Helping teenagers tap into their passions and potential
The teen years are stressful, and the pressure to appear perfect has only become greater as most teens are heavily involved in social media
Your how-to guide to ‘not meditating’
It’s a well-known fact that meditation is a great way to relieve stress, and is recommended widely by mental health professionals to help relieve anxiety, stress, depression
Take a moment to light a fire with me. All it takes is a single spark. While fire has its many dangers, its uses far outweigh its risks. A good fire warms us, lights the way and makes the darkness bearable
Starting college with social anxiety disorder
This time of year, students are receiving offers to go to college - which should signify a new phase of their lives. Unfortunately for young adults with social anxiety disorder
Sooth anxiety with outdoor yoga
I have severe anxiety, depression & OCD and I find yoga helps me a fair amount. I was a bit scared to start classes because I suffer a bit from social anxiety
Gratitude deserves our attention. Without gratitude for what we have, it is virtually impossible to truly cultivate peace of mind, contentment and happiness. The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace
Positive neuroplasticity and mindfulness, A four week challenge (Adapted from Dr Rick Hanson)
I had the pleasure of training with Dr Rick Hanson last year, a neuroplasticity expert
To our Good Health – drinking wisely as we age
“I started drinking more when my husband died.” “I found I was bored when I retired and started drinking to while away the hours.”
16 ways to feel insanely energetic, happy, and carefree
Do you want to feel insanely energetic, inspired, happy, and carefree? It is possible, but you must act, and you must be consistent
A Lust for Life Book Club: Readers Recommendation – Depression and other magic tricks
After the break up (the final one), I decided I needed space, time away from my normal life
How to Mind Yourself, with Kate Malley
In the seventh part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, A Lust for Life writer Kate Malley talks about how she takes care of her mental health. My meaning of self-care is looking after both your physical and mental health
Explaining mental illness to a child
Young children just don’t understand depression or anxiety like we adults do. As a result, it can be difficult to find the words to talk to your kids. Many parents or caregivers decide not to bring it up
Helping your child navigate childhood with non-confrontational communication
I recently read the worrying DCU survey on primary school students in Ireland. It shows that Mental health issues are a real problem among younger children
On self-acceptance and learning to live with your inner monsters
Have you ever been caught in the self-loathing spinning wheel when you allowed everything unfavourable you believed about yourself to come up to the surface
Why, when, and how to say ‘No’
“It’s only by saying no that you can concentrate on what’s important.” – Steve Jobs. Saying no is one of the most important tools in your locker. This might sound a bit cold, so here is a list to persuade you otherwise
How to Mind Yourself, with the Self Care Sundays Podcast Team
In the sixth part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, the Self Care Sundays Podcast Team talk about how they take care of their mental health
You may have heard that earlier this year a Loneliness Taskforce was set up by Senator Keith Swanick in collaboration with Seán Moynihan of ALONE to coordinate Ireland’s response to loneliness and social isolation
Living an authentic life – The surprisingly powerful element
A couple years ago I introduced what I call a new bill of rights for people who are still hiding their authenticity. Whether that’s because they’re not yet sure
A Lust for Life book club: Readers recommendation – How Not to be a Boy
I read, veraciously, fantasy, true crime, comics, blogs, the back of cleaning products, anything I can lay my hands on, but my treat, reserved only for holidays is autobiographies
How to Mind Yourself, with David Foot
In the fifth part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, we asked counsellor and psychotherapist David Foot about how he takes care of himself and his mental health. David, what does self-care mean to you?
