Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2021 i Psychologies

Anita Sethi Writer Anita is an award-winning writer, journalist and broadcaster. She is the author of I Belong Here: A Journey Along The Backbone of Britain (Bloomsbury, £14.99), the first in her trilogy, to be followed by Nocturne next year and Forces in 2024. This month, in our Dossier about getting in touch with the great outdoors (page 48), Anita shares her experience of growing up in Manchester and how connecting with nature has enriched her life, while reflecting on the hope that spring offers us every year. Dulcie Ball Artist and author Dulcie is an artist, writer and the founder of Sketch Appeal, a community interest company on a mission to promote the therapeutic powers of drawing. Inspired by her own recovery journey, her book Sketch Appeal: The Art…

LIKE MANY PEOPLE operating remotely, a lot of my work has moved to screens, with back-to-back video calls. I now fully understand the newly coined expression ‘Zoom fatigue’. Being on a video chat requires more energy than face-to-face interaction, and seeing yourself on screen all day can be draining, and create worries about your appearance. Set boundaries ahead of video calls to save your energy. Try the following: 1 If you feel fatigued, email ahead to inform people that your camera will be off for the call. Do it with alternate calls to revive yourself. 2 Factor in intervals between calls to move your body or do breathing exercises. 3 You’re a human being, not a robot, so take regular snack and toilet breaks. 4 Check in…

Did you know that only one in 10 people in Britain is consuming the recommended 30g of fibre a day? To help the nation get FibreFit, Ryvita has launched the #Ryvita30in30 FibreFit challenge. You can take part and discover how easy it is to get more fibre into your diet, slowly working up to the optimum 30g over 30 days. Get started by taking Ryvita’s FibreFit Quiz and download the free FibreFit app to track your intake at ryvita.co.uk DAVINA’S EASY HIGH-FIBRE RECIPES WITH RYVITA CHICKEN & AVOCADO A classic combo, but who knew avos were so high in fibre? Combine 80g of fibre from half an avo with 2 Multigrain Crunchy Rye Breads and you have a filling snack with 6.3g of fibre. For added protein, top with chicken.…

YEARS AGO, I DISCOVERED an exercise in a counselling book that both scared and excited me. I started using it with groups and the impact was amazing. But it took courage and staying power to get people to commit to trying it. I would sit in rooms and watch colour drain from faces. I would defend challenging questions, pushing me to give logical reasons why the exercise should even be attempted. But people always finished with softened brows and dancing eyes, like faces that had come alive outside on a blustery day. The group prompt was: ‘If you really knew me, I would tell you that…’ This can be adapted as a journal prompt too. Write it down at the top of a new page of your notebook. Set a…

If you are battling to relate to someone, put yourself in their position to see their point of view • Imagine you are standing opposite the other person and allow yourself to acknowledge all the feelings you have about them. How do you feel, what do you want to happen, what do you need? • Now change positions. Move around the room so that you are looking back at where you were just standing. • Imagine you are standing in their shoes. From this perspective, how do you think they are experiencing their relationship with you? What do they think about you and how you have behaved? What would they like to happen? • Now, move again to a different position in the room. Imagine being a stranger looking in…

• The UK Council for Psychotherapy(UKCP) is the leading research, innovation, educational and  regulatory body working to advance psychotherapy for the benefit of all. We have a register of more than 8,000 individual members, who offer a range of therapy approaches for couples, individuals, families and groups. We also have more than 70 training and accrediting organisations for those who wish to become psychotherapists. • To find the right therapist for you or learn how to become a therapist, visit psychotherapy.org.uk…

Writing in her beautiful visual diary, The Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us, Emma Mitchell notes: ‘Taking a daily walk among plants and trees is as medicinal as any talking cure… even if it’s only for five or 10 minutes. Seeing the blackthorns and lime tree opposite our cottage induces a response in me that I can only describe as a neuronal sigh of relief.’ Who doesn’t need that right now? It’s an idea backed by science – a study* reveals that just 10 minutes in nature helps you feel happier and reduces anxiety. But what if, like me, you’ve never considered yourself the outdoorsy type? I wouldn’t know a blackthorn if it jumped up and stabbed me. Or a lime tree, for that matter. When you grow up in…

