Our Specialities

Here at Kerry Equine Therapies & Counselling, we would cover a lot of different areas that may come up in your life, but our specialities would cover Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Stress.

At some stage throughout your life you may experience one or all of these areas. As everyone is different we have various methods of helping people such as doing online counselling, face to face counselling, equine assisted therapy or even going through work in a corporate setting.

Anxiety is a very common condition. Any one of us, irrespective of age, gender or background can be affected. It is your body’s natural response to stress. Feelings of fear or apprehension about what’s to come can range from butterflies in your stomach to a racing heart. You might feel out of control, like there ‘s a disconnect between your mind and body. It feels different depending on the person experiencing it.

Symptoms of general anxiety include:

Your anxiety symptoms might be totally different from someone else’s, that’s why it’s important to explore what it is like for you & what is causing the anxiety, by accessing support, so you can take back control, by minimising the effects of anxiety on you & your every day life. As one of our specialities please contact us when you feel ready.

Depression is a very common condition which affects 1 in 10 people at any one time. Any one of us, irrespective of age, gender or background can be affected. There’s no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Sometimes when often combined certain causes can trigger depression. Recovery is possible with early recognition and ongoing support, these can lead to a positive outcome. It is possible to minimise the impact of depression by accessing information, support through counselling and finding ways to manage the condition.

Symptoms of depression may include:

Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Tiredness & lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
Reduced appetite & weight loss or increased cravings for food & weight gain

Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
Trouble concentrating, thinking, making decisions & remembering things
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

As one of our specialities please contact us when you feel able & together we will find ways for you to get on top of your depression.

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when a part of you or something or someone you love is taken away. Whatever type of loss you’ve suffered, there’s no right or wrong way to grief or grieve. Often, the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to sleep, eat or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss, and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be. There many reasons for grief:

Divorce or relationship breakup
Loss of Health
Death of a family member/ friend
A miscarriage
Death of a pet
A loved one's serious illness
Loss of a cherished dream

Loss of a friendship
Loss of safety after a trauma
Loss of self (through illness or trauma)
Losing a job
Loss of financial stability
Retirement
Selling the family home

Even subtle losses in life can trigger a sense of grief. For example, you might grieve after moving away from home, graduating from college, or changing jobs. There is no one fit for all what ever your loss, we are individuals & how one feels is personal to you, so don’t feel ashamed about how you feel, or believe that it’s somehow only appropriate to grieve for certain things. If the person, animal, relationship, or situation was significant to you, it’s normal to grieve the loss you’re experiencing. Whatever the cause of your grief, though, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain, the sadness & in time, learning your sadness is a part of life, not that your life is sadness. Find new ways or new meanings of living your life, with your loss. As one of our specialities please contact us, we are here for you.

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress. The response helps your body adjust to new situations. It can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

What happens to the body during stress?

The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more. It’s built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response”, helps the body face stressful situations.

When a person has long- term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms develop.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

Some reactions to stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviours, including:

As one of our specialities please come talk with us, in a supportive, non-judgemental environment & we will explore the stress in your life. Exploring patterns that are beneficial & non- beneficial, to support you to live the life you deserve.