Change your habits, change your life
Negative people like to complain and criticise. Anxious people are prone to worry. Positive people are optimistic. And healthy people tend to be health conscious. Our defining characteristics are not set in stone however
There’s a well-established reason why some people tend to be extremely successful in life while others can barely make the ends meet while dealing with negative emotions along the way
How to step outside your comfort zone
You know the routine. You get up in the morning, drag yourself out of bed, get the kids up and dressed and send them off to school. Then you get yourself together and go about your day
How you can help a friend showing signs of suicide ideation
With all the pressures and stresses of life, it’s no wonder that everyone feels sad, angry, or overwhelmed at times. However, some people may struggle
How to Mind Yourself, with Louize Carroll
In the fourth part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, we asked Occupational Psychologist and friend of A Lust for Life Louize Carroll about how she takes care of herself and her mental health
Why unplugging is good for your mental health
The relationship between technology use and mental health is multifaceted. Advocates of technology tout its benefits, like how its presence has impacted the counselling industry
How to Mind Yourself, with Dr Malie Coyne
In the third part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, we asked Clinical Psychologist and friend of A Lust for Life Dr Malie Coyne about how she takes care of herself and her mental health
A tutorial on how to set healthy boundaries
We hear a lot about the need to set healthy boundaries, but what does that actually mean? The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a boundary as “something that indicates or fixes a limit or extent”
How to Mind Yourself, with Lucie Kavanagh
In the second part of our series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, A Lust for Life asks regular A Lust for Life contributor Lucie Kavanagh how she takes care of herself and her mental health
Many of us today lead busy lives. We are focused on our family, friends, our job, the people we come in contact with and to a greater or lesser degree how we appear to other people
How to Mind Yourself, with Fiona Brennan
In the first of a series on ‘How to Mind Yourself’, A Lust for Life asks a Clinical Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner Fiona Brennan how she takes care of herself and her mental health
A Lust for Life book club: Readers recommendation – Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
Thanks to all of you who participated in the book club so far!
Life is full of challenges, most of which we have no control over. This might sound a little disheartening, but grasping this fully can save you a lot of pain
Being your own hero: How Dungeons & Dragons helped my mental health
With the recent resurgence in popularity of roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons, we asked A Lust for Life writer and D&D player, Ruth O’Hagan, to write about how
The homogenised self - that streamlined ‘us’ that reads a room and acts accordingly - is how we manage to live relatively shame-free day to day. But sometimes we find ourselves unexpectedly in a situation where we feel safe
How happiness changes everything… …and how to change everything to happiness, in every single moment
This is a guest post by Jacqueline Pirtle, author of 365 Days of Happiness
How the Buddhist metaphor of “the second arrow” can help you be nicer to yourself
The pessimistic phrase “shit happens” is often seen as a mantra for the disaffected, the apathetic, the cynical. But shit does happen in life, sometimes a lot of shit
How I overcame performance anxiety after 20 years of suffering
Stage fright is a subject close to my heart. I am a singer songwriter, guitarist and drummer as well as a hypnotherapist and coach
Barry Kehoe, Physiotherapist, writes about the importance of simple exercise like walking and how we need to rise above the pressure to do “serious”, intense exercise – walking can have as many benefits
How to get moving if you feel stuck in life
Let’s say you decide to take a run after a longer period of being physically inactive. It will be hard. You’ll start with great enthusiasm, but you’ll get tired too quickly. You’ll want to quit way before you reach the target
Inhale confidence, exhale doubt………
Linda Hill writes about how she overcame her personal ‘stuckness’ by setting goals, praising momentum, and powering through wish lists and adventures. They say the core to all successful personal growth
10 Questions with Dr Harry Barry
We at A Lust for Life have recently launched an online book club, and this month’s author is Dr Harry Barry. We spoke to him in advance of our online discussion tomorrow evening, at 7pm
Somewhere inside my head a slight floodgate opened last week at the mention of the phrase “compassion fatigue” at an appointment. It’s a term I am familiar with, but never applied to myself
This week, A Lust for Life were blown away by a stunningly simple yet pitch-perfect article by Journalist Danielle Tcholakian published on Long Reads, called “Surviving Depression”
“You are 99 years old on your deathbed, and you have a chance to come back to right ‘now’: what would you do?” – Cristopher Carmichae. I often ask myself a similar question: Would I put what I’m doing right now on my epitaph?
