Welcome to my Blog

The theme for this years Mental Health Awareness week is Kindness but what does this mean?  The American Activist Bryant McGill is quoted to say "The first rule of kindness is to be kind to yourself".  Watch my latest video where I explore what this theme means to me....

A week ago Little Miss B entered the world. Amidst the fear and uncertainty, she is a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is always a glimmer of hope. Rainbows have become the symbol of the hope we all carry that we will get through this pandemic. And for...

Right now we all have to accept there will be days where we feel positive.  Conversely however, there will be other days where we can feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the Coronavirus.  Watch my video where I share how I have been feeling today and some of the...

For the first time in the last two weeks, I stumbled into bed in a completely different mood and mindset. My feelings of fear and anxiety had been replaced by something else; I felt happy. Earlier that evening I had joined my Military Wives Choir for a zoom choir...

There is a pressure for us all to be in control of our thoughts, feelings and actions amidst the uncertainty of the Coronavirus.  Whilst there may be times when we feel like we are on top of things, there will be times when this is not the case.  Remembering that no...

Expressing how we feel at the moment is an important part of maintaining good emotional wellbeing.  It's normal to have worries, concerns, and anxieties, especially given the current circumstances.  By bottling our feelings up, its easy to become overwhelmed.  Take...

As the clock counts down to my due date, I have found myself wishing I could just stay pregnant for a few more months. It feels like such a strange time to be welcoming a new life into the world. I worry whether my husband won’t be present for the birth due to some of...

We will all now be familiar with the mantra “Stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives”. On the face of it this instruction sounds relatively simple and straight forward. But what is the reality of having to stay at home and not have contact with people? I feel...

Over the past few weeks I have found myself doing the following; Grabbing a chocolate digestive every time I am in the kitchen Raiding Miss H’s stash of chocolate treats every time I find myself feeling overwhelmed Feeling like I can’t be bothered to cook dinner and...

Over the past week and half there have been moments where I have felt completely carefree. Whether it be giggling as I watch Miss H terrorise our poor chickens, giving them suffocating hugs whether they like it or not. Or standing in the nursery, looking at the tiny...

Hands up if like me you watched Boris Johnson’s national TV address at 8.30pm and then had a very bad night’s sleep? Nothing Boris said came as a shock and many would welcome these more severe restrictions to help bring COVID-19 under control. But the fact remains;...

Whether you believe in Blue Monday or not, it is worth acknowledging this time of year can be particularly challenging for people.  Watch my video where I talk about this is a bit more detail and most importantly share information about a promotional offer!  ...

This year “Blue Monday” will fall on Monday 20th January. The date was calculated by Dr Cliff Arnall, a university professor taking into account: Cold weather and shorter days Debt incurred from Christmas which cannot be paid off easily The time since Christmas The...

It’s a new year! The presents have been opened, the turkey and all the trimmings have been eaten, Big Ben has struck midnight and most of us have now returned to work. As we leave one decade behind and enter 2020, many of us may well have embarked upon a set of New...

I wrote about the IAPT service (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) in my blog back in May but it seems it is still hitting the headlines, and not for the right reasons.  Up to 95,000 people are waiting for up to 90 days to access the counselling they need...

Halloween and bonfire night have been and gone, it’s starting to get dark around 4pm and the Christmas songs are being played on the radio. The countdown to Christmas is truly on. Society assumes we are all looking forward to Christmas and why could we not? After all...

I have recently had to engage in some honest self reflection about how I feel towards another person. They are loud and love to be the centre of attention. I have purposely kept my distance from this person and find myself inwardly rolling my eyes whenever they speak...

Over the last few days my Facebook page has been inundated with pictures of beaming children in their school uniforms, ready to start their new school or class for the year.  For each child the start of September brings with it a fresh new uniform, new stationery, new...

Are you sitting comfortably?  I am going to tell you a story called “The warm fuzzy tale”. There once was a happy land where “warm fuzzies” are given our freely to each other.  As the name would suggest, when someone received a “warm fuzzy” they feel warm and fuzzy...

Last Saturday afternoon Ripon celebrated St Wilfrid’s Parade.  The market square was positively buzzing with the people of Ripon who had all come to clap, cheer, dance and sing along as the City Band, Morris Dancers and floats which made their way through the city....

I recently listened to an interesting interview with Dr Tim Cantopher, a leading psychiatrist who has written a new book called “Overcoming anxiety without fighting it”.  Acceptance is the central premise to his book; acceptance of your anxiety, accepting it is a part...

I have absolutely loved this recent spell of hot weather.  It makes me feel energised and motivated to get outside and bask in the sunshine.  I have dug out my floaty dresses, gone for walks, enjoyed icecreams, been for picnics and dangled my legs in a paddling pool. ...

I am excited to announce the official launch of Gemma Antcliffe Counselling in Ripon.  Nestled in the tranquil, leafy area of Bishopton, my home-based practice provides a safe, private and comfortable space you can seek help and support. My practice is here for adults...

A recent study by Lancet Psychiatry show there has been an alarming rise in self harm among girls and young women.  16-24 year olds seem to be the most vulnerable, with 19.4% reporting self harm.  Speaking on Radio 4’s The Today Programme, a leading psychiatrist...

I used to have a supervisor who would often say “The problem with people is they just expect to be happy”.  And I have to say; in my experience as a counsellor people are often disillusioned by the fact that they just don’t feel as happy as they think they should.  In...

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is a programme which began in 2009 and has transformed the treatment of adults presenting with anxiety and depression.  It aims to provide people with psychological treatment within 28 days of a referral.  Enabling...