After a long, tough winter, it’s time to feel good outside again. In our four-week coaching programme, ‘Heal in nature’, Lara Khalaf helps us explore how connecting with the earth on a more meaningful level can act as a balm to boost our emotional health. With tips to rewild ourselves, no matter where we live, we look at four key wellbeing areas and how to implement practical strategies using nature to help us feel grounded, cultivate inspiration, overcome challenges and nurture ourselves.…

Mindful Health Club Do you block out pain or drown in it? Whether you are injured or unwell, or something has happened to make you anxious and depressed, how do you deal with pain? And, importantly, does your method serve you? Some of us try to numb ourselves from pain, some of us drown in it. Here’s how to figure out what you can do to create more balance. 1 Glass of wine? Worry your socks off? Write down all the ways you deal with physical or emotional pain – perhaps choose an example that’s affecting you right now. 2 Most of us try to deal with our pain by either resisting it, overriding it with something else and blocking it out, or being overwhelmed by it, and…

SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA Reclined bound angle pose A restorative pose in which to rest for longer than a few breaths. It stretches out the groin, inner thighs and knees and improves circulation, while relieving stress and mild depression, as well as the symptoms of menstruation and menopause. • Begin seated. Bring the soles of your feet to touch. Allow your knees to softly open outwards. • Allow your inner thighs to roll open and out, resisting the urge to push your knees down to the floor. You are now in bound angle pose. • Integrate the ‘supta’, or reclining, part of the pose. Use your hands to lower yourself down to rest on your back, keeping your legs in this bound angle ‘baddha konasana’ position. • Place one hand on…

1 Green Farm. This haven in Kent hosts the Nightingale Spa and Yoga Retreat from 30 April to 2 May: yoga, spa treatments and magical campfire evenings in the forest. 2 Wildfitness. Plan A Wild Introduction – glamping in shepherd’s huts or yurts in the Norfolk countryside with a focus on fitness. Next availability is 5 to 8 July. 3 The Grief Space at Arrigo. Join Fiona Arrigo and her team from 14 to 18 June at a private house in Somerset for a women-only retreat to share and heal deep grief, loss and fear. 4 Yoga on a Shoestring. Choose from a range of yoga breaks throughout spring and summer at venues in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, the Lake District and Wales. 5 Samsara. Homestay retreats in an enchanting cottage…

Groupe Psychologies, 2-8 rue Gaston-Rébuffat, 75019 Paris, France. Tel: 01 44 65 58 00 PSYCHOLOGIES FRANCE Editor-in-Chief: Laurence Folléa PSYCHOLOGIES ROMANIA Ringier Magazines, 6 Dimitri Pompeiu Street, Bucharest. Tel: +40 212 03 08 00. Managing Director: Mihnea Vasiliu (mihnea.vasiliu@ringier.ro) Editor-in-Chief: Iuliana Alexa (iuliana. alexa@ringier.ro ) Advertising Manager: Monica Pop (monica.pop@ringier.ro) PSYCHOLOGIES BELGIUM Edition Ventures, Chaussée de Louvain 431D, 1830 Lasne. Tel: + 32 2 379 29 90 Editorial Director: Marie-Christine De Wasseige (mc.dewasseige@ventures. be ) Chief Editor (French): Christiane Thiry (christiane.thiry@ventures.be) Chief Editor (Flemish): Barbara Van den Abeele (b.vandenabeele@ventures.be) Advertising Manager: Manoëlle Sepulchre (manoelle.sepulchre@ventures.be) PSYCHOLOGIES RUSSIA Hearst Shkulev Media, Psychologies Russia, 31 b Shabolovkaya Street, Moscow 115162. Tel: +7 495 981 39 10 President: Viktor Shkulev (vshkulev@hsmedia.ru) Editor-in-Chief: Xsenia Kiseleva (xkiseleva@hsmedia.ru) Publisher and Advertising Manager: Ekatarina Kerova (ekerova@hsmedia.ru)…

The Macmillan nurses and volunteers in the haemotology, cleaning and kitchen teams at University College London When I received my cancer diagnosis during the first week of the first wave of the pandemic in April, I didn’t notice what was happening in the world. I was protected and shielded from all panic. When I cried because my hospital room window wouldn’t open for fresh air due to protocol, you helped me assemble a fan. When I couldn’t see anybody familiar and was whisked off in an ambulance to begin treatment, you played Bob Marley music to make me smile. When I was alone in a room for three weeks, you popped in for chats about tattoos, parenting and life. When I had my first chemo, you chatted about what we…

