your emotions and start to reframe the way you view your body.

PROCESS YOUR BIRTH - 2 DAYS TO GO!

Giving birth can be a magical experience but for some women the opposite may be true. For many different reasons birth can be traumatic having a lasting impact on their mental and physical wellbeing. The spectrum of trauma is a wide one and can range from PTSD (when maybe a mother nearly lost her life during childbirth) not feeling heard, feeling helpless, having things done without consent, emergency c section, unexpected complications or interventions, long painful labour or anything else that a birthing mother finds traumatic.

You may feel disappointed that childbirth was not the experience you were hoping for. Or you might feel angry with the medical staff if you felt that the delivery wasn't handled well. Your experiences may also make you feel anxious about having another baby in future, in case you have to go through a similar experience during birth. - Mind

Trauma is different for everyone so it's important to reflect on how birth effected you both physically and mentally. Even if you had a planned c section, your body is still experiencing a trauma from being cut open. You may have had a good experience but still wish some things had been handled differently. Perhaps there were times you didn't feel like you were being listened to, patronised or ignored - these are all things that have a lasting impact.

Join me on 23rd March at Midday for my 1hr workshop 'Processing Birth'. It's been specifically designed to:

• Create a safe space for all mothers to process their birth.

• Empower you with tools to calm and ground your energy whenever you need (even when with your baby / children).

• Allow your nervous system to emotionally and physically process your experience.

• Improve the quality of your sleep (the short amounts you do get).

• Reduce stress and anxiety connected to motherhood and everyday life.

• Make you feel seen, heard and validate your emotions.

• Improve your confidence as a mother and overcome any fear of birthing again.

• Nurture your mental and physical wellbeing.

During the 1 hr lunchtime workshop you'll learn:

• Insight into birth trauma, birth PTSD what is it and how it can affect people's mental health.

• Breathing Techniques - to calm and ground your whole nervous system.

• Guided Meditation - to help you identify, process and release any parts of your birth you found challenging.

• Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping) - to help bring your nervous system back into balance and overcome any anxious, negative thoughts you might be experiencing.

The workshop is only £20, click below to book or you can email kim@happyheads.me. It will be recorded for anyone who can't watch the live session so you can watch in your own time.

I can’t wait to see you all there.

Big Love

Kim xx

RELEASING STRESS

THE POWER OF YOUR BODY

"You need to listen to your body because your body is listening to you" 
Phil McGraw

Your body is an incredible source of wisdom and can tell you a lot but you need to listen to it. It’s often your body that will know before you do if you’re stressed and burning out. It could be an achey back, twitching eyes, bad skin, irritable gut, bloating, chest pains - these are all physical symptoms of stress.

You have a nerve called the vagus nerve that connects directly from your brain stem through your chest, down to your abdomen and carries sensory information from the internal organs back to the brain - your body and mind are completely interconnected.

Anytime you feel stressed your amygdala has been triggered and your body begins to go into the fight and flight response. In short periods this is ok but if you're constantly stressed this can cause havoc on your nervous system and body.

We often go straight to the physical problem to fix stress but it begins in the mind - calm your mind and your physical wellbeing will improve.

*if you're worried that something isn't stress related always check with your doctor.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

When you feel stressed or anxious your body is quick to respond so it’s important to know what physical sensations you experience and how stress manifests for you. When you start to listen carefully to your body you understand that it's telling you (often before you realise) that you're stressed and need slow down. Here are a few ways in which stress can physically manifest:

• Sweating - palms, face, back (any area of the body)

• Nausea - feeling sick or actually being sick

• Headaches - varying areas and pain intensity, migraines

• Breathing & Chest - breath begins to shorten, which raises your heart beat, tension or tightness in chest

• Gut - tense feeling in stomach or just above, going to the loo more or less than usual, IBS, bloating, butterflies, digestive problems

• Numbness - in areas of the body that usually have more sensation 

• Appetite - hunger or loss of appetite

• Twitchy eye - excessive blinking or sporadic twitch

• Muscle aches - achy limbs, tension in back & shoulders, tight throat

• Skin - bad skin (spots), breakout, irritation or blushing

• Monthly Cycle - for women your periods can stop

HAPPY HEADS EXERCISE

Take a minute now to tune into your body and list out what reactions you have when you feel stressed or anxious...

MEDITATION - BODY SCAN

Below a guided body scan meditation. This is a really effective way to check-in daily with how your body is feeling and process any stress that you might be experiencing. Try not to judge or change whatever comes up, simply notice with a gentle curiosity.

PROCESSING TRAUMA - NOW LIVE

When thinking about whether something was traumatising to you, it's essential to remember that your response and emotions are completely valid. One thing may be traumatising to one person but not another. It's completely subjective and your early childhood experiences and attachment play a key role in how you cope with trauma in adulthood. It's also important to never minimise your past and never compare it to someone else.

When you say to yourself, 'i'm ok, they have it way worse than me' - you completely invalidate your own experience and don't allow your nervous system the opportunity to process it.

This months Happy Heads Reset is called 'Processing Trauma' and will help you do exactly that. You'll get:

- Insight into trauma and how it effects the brain and nervous system.
- Tapping video to follow that will help you process your trauma.
- Top Tips on how to calm your nervous system anytime you go into the fight / flight / freeze response.
- Guided meditation to bring your brain back into balance and integrate your nervous system.

Follow the link HERE to sign up to the Happy Heads Monthly Reset, It's completely free!
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If you would like to work 1:1 with me to process your trauma please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you xx
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10 MINUTE TAPPING TO REDUCE ANXIETY

Anxiety is completely normal if we didn't have it we would all be like lemmings walking into the road. Normalising anxiety and saying how you feel out loud is a powerful way to quickly change the way you feel.

Watch this video to see how tapping can help you reduce your anxiety in under 10 minutes.

If you enjoy it feel free to donate here: https://ko-fi.com/happyheads

If you would like some one to one sessions to nurture your anxiety please get in touch kim@happyheads.me I would love to hear from you xx