Your three spoons of sugar: childhood and mental health
Were you beaten as a child? (If you answered yes, it wouldn’t be uncommon). “Baiting” an Irish child was a common occurrence on the Emerald Isle
Mindfulness and social media: An observer’s perspective
Mindfulness is typically described as the awareness that arises by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally
How to help your teenager appreciate the little things in life
As the summer holidays are in full swing, Tyler Jacobson gives some useful advice for getting your teenager out of their room and to participate in family time
Self-Confidence – A flawed assumption
For a long time I considered self-confidence as the Holy Grail of action taking. On the surface it even seemed like the magic bullet that made things happen. People who were self-confident did things in the word and had impact
“The Heart Path of Massage & Meditation…. Learn to listen to the wisdom of your own body…”
Everywhere you look people are talking about mental health and stress
Wellbeing – another fully rounded subject, or just common sense?
In a recent survey commissioned by the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) on children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing over 25% of its members reported
Stuck thoughts: How I got through
Stuck thoughts can creep up on me, whether I’m just waking up or in the middle of a huge project. Anyone who has anxiety knows that there’s no simple way to just shut them off
Learn how to practice your meditation skills at work
Science links meditation to a stress-free work environment and productivity, making it an excellent tool to use at work. Call it another trait of meditation – finding some peace
Values and principles: A forgotten life compass
Do you ever feel a little lost, disoriented or confused? We live in a very complex world…And it’s getting busier by the day
Mindspace: The importance of physical space with mental health
We all know about that acute experience of anxiety around exams. It’s that awful feeling that time is constantly running out, that we know nothing, that we shouldn’t even be here
I've written about migraine before, about triggers, symptoms, treatments and so on but this piece aims to give people an insight into the impact the condition can have on mental wellbeing
The term resilience is one we hear a lot at the moment. The Latin roots of the word mean to spring back, hence where the term bounce back ability sprung from! Think of an object that is resilient like a good pair of shoes
Put the band aid on: some tips to aid your recovery journey
What extremities does it take for us to go through in order to actually care for ourselves like we would a loved one or a friend? What's sick enough?
Sobering thoughts with Dr. Ciara Kelly
Whilst attitudes are changing - and a recent Lancet survey revealed some frightening facts about alcohol consumption by putting it on a par with smoking -Ireland still has some way to go before embracing an alcohol-free lifestyle
Appetite-suppressing lollipops and disordered eating promotion online
Instagram models and influencers are renowned for promoting weight loss and slimming products, from waist trainers to detox teas
The use of metaphor with cancer patients
A diagnosis of cancer can be incredibly hard on your mental health or that of your loved ones. In this piece, Caroline Lloyd describes how we speak in metaphors about illness to help us understand what is happening to us
Is stability the most important quality for your mental health?
Balance is essential for a peaceful and fruitful existence. The most successful people in the world are those who are in control of every aspect of their daily endeavors
A Parent’s guide to talking with a teen that may be suffering from depression
Teenagers are more depressed than they ever have been before. According to research, depression hits as many as 20% of all teenagers
Exam Stress Management Course Week 5: Top tips for bringing “MY OWN” game
Less than 1 week until the exams and you are probably really feeling the pressure and wondering how things are going to pan out for you
Exam Stress Management Course Week 4: “Is my BEHAVIOUR serving my goals?”
It’s best to follow the course week by week, as like any other game, preparing for exams is best done following a step-by-step training schedule. Good luck you CAN do this!
Exam Stress Management Course Week 3: “Is it FACT or OPINION”?
Very wise words from one of our greats. Apologies if the mere mention of Shakespeare’s name brings you out in cold sweats as that is not my intention!
Exam Stress Management Course Week 2: Your BODY as the vehicle to your dreams
This is week 2 of Dr. Malie’s A Lust for Life online Exam Stress Management course for Junior and Leaving Cert students and parents
A Lust for Life Exam Stress Management Course Week 1: “Mastering the game of exams”
Clinical Psychologist Dr. Malie Coyne has kindly developed an online Exam Stress Management Course exclusively for our A Lust for Life readers
A Lust for Life’s book club launch!