TWO YEARS AGO, artists and writers Anna Hope, Jo McInnes, Kay Michael and Grace Pengelly sat around a kitchen table, shaken by the climate and biodiversity crises and with a yearning to rouse a creative response. The resulting book, Letters To The Earth, is a profound, powerful and moving anthology of 100 letters from around the world. They are collated into the themes of love, loss, emergence, hope and action, and are a wonderful collection to dip into when you need to feel bolstered and re-energised, or to hear the words of a friend processing similar emotions. The letters from parents, children, politicians, poets, songwriters, scientists and more gave me goosebumps. Get a copy, read, read again and pass it on. Frugal food • Ellen’s column on ethical foraging is…

There was a time, in my early teens, when I was obsessed with those ‘choose your own adventure’ books. At the end of each chapter, you had a choice of what happens next, with each taking you down a different path to a different ending. Instead of working through the book as I was supposed to, I would look at the endings and choose the one I felt was most interesting. Then I would work backwards to ensure my characters got the ending I felt they deserved. I wanted to control how things would turn out and this is still my preferred way of operating. But, the older I get, the more I learn that the world refuses to let me control it. Most of the time, I am in…

Rosie Ranganathan WHILE WORKING IN HR, I had conversations with people about their professional and personal challenges, and they asked me for advice and guidance. This was always my favourite part of the job – empowering people to be a better version of themselves and achieve their goals. I love seeing my clients get their dream job, nail a presentation and so on. Training to be a coach seemed the obvious step to learn the techniques to enable deeper, richer and more impactful coaching sessions. Geoff Watts AS THE PROJECT manager for a team dealing with complex problems, I found that I didn’t want to just tell people what they needed to do to reach solutions – I wanted to help them get there. I trained in coaching to become…

Unlock your narrative This interactive journal is for those who long to bring a new story to life – if only you could figure out what it is. Through deeply personal prompts, it helps you release the limiting stories you tell yourself and write a fulfilling, new story for your future. • ‘What’s Your Story? A Journal For Everyday Evolution’ by Rebecca Walker and Lily Diamond (Sounds True, £13.95) Real-life account Add colour as you begin an honest self-exploration in your journal. • ABOVE Twig pencils, £4.50, shop.nationaltrust.org.uk, and personalised stationery bundle, £35, marthabrook.com…

People don’t think twice about taking a selfie, but drawing one? Now there’s a challenge. Many of us know that creativity can help us through difficult times but, when it comes to drawing, we tend to look outward for inspiration. We draw things that interest or comfort us – animals, leaves, patterns and other people. Given how we idolise Frida Kahlo, it seems strange that we overlook the healing powers of self-portraiture that she harnessed so brilliantly. It’s easy to understand why self-portraiture isn’t as popular as colouring-in books (yet) – it takes time, and guts. It can be uncomfortable to sit with yourself, look in the mirror and meditate on what you see. If you struggle with low self-esteem and lack creative confidence, the last thing you might feel…

I REMEMBER WALKING INTO the interview for my first job, hanging my jacket on the chair and revealing enormous sweat patches under my arms. I was mortified and lost concentration. I stumbled through, only to get flustered by the most obvious questions: ‘What is your weakness?’ and ‘Do you have anything that you would like to ask us?’ I beat myself up about what happened, but that day I learned a valuable lesson. I vowed that I would always be ready for an interview to avoid the slip-ups that can unnerve even the most sociable introvert. Notes to self: Prepare! Avoid clothes that show sweat marks or aren’t comfortable. Think about what you’re going say to standard questions, so you come across as original and forward-thinking. These days, you are…

1 The cornerstone of oppression is to make you feel alone in your experience and therefore question its reality. In order to address your experience, a therapist will build a relationship with you that focuses on trust and safety so, when issues relating to your oppression are revealed during sessions, it is in a space that is unoppressive. 2 Finding the words to communicate your oppression can be difficult because language can be limiting. The therapist might include art therapy when words are insufficient. Art therapy doesn’t only mean painting or drawing, it could be through music, poetry or other forms of artistic expression. Your experience of alienation can sometimes only be put into the words of your oppressor, so non-verbal communication may hold more meaning for you. 3…

