Cocoon Your Mind, Open Your Heart to Hope
Welcome to week three in 'Corona World,' which is what I have been calling the surreal new world we find ourselves in
Covid19 – Information for children
The Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, would like to commend the children in Ireland for the strength and resilience they have shown during this strange time
In this time of uncertainty, Fiona Brennan reflects on the importance of remaining calm. She asks how you want to look back on this challenging period in a year's time
Self-care during Covid19: A Lust for Life broadcasts
A Lust for Life will bring you broadcasts giving you techniques to manage your mental health. These broadcast are designed to help you, and those around you, build resilience and learn mindfulness tools
Free courses from The Actualise Academy to manage anxiety and mental health
The Actualise Academy is offering two courses for free for any member of the public
Covid19: Helping children and teenagers to understand
Children and Teenagers will often take a lead from us in terms of how we respond to events, so it is important that we are not overly worried or anxious in their presence
Covid19: MABS money management
The current situation happening in Ireland and around the world is challenging for us all. Trying to navigate social media for accurate information is making things more complicated, increasing anxiety
Where is my Mind? is a podcast about how we can navigate the manic, always-on, and head-melting world we live in. Our lives are changing so quickly, it’s hard to keep up
Covid19 – Psychological Survival
I started off blogging about how to talk to kids about covid-19 and as things continue to escalate it is important to consider our own self-care, now, if we need to self-isolate and what happens afterwards
Grief Encounters: How emotions change throughout grief with Laura Kennedy
This weeks guest is The Sunday Times’ writer Laura Kennedy, a leading voice in grief conversation here in Ireland over the past five years
A Lust for Life seven day social challenge #soundsocial - disconnect to reconnect. Follow the daily challenge with the aim that by the end of the week you'll have created more time in your life to enjoy something truly worthwhile
Walk or run the women’s mini-marathon for A Lust for Life
Run, walk, jog, skip, however you like to cover your 10km distance; do it for A Lust for Life in the Women’s Mini Marathon this May 31st
Feeling anxious? Self-Compassion is the key to calmness
Have you ever had a morning where you woke up and just could not face going into school or college? Not because you were physically sick, but for some weird reason, you just couldn’t quite put your finger on?
How mindfulness saved me from 15 years of heroin addiction
And then led to the life of my dreams. I was first introduced to mindfulness in 2013 while attending a detox facility for a 15-year opioid addiction
Grief Encounters: Grief’s Complicated with Erin McGathy
Erin McGathy is an American podcaster and comedian who has found her home in Dublin, since moving here in 2016
You can’t stop thinking, but you can turn down the volume
Distance yourself from problematic thoughts with these 3 timeless metaphors
Overcoming the terror of indecision
Long before #MeToo, a beautiful young lady by the name of Erica found herself seduced by an incredibly charming man. Smitten, she thought all her dreams had come true. She had found her one true love
Replacing New Years resolutions with new pathways: the neuroplasticity of new habits
This January at A Lust for Life, we’re debunking the annual tradition of a New Years Resolution and the pledge of “New Year, New Me”
Ways to manage mental health in college
When you’re a young adult, it feels like nothing can stop you. Your body is in its peak physical condition and your emotions haven’t yet been run down by the gamut of life
Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it
I am just back from a visit to Krakow, the beautiful southern Polish city steeped in history. You may be aware that the Nazi death camps of Auschwitz
Take some time out to check in
New year, new you hey!? No, I’m not feeling it either! The you that you are right now is already magnificent, so don’t let anyone else tell you differently. We all know that there are certain aspects of our lifestyles that we can change in order to look and feel better
Everything suffers when you don’t set your intentions for the day
The gun goes off with a crack. The guy to my right explodes out of the blocks. I stay put, preparing for the race ahead
A Lust for Life Book Club: January – Evolve Your Brain
The ALFL book club is LIVE and we're excited to launch 'one book per month for 2020'. Our January book of the month is Dr. Joe Dispenza's 'Evolve Your Brain'
A Lust for Life Christmas Book Club
Christmas, and the long dog days between Christmas and New Year, is a great time to get stuck into a new book. We asked the team at A Lust for Life and our mental health advisory panel to recommend a book for Christmas
Grief Encounters: Nine Weeks with Sean Kennedy
This week’s guest is a tenor, writer and performer whos beautiful show Nine Weeks received widespread acclaim at this years Dublin Fringe Festival
Grief Encounters: A False Sense Of Hope With Deirdre Donnelly
This week’s podcast is slightly different, as we hear one woman’s account of undergoing fertility treatment, and the pain and disappointment that was to follow
I am currently reading the "Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. For those who have read it before may find it inspiring and awakening, some may not understand it at all
Grief encounters: Shapes of Grief with Liz Gleeson
Liz Gleeson is an experienced grief therapist and also the host of the excellent podcast Shapes Of Grief, which came out in January 2019
HIV and mental health: When you lose yourself
What do you know about a human immunodeficiency virus? I believe, despite a huge informational campaign of the past few decades, many of us still believe that HIV infection is another name for AIDS
GAD – Generalised Anxiety Disorder – is there more of it about?
