Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2024 i Psychologies

Is your pencil case full to bursting? Are your shoes nice and shiny? And are you ready for the gearing-up that comes at this time of year, as everyone’s focus finally returns to work, chores, and real life? Because whether you’ve been basking in the sun during these lazy summer days, or frantically trying to fit everything you need to do in around the kids, dog or whatever else makes up your own unique juggle, the chances are the last few weeks haven’t been the same old same old. But now there is the natural shift in rhythm that occurs as the out-of-offices disappear and we all get that ‘back-to-school’ feeling again. Hopefully we’ve created a special issue here that will help you make the most of this time to…

From the editor… In our Summer issue, a male reader, Philip, posed the question why Psychologies is predominantly aimed at women, as we can all have struggles with our emotional and mental health, and can all use support in this area. It’s an interesting point, so we threw the floor open to you, our cherished readers, to see what you think. We’ve had a bigger response to this than anything I’ve known in my time at Psychologies, and I’d like to thank you all for taking the time and effort to write in, sharing your views. As a result, we decided to focus exclusively on that question in Viewpoint this month, looking at both sides of the debate and featuring as many of your responses as we could fit in!…

Last month, as I travelled to the Caribbean on holiday, I was stimulated to explore the theme of joy, evoked by an excellent book I am reading: Joyfully Single, by Pamela A Larde (Tandem Light Press, £14.77). This book is about so much more than the single life – it’s a book about how to live a wholehearted life. We’ve had a turbulent few months here in the UK, and the term joy can feel uncomfortable. But Larde argues that, ‘When your circumstances are undesirable, it is all the more essential to actively find ways to integrate joy into your life.’ I believe that journalling is a skills-based practice. What I know from years of teaching on the subject of journal writing is that the more you turn to the…

Tick the answers that most closely apply to you, then add up the symbols. Read the section, or sections, you ticked most, to find out how to come across as quietly confident 1 You could sum up life right now as a ♥ Rollercoaster ................................... ◻◆ Mountain climb ............................... ◻● Rocky road ...................................... ◻■ Treadmill.......................................... ◻ 2 You’re craving a fresh start to live more ■ Calmly.............................................. ◻♥ Consciously ..................................... ◻◆ Contently......................................... ◻● Courageously.................................. ◻ 3 Your most common cause of stress is feeling like you’re ■ Not coping ...................................... ◻● Out of your depth............................ ◻◆ Going through the motions ........... ◻♥ Out of balance ................................ ◻ 4 Under pressure, you are prone to ♥ Self-sabotage ................................. ◻◆ Self-criticism................................... ◻● Self-doubt........................................ ◻■ Self-defeating.................................. ◻ 5 You put plans into action…

Tick the answers that most closely apply to you, then add up the symbols. Read the section, or sections, you ticked most, to find out how to stop misguided beliefs curtailing your career 1 If you could get any support you wanted, you’d choose ♥ An assistant to free you up from mundane tasks ......................◻● A coach to help you focus and take risks .........................................◻◆ A mentor who has achieved what you dream of doing ........................◻■ A therapist to work on your self-belief.........................................◻ 2 At times, it seems like success is ● A path fraught with risk .................◻■ Something that happens to other people ...............................◻◆ A secret you haven’t worked out yet..............................................◻♥ Always just out of reach .................◻ 3 You are most likely to make a big change when ●…

What’s the deal with... sunspots? Nicola Jones, founder of RGN London Limited and aesthetic and dermatology nurse practitioner at Royal Tunbridge Wells Skin Clinic, explains what the pesky pigmentation patches that appear on our skin after a summer in the sun are, and the truth on how to treat them... ● Pigmentation, or sunspots, hold various names or titles, including freckles, solar lentigines and liver spots, to name but a few. They are a form of sun damage, which accumulate in the upper parts of the skin epidermis where pigment protects the deeper layers against UV damage. ● Various factors can influence their presence, such as alcohol in perfumes applied to the neck (poikiloderma of civatte), which highly sensitise the skin to UV damage. Hormonal changes, including contraceptive medications, pregnancy,…

Ellie Simmonds has revealed that she has struggled with ‘a lot of self-doubt’ and ‘not feeling good enough’ in the past year, as she paves a new career in TV. The former swimmer, one of Britain’s most celebrated Paralympians, with a total of eight medals – including two golds when she was just 13, in Beijing – retired in 2021 after Tokyo. The 29-year-old, who was part of the presenting team for Paris 2024 for Eurosport, and is covering the Paralympics for Channel 4, says the past year has been tough. ‘[I’m] finding my identity in a way – finding that confidence – and I definitely have a lot of self-doubt at the moment; just doubting my abilities and doubting I can do things,’ she says. Simmonds, who was born…

JENN GRANNEMAN Being highly sensitive is often viewed through a negative lens – a sentiment author Jenn Granneman is out to disprove: ‘Sensitive people have many strengths. They reflect, analyse, and dissect experiences and ideas at a much more thorough level.’ Learn about the vast benefits of sensitivity, and how to better nurture this trait, on page 24. DR ELENA TOURONI ‘Right from our earliest moments as babies, food is connected to our experience of safety,’ says psychologist Dr Elena Touroni. But this can leave us in a constant push-pull between how we know we ought to nourish ourselves versus our instincts to self-soothe. Discover how to take a more mindful approach to eating, on page 100. KATE MCBARRON ‘Being creative can increase our sense of connection,’ says writing for…

When TV presenter Gabby Logan started to experience brain fog in her late 40s, struggling to recall the correct word or name on live TV, she initially put it down to tiredness. ‘I couldn’t quite get that name or articulate in the way I had previously been able to, so I was concerned, but it coincided with lockdown and not doing any telly for a while. I remember feeling quite nervous going back to live TV.’ But the former international gymnast soon realised that it was a symptom of perimenopause and promptly went onto HRT, which she says has balanced her hormones. Logan, 51, has now written The Midpoint Plan (Little, Brown, £22), inspired by her eponymous podcast, in which she shares a wealth of advice from guest experts on…

Three years ago, aged 50, I decided to try to get some of my writing published in magazines and newspapers. Previously, my words had mainly been shared with the handful of people who read my blog. My original career as an architect had faded out and been eclipsed by my more recent one as a yoga teacher. But when the pandemic hit, several of my classes melted away. Which opened up space to explore something new; something I’d always, deep down, wanted to do. While desire was there, so was doubt. They tussled with one another. Doubt told me, ‘You’ve missed the boat. No one will commission you at your age.’ As it happens, no editor I’ve pitched to has ever asked how old I am. But, still, a part…

Tick the answers that most closely apply to you, then add up the symbols. Read the section, or sections, you ticked most, to find out how to bring more meaning into your life 1 You tend to think about life’s meaning when ♥ You’re having a rare break from your normal routine........................ ◻● For once, you are feeling calm and anxiety-free.............................. ◻◆ Someone close to you has started talking or thinking about it............. ◻■ You’ve felt inspired by a book, workshop, or YouTube video ......... ◻ 2 Deep down, you think life is about ■ Making a difference........................ ◻♥ Working hard and achieving .......... ◻● Overcoming challenges ................. ◻◆