• Set an intention: Before leaving home for a nature walk or immersion, decide on your focus – an issue with which you are preoccupied, a question that needs answering or a worry that is dogging you. • Look for clues: As walk you or once you arrive at your destination, notice what you are drawn to outside. The world can act as a mirror reflecting patterns in your life. For example, you • Schedule time in nature: We need routines and rituals in nature and our lives, otherwise we can live in chaos, moving from one thing to the next. At the moment, everyone is living in a heightened state of anxiety. The other day, I went for a walk and it was only when I was outside and…

• Start a nature collection: ‘Every time I go for a walk, I fill my pockets with tiny finds, such as an acorn, an empty snail shell or a pretty stone,’ says author Emma Mitchell. Pick a theme – you could choose a colour or collect different types of leaves. Not only will this create something uplifting to look at on days when you can’t get outside, but collecting also activates the brain’s reward centre, a phenomenon known as ‘harvest high’ by scientists. • Turn your home into an oasis. ‘If you don’t – yet – have green fingers, begin with kitchen herbs,’ suggests Mitchell, ‘which have immediate culinary benefits. ‘Or try succulents, a particularly popular starter plant because they’re easy to care for and hardy. Plus, they need repotting…

1 Your default mindset is often: Anxious and uneasy Frazzled and fragmented Restless and understimulated Unsettled and directionless 2 You put off time in nature because: You’re looking elsewhere for answers Other things take priority You seldom feel as if you have time to spend outside It’s not scheduled as part of your daily routine 3 When you were a child, being outdoors felt like: A necessary part of playing with your friends Fun laced with danger As comfortable as home A great adventure 4 People would be surprised at how much you struggle to: Feel motivated Believe in yourself Cope with change Make good choices 5 You are at your emotional best when you feel: Needed and useful Calm and in control You’ve learned something You’ve made a difference…

Wisdom YOU MOSS BE KIDDING! Country: Iceland Moss – nope, not just a weed overtaking your lawn, but also a wonder skincare ingredient thanks to its soothing, moisturising and anti-infl ammatory properties. But don’t grab your trowel and attack the garden just yet, Icelandic moss is what you’re looking for. As one of the purest algae on the planet, it only grows in clean, unpolluted air, and will not survive close to cities, which is why it thrives in Iceland, one of the world’s least polluted countries.…

“Sourdough depends on a live culture starter. Baking destroys most of these, but transforms the bread into a prebiotic, feeding microbes in our gut” SOME MIGHT SAY the benefits of fermented foods are anecdotal, but they have been eaten for millennia for their health-giving properties. You could look at them as a demonstration of a long-standing give-and-take relationship with our microbial world. We feed microbes their preferred food, depending on the ferment, and they reciprocate by producing positive substances. These include compounds such as organic acids that can help us by supporting energy, detoxification and the production of neurotransmitter chemicals that benefit both gut and brain. Fermented foods are also higher in both concentration and absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, biotin, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium…

1 Acts Of Desperation By Megan (Vintage, £14.99) Ciaran is beautiful, but he’s cold and unkind – traits recognised by the unnamed, needy narrator of this raw, nuanced debut, who is obsessively in love with him. It’s a toxic but addictive love, and Nolan doles out the terrible details: unresolved issues on both sides, the vulnerability of the narrator, whose life is marred by self-harm and alcoholism, feeding into the chaos. Afrank look at the wreckage of passion and the recklessness of a woman in love with the idea of all-encompassing love. 2 Bright Burning Things By Lisa Harding (Bloomsbury,£14.99 ) Sonya, her son,Tommy, and their rescue dog, Herbie, are a tight-knit crew. Motherhood has replaced the glitter of an acting career and, as much as Sonya loves…

GARDENING IS A FANTASTIC PASTIME. The benefits to your wellbeing are endless, but it doesn’t have to mean time alone. Consider ways to be more sociable outdoors. Join a gardening club – they often take trips to formal gardens and host speakers. Explore options in your community – volunteering opportunities are abundant, whether helping an elderly neighbour or getting involved with the GoodGym charity, which combines running with outdoor labour. Check for activities in your community or therapy gardens, and Facebook is a great resource for finding local interest groups, including for seed swapping. Organise a nature walk with a friend – most problems seem smaller after a trudge and talk, or indulge in one of my favourites, a visit to the garden centre. They will be fully stocked now…

CHEFS EMPLOY many time-saving tricks and, with a little know-how, you can too. Having a well-stocked pantry, with a variety of canned and jarred products on hand makes life simpler and keeps midweek shopping to a minimum. Canned tomatoes, beans, pasta and grains, plus frozen vegetables, make it easy to throw together nutritious soups, stir-fries and salads. Freeze herbs and homemade stock in ice-cube trays to be popped out when required. Cooking needn’t be a chore! QUICK & EASY…

