Christmas is coming. It seems to get earlier and earlier but there can be no question that it’s right around the corner. This means pressure and expectation for, and upon, all involved. For those responsible for organising the gifts, this can often be a difficult time. How much to spend, what to buy, what is...Read More

Would cancer be so disregarded? Mental illness is life-threatening also. This is a question asked – and an assertion made – in a powerful and troubling article that we read in the Daily Telegraph this week. The author behind it was the novelist Anne Atkins. It is a question that is asked – and an...Read More

Since social media became so prevalent, young people’s mental health problems have risen sharply. How sharply? Six-fold, according to a major new study that has just been published. This latest research, which is outlined in the journal Psychological Medicine, tracked trends from 1995 to 2014 and discovered that the number of children and young people...Read More

The days have been difficult and the times testing. Young people and children under pressure . . . Exam stress and then some. The impact must not be underestimated. Be it A-Levels and all entailed, with future plans and long-held dreams on the line, GCSEs or SATS, it has, as always, been quite an onslaught....Read More

“I can get different reactions in the street . . . (swears) . . . from strangers, whether the reaction is somebody staring at me or giving me a sly look, or whether they’re laughing at me or pointing.” – 13-year-old Spencer Davies-Monk, My F-ing Tourette’s Family, BBC Documentary. “These kids look like they’re just...Read More

Diagnosing autism – or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – is a difficult thing to do. There is no single test. It takes time. For those seeking our help, it starts with an initial assessment. This is just the beginning. Factor in a school-based observation; an IQ test (learning difficulties can have a huge impact...Read More

Mental health is talked about more these days – it seems – than it ever has been before. It has a prominent place on the news agenda and is a subject now considered much less taboo. In the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, among others, mental health can boast high-profile advocates, whose efforts continue to...Read More

Why consult a child psychiatrist? It’s an important question to consider. For you, as parents. For us, as professionals. The answer isn’t straightforward, as the reasons for reaching out can be many. That said, our experience and understanding means that we’re able to make the process as painless as possible. To answer your questions. To...Read More

The idea that what one wants to happen, can happen. This is hope defined. Quite literally; for this is a meaning that came direct from our office dictionary. Hope is such an important resource for mental health. For those who seek out our help, young people and adults alike, it is often in short supply....Read More

Time spent reading posts on social media can leave users feeling worse about themselves. – So says Facebook. Letting children use iPhones can lead to an addiction that has negative consequences. -So believe two major investors in Apple, the smartphone manufacturer. Spending too much time online can expose children to ‘significant emotional risk’. -So claims...Read More