So many of us find solace, meaning and support in the pages of a good book. And A Lust for Life’s new book club is a place to celebrate this, so we can share books which have helped us along the way
Reclaiming your time in an always-on world
You arrive at your desk at 8.45am. You open your emails. Your phone vibrates. You check Twitter. Your phone rings. You go back to the email you were drafting
Chicken or an Eagle… which are you?
“Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake… the human individual thus lives far within their limits. They possess power of various sorts which they habitually fail to use” ― William James
Mental health can begin in the classroom
What exactly are we teaching our future generations? As someone who has both experienced and survived anxiety, I often worry exactly what skills children are leaving our current education system with
“Can reading make you happier?”
Can reading make you happier, more fulfilled, and help you in times of mental and spiritual crisis? This question forms the centre of Bibliotherapy, a form of therapy from wayyy wayyy back where books are given as a ‘prescription’
Has a disclosure of a mental illness left you feeling that you’ve been treated differently in the...
The issue of depression & associated stigma in the workplace is a difficult one to address but it is one that has to be addressed
In a nutshell yes, Imposter Syndrome is very real and can be bad for our mental, physical and emotional health. But, at its essence Imposter Syndrome is just a story we repeat again and again and one that can be retold differently
The Clown-Elizabeth Jennings. This poem is one I read first at the age of 15 and never forgot. I think I finally understand why it has appealed to me so much over the years. Ironically, my mother's all-time favourite song
Hello All, My name is Joshua Deegan and I'm a sixteen year old Irish teenager from Mullingar, Co Westmeath. I am also the founder of Brighter Thought's Ireland, a teenage mental health initiative
Making the link between mental health and lack of sleep
While scientists aren’t entirely certain why humans need to sleep, there is no confusion regarding just how much sleep people need
Why I teach mindfulness to kids
Our resiliency can often be a survival guide for others; and the willingness to share our stories in this forum often gives others the courage to tackle their own. I first came to mindfulness because an early childhood trauma
Any bread makers out there? You’ll know that there is a critical stage in the baking process: the leavening. As the dough sits, the fermentation process commences letting all those lovely bubbles of CO2- the essential raising agent
Ways we can use Performance Anxiety in Our Favour
Evelyn Marinoff explores the difference between a little performance jitters before a big presentation or meeting, and the paralysing effect of true performance anxiety
This is your brain on social media
Social media has become tightly woven into our lives. Smartphones have made Facebook, Twitter and the rest constant companions; windows through which we can gaze at any time
At the age of 6 I wanted to be a cartoonist. I quickly learned that this wasn’t an option. Imagination and creativity didn’t belong in the exam hall. My assumption was that those who successfully forged a career out of these
‘This is going to be rubbish. I am going to fail. I’ll never be published again. All my words will dry up, forever and ever and ever. And so, what then? Well, I’m still breathing, and life goes on, and I’ll be able to learn...’
Positive neuroplasticity and mindfulness (Adapted from Dr Rick Hanson)
I had the pleasure of training with Dr Rick Hanson last year. He argues that through what’s called “experience-dependent neuroplasticity”
А lot of things аnd people contribute to our well-being in аll sorts of wаys. Everything we do, аffects not only our lives but touches others too, sometimes we mаy not reаlise this. In the choppy wаters of fаst-pаced, modern life
The Power of Journaling for Self-Compassion
In life, I believe we can categorise our conversations into 2 neat piles; things that we tell our best friend that we should really apply to ourselves and things that we say to ourselves
How Keeping a Daily Journal Improved My Mental Health
Keeping my mind focused and disciplined has always been a challenge for me. I had tried many different things without much success, until one of my friends suggested journaling
As a counsellor and psychotherapist, I am often asked about the effects social media can have on our mental health, mainly by concerned parents of young clients who I see in my private practice
‘When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble, give a whistle, and this will help things turn out for the best…’ Eric Idle may have been strapped to a cross and his little ditty a smack of classic comedy in Monty Python Life of Brian