Eco Living Editor Ellen Tout shares sustainable, creative cooking tips. Used coffee›grounds are packed with nitrogen and are a brilliant addition to the soil. Dig them into your garden to give›plants extra nutrients while reducing waste.›Spent grounds can also be added to cookie recipes or coffee cream, or mix them with coconut oil and sugar for a natural body scrub. For waste-free recipes, follow Ellen on Instagram @compleatly_vegan Pre-order ‘The Complete Book Of Vegan Compleating: An A–Z Of Zero-Waste Eating For The Mindful Vegan’ by Ellen Tout (Nourish, £14.56) on Amazon…

1 Bad Bridget They thought they were setting off to live the American dream but, for thousands of Irish women in the last century, their lives became nightmares as they tried to make it alone and poor in the land of the free. Researchers Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick are joined by Derry Girls actor Siobhan McSweeney, who brilliantly captures the dramatic stories of these women and the prejudice they experienced. 2 We Are History with John O’Farrell and›Angela Barnes Writer John O’Farrell and comedian Angela Barnes examine comical aspects of history that have caught their interest. At times, the pair come across as the naughty kids at the back of the class who haven’t been concentrating properly, which is fun! One of my favourite episodes is the…

It’s lighter, the air feels softer and the birds are singing – that’s why we’ve dedicated our Dossier to communing with Mother Nature. We believe that taking a walk on the wild side will help you heal and reconnect with what matters. Anita Chaudhuri starts the journey to wonder and restoration on page 48. As we encourage you to explore the outer landscape, we also invite you to go within. In her brilliant column on page 32, Vee Sey writes about befriending her inner child and finding new ways to soothe herself when anxious. Palena Neale helps us fill our energy tanks if we’re exhausted – we can all ease ourselves into the new season by following her five-step process on page 24. Be inspired by Dulcie Ball on page…

DO YOU KNOW what you want to do with your life? So many people I coach are successful, but feel they haven’t quite arrived yet. Make this your year of clarity. Before you begin, let’s tap into your motivation, which will provide the drive to embark on this journey. After that, you will have a clear ‘why’ to make this the year you come home to yourself. Try these journal prompts: • Why is it essential that I figure out my purpose?• Why is my fulfilment necessary?• Who benefits from my fulfilment?• What makes this goal urgent?• What will suffer if I do not find and pursue my purpose? Join Kia Cannons for our ‘Do What You Love’ video series and more happy hacks at tinyurl.com/psyhappyhack; psychologiestv.co.uk is a platform where…

Psychologies cover star and Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox told me months ago about the time she texted Davina McCall. ‘Davina, being Davina, rang me straight back – which is lovely,’ said Sara. ‘She put me in touch with success coach Michael Heppell, which was the best thing she could have done.’ Sara’s career went from strength to strength and she landed the coveted Drivetime slot – and Davina played a role in another person’s success story. Not only is Davina the woman helping friends through their lows, and celebrating their highs, she’s navigating her own challenges in a busy life that had a troubled start.›She calls herself a ‘work in progress’. When Davina was three years old, her alcoholic French mother, Florence, dropped her off at her paternal grandparents…

“My friendships and are I one am -sided lonely” Q I’m single, have no children and I’ve never had a long-term, fulfilling relationship. I have a job that I enjoy, a loving family and close friends. However, as time goes by, I feel that my friends mean more to me than I do to them because I’m always the one who keeps in touch.› They’ve made life choices that I haven’t and I’m happy for them. I have never been envious of what they have, but it still hurts that I’m the one making all the effort. I don’t feel as if I can talk to my friends about this, despite knowing that I could speak to them about anything else.›I’ve tried to rationalise it by telling myself that they…

THE FIRST PEARL of wisdom my mother forgot to roll my way was that my inner child would live on inside me like a needy miniature doppelganger, and that I would have to continue parenting her when our darling mum vacated this earth. I call her neggie Nelly – and no one can accuse me of neglect. I’ve spent decades soothing her, playing with her and taking her with me to therapy. Sorry for herself When I picture Nelly, she stands forlornly on grimy bare feet – we grew up in Africa and hardly wore shoes – disproportionately small in an imposing doorway, framed by a foreboding mustardy light. She is drowning in a tatty, high-necked nightdress from Victorian times, and clutches a raggedy doll with a bendy neck that…