With the always-on-the-go, technology-loaded lifestyles we lead these days, I am hearing more and more about an ‘anxiety epidemic’. Anxiety is not new
How to stop problematic self-talk
For the past six years, I’ve been obsessed with self-talk, and how it relates to emotion. This obsession grew out of the realization that self-talk and anxiety drove me toward a life of chronic heroin addiction
Have you EVER called a HELPLINE? If not WHY not?
I did a depression therapy group course during the summer over 10 weeks. It was excellent and so nice to meet a lovely group of people who were kind, supportive and non-judgmental
Self soothe and wellness tools
A friend was going through a difficult time having gone through family stressors. She contacted the local nurse as part of her support network. After the nurse listened to everything that had been going on she recommended my friend to ‘self soothe’
Thursday, October 10th was World Mental Health Day. October is a funny time of year. We come into darker days and nights and sometimes for those who suffer with mental health problems, this can add to the difficulty with less daylight and sunshine
Fifteen years of chronic heroin addiction brought me to the very edge. I lost my job, my health, my mind, and every important relationship in my life. But I was lucky. Pounded into submission by the most painful night of my life, I received a gift
Trusting your anxiety: A path to freedom
For those who suffer from anxiety, like myself and many others, it seems that our in-built response to arising anxiety is to avoid it at all costs. This may be especially true for those of us who have faced traumatic anxiety
Sources of inspiration in different corners of life are many; like grains of sand on a beach varied in size, shine & outlay depending on where exactly you may be. What's measureless can be beautiful & what may not resonate with one person may well be celebrated by the next
William Worden’s Four Tasks of Grief
Grief, the universal reaction to loss, affects everyone. Death being inevitable, the loss of significant people in our lives is bound to occur. The grieving process, therefore, is both a normal and natural one. Although painful, it is a necessary process
Grief encounters: Grief In The Public Eye with Abie Philbin Bowman
The immediate grief after a sudden loss is completely overwhelming, often making it impossible to process the present and the future. Our guest this week had the sad reality of experiencing this in March 2000
Why we need to check up on one another more often
In 2017, the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland became the subject to 6213 suicides, 5821 of which were in the UK and 392 of which in the ROI. In the UK, men are 3 times more likely to take their own lives than women
Women, their secret social code, mob mentality and toxic cliques among 30 somethings today
I have given myself a pat on the back recently. I pretty pleased with my efforts in attending (self-motivated) all therapy sessions over the past ten months
Calm and steady: Writing and mental illness
The mental health blogger looks to people with mental illness, including himself, who have become published authors as a result of sharing their hard-earned wisdom with the world
This week, we’re sharing an episode of the Life Well Lived podcast with special guest, Darren Gavin
Recently I’ve been thinking about how much we have been told we can’t do something and so often we accept it and don’t do what our hearts desire on this basis
Five Ways Meditation Can Start Improving Your Life Right Now (Mentally and Physically)
An old lady that once told me that meditation and yoga were from Satan and that if you “open” your mind up, you’re allowing Satan to take charge