The act of drawing yourself can change the way you view your outer and inner self. We are conditioned to spot flaws and use the mirror to assess our appearance but, when you look in the mirror with the intention of drawing yourself, you see your whole self in a different light. Discomfort fades and creativity awakens. You stop judging and start meditating on your emotions and essence, without judgment. Embrace the joy and release of looking at yourself and the world through the eyes of your inner artist. 1 SKETCH TO FREEDOM • You will need: A sketchbook or paper, a mirror or webcam and coloured pens or pencils. • Before you start, observe yourself and switch on your ‘creative eyes’. • Observe the colours and textures of your…

WATCHING THE BIRDS in my garden helped me after a breakdown. Observing the blackbirds and blue tits was profoundly healing, which only came from looking at creatures that I found beautiful. Birdwatching is a wonderful way to connect with nature if you live in an urban environment. If you have a garden, put up bird feeders and see what comes along. Even if you live in a flat with a small balcony, you can feed and watch the birds. And, if you don’t have a balcony, you can stick feeders to the outside of your windows – there is usually a way! Fill the feeders with seeds and you’ll soon have tits, robins and even uncommon birds paying you a visit. Make a cup of tea and sit by the…

I WAS BORN IN MARCH and have always felt hope blossom in my heart at the promise of springtime. ‘When the flowers bloomed, so did I’, I would joke about my birthday. There is something impossibly exciting about the glimpse of the first golden daffodil after months of bleak wintertime; it is the knowledge of the bulbs themselves, all that incipient life growing beneath the earth, the possibility of beginning again, that has helped me endure. I grew up in inner-city Manchester where there was not much in the way of rolling meadows, woodlands or rivers in walking distance, although the city is surrounded by the beautiful natural landscapes of the Peak and Lake Districts. For nearby nature, I had to learn to train my eye and heart to see…

HELP WITH HEALING It sounds gloomy, but at points in our lives, every one of us will experience pain, be it emotional or physical. Our experience of suffering is one thing that unites us all, regardless of age, gender, race or financial status. Remembering this can help us feel less alone, and have greater compassion for others. How do you deal with pain? Do you block it out, or drown in it? Or do you lean in to it and accept it? This month, we are looking at how to help ourselves through painful moments. REST ASSURED Written for ‘our restless society’, with a new chapter on ‘rest in times of crisis’, yoga nidra practitioners James Reeves and Gabrielle Brown deliver a message to step away from the world of…

FOR THOSE WHO LONG to explore the undersea universe of exotic flora and fauna, but who are not yet certified, Sandals offers several dive courses tailored to your level of experience and interest. In a few short sessions, overseen and authorised by expert PADI instructors, you’ll soon be ready to venture out on an exciting underwater journey of discovery. If you don’t want to waste precious time in the classroom, enrol on PADI’s e-learning programme, which delivers interactive presentations that include videos, audio, graphics and reading. Short quizzes allow you to gauge your progress, and review and correct anything that you might have missed. This system lets you move through the programme efficiently and at your own pace, so you’re ready to make the most of your diving holiday when…

Let’s face it, life is busy, with constant demands on our time, so it’s no wonder we get to the end of the day tired and scratching our heads for dinner ideas. Takeaways are tempting but knowing a couple of quick alternatives in the kitchen can save you time and money – and you will know exactly what you are putting into your body. Chef and author Rosie Reynolds believes in more flexible methods when preparing great-tasting food in less time. In her new book, The Shortcut Cook (Hardie Grant, £15), Reynolds shares her time-saving tips for creating appetising dishes that don’t compromise on freshness and taste. You’ll discover a straightforward and practical approach to preparing meals and permission to use your microwave, shop-bought bits and food from the freezer.…

“Resentment, bitterness, and holding a gradge prevent us friom seeing and hearing, and fastimg and delighting” Pema Chödrön is our favourite wise woman. Beloved Buddhist teacher, author, nun and mother, she has inspired millions of people around the world who have been touched by her example and message of practising peace in these turbulent times. The Pema Chödrön Foundation is dedicated to preserving and sharing Pema’s inspiration and teachings in order that they might help us all awaken wisdom and compassion in ourselves and the world around us. pemachodronfoundation.org To buy her books, go to bookdepository.com; betterworldbooks.com…