It seems to come in those most doubtful of times, a silent whisper, as if cast by a distant God, dropping to tell you it’s time to forgive. Undisputed by your intuition, the only obstacle to bestowing forgiveness, is to detach from the rational mind
Skills & Health …. & Courage …. “I’ll Try Again Tomorrow”
As an academic and applied sport and performance psychologist, I’m often asked how the individuals I work with, from many different performance backgrounds, can improve their performances
Book Review: The Power Of Meaning – Emily Esfahani Smith
Emily Esfahani Smith is a journalist and author. Her articles and essays have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other notable publications
Imagination is the essence of recovery
Growing up we were often told that by using our imagination we can bring our goals even dreams to life. Everything seemed possible as nothing felt out of reach
Grief encounters: The Many Ups And Downs Of Illness with Andy Gaffney
A chronic illness can bring with it many devastating lows, but also moments of hope and relief. Anyone who has spent periods of time caring for someone who was ill, will know these range of emotions far too well
Getting better sleep to help mind your mental health
Dealing with insomnia is a battle you have to fight constantly. Every sleep disorder is a story of its own, but insomnia is the one I feel most comfortable discussing, as I’ve had to live with it for a long time
A 3-Step Method For Making Quicker And Better Decisions
Terry Crews is an actor, comedian, activist, artist, and former American football player. As a self-confessed “book nut” - mostly in the area of self-help - he is also one of the most insightful people I’ve ever listened to
‘The definition of strength is the capacity of an object or substance to withstand great force or pressure.’ Is strength getting up again and again after you fall
Grief encounters: You Left Early with Louisa Young
This week’s Sasha meets the award winning UK writer Louisa young, who’s book You Left Early accounts her relationship with Robert Lockhart, an extremely talented and prolific composer from Wigan
15 minute guided meditation which takes you for a relaxing walk to the shore line of the ocean watching the beautiful waves come and go
Healing through shame as Gay or Bi men
I would really like to share something with you. Something that I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been thinking about shame and how we, as gay and bi-men, experience shame
Nature Is Our Biggest Teacher: What Plants Taught Me About Life
We are constantly trying to figure out how life works and it always seems so complicated to figure it all out. As infants and children, we learn everything
Book Review: Lost and Found – Oliver Jeffers
When it comes to reading material, of late I have an overwhelming preference for children’s picture books. I was recently delighted to find my preferences endorsed by some established literary talents
Grief encounters: Everybody Died, So I Got A Dog with Emily Dean
In this week’s episode of the podcast Sasha and Venetia meet the incredibly talented writer and podcaster Emily Dean who speaks about “starting again” after a series of painful losses
“I don’t mix with him”: Bullying in the classroom
I don’t tend to watch the news as it’s usually negative and doesn’t add anything to my existence. I am however finding myself following the Ana Kriegel murder trial
In consideration of anger, I wrote this article looks at three different types of the emotion: anger in its outward expression, in its inward expression, and constructive use of anger
Book Review: The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k
I was lulled into picking up this lovely little hardback with it’s warm, Christmassy red cover, only to be shocked by the outrageous title hopping off the page in the boldest silver!
What Nobody Tells You About Funerals with Jonathan Stafford and Gus Nichols
Whether a death is anticipated, or happens all of a sudden, the amount of preparation involved
On knowing the difference between sadness and depression
We all experience times in our lives when we feel fed up or miserable. We wake up one morning and discover we feel listless
How to grab life by the throat
Having lost 15 years of my life to addiction, mostly through inaction and fear, it seemed like I’d nothing to lose
May is Mental Health Awareness Month over in the UK - a month geared towards breaking down stigma and starting conversations about mental health. It’s about that message of “it’s ok not to be ok”
The toxic habit of people pleasing
Whitney Cummings is a highly successful comedian from Los Angeles. From 2011 to 2013, she produced and starred in her own comedy show called Whitney. During this time, she was plagued by the toxic habit of people pleasing
Perfection disguises itself as a rosy red apple, sweet to the touch but filled with a bitterness and toxicity that can course through your veins, and reduce you to a former relic of the person you’re supposed to be
It’s OK That You’re Not OK with Megan Devine
On this week’s podcast Sasha (Venetia will be back next week) got the opportunity to speak to the psychotherapist, writer, and grief advocate Megan Devine
Sometimes we can all feel a little, or a lot, down in the dumps. For good reason, financial, family illness, loss, employment, not enough time, too much time, or for many other reasons we can’t quite put our finger on
It’s not uncommon for children to feel anxious from time to time, so it’s encouraging to know that there are a lot of practical things that parents can do to help
Master Your Emotions in Three Steps
Jenny is a 38-year-old, kind, caring and hardworking woman, married with a young child. Like many of us, Jenny is juggling a lot of different responsibilities in her life
Anxiety can be triggered in us all and I don’t doubt we’ve all experienced it in some form or another. When I used to read stories of people who suffered badly with anxiety I used to wonder how can this happen?
Know your ACE score: the long term health effects of early childhood adversity
After watching Dr. Nadine Burke Harris’ TED Talk entitled How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across A Lifetime
Setting goals for a simple life
Self-made billionaire, Ray Dalio, is the founder of Bridgewater Associates. They are the world’s largest hedge fund, managing over $160 billion in global investments
Music is my safe haven. Mental health is one of the most important things we should focus on because if our brain isn’t okay then nothing else will be either. People are speaking out about mental health now more than ever
The pressure of Social Media impacts our wellbeing more than we know. We are constantly switched on, never spending time with our own thoughts. The minute we have some time alone, the phone is out and we are scrolling
We need a culture shift when it comes to wellness in the workplace
For many of us, work is such a huge part of our day to day lives. We spend on average 40 hours at work and many more hours commuting and thinking about it
Man’s internal struggle with his mental health
The number of those suffering from anxiety and depression continues to soar with no sign of slowing down
I am becoming more aware of how reliant we are on our phones. I have written about the impacts of Social Media on our mental health but I have started to notice even more the level of addiction we have to our phones
Do you ever look at the ads for slimming groups or the front of magazines which show the “before” and “after” of the person’s figure. A lot of us have them. The old photos that you don’t know why you keep except perhaps as a warning
3 powerful metaphors to help you see more clearly. “Unless you are educated in metaphor, you are not safe to be let loose in the world.” — Robert Frost. In John F. Kennedy’s speech about the Space Race
How are you feeling, right here and now? Often we let things go so far in our lives that before we realise it we have reached a point of overwhelm. So consider this-what about checking in with your lovely self sooner?
When we can’t reach out for help, they reach in and mend our soul
I have five ex battery hens. Hens are, by nature, prey. With no real defence or attack mechanism, they are at the mercy of any predator who comes across them. When threatened they make noise
Taking responsibility for your life
There are times when you just have no choice but to stop and bring everything to a halt. All too often, we allow things to spiral out of control because we either take on too much or talk ourselves down with the inner critical voice
On 18th October 2018, I sat at Everest base camp taking in the most incredible views, energy and spirituality. It was one of my highest times in my life to date. Six weeks later, I hit one of my lowest points
We have become social media addicts. Whether it’s on the train, sitting in a restaurant or watching TV, we always have our phones within reach, ready to check for notifications. Have you ever wondered what your life would be like
Viktor Frankl was a neurologist, psychiatrist, and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, widely regarded as one of the most influential books of our time. Frankl was also a Holocaust survivor
Mental health during pregnancy
Most of us have heard of postnatal depression. It’s discussed openly, the medical profession has plenty of help available, and it’s an accepted and widely known concept. However, mental health issues during pregnancy don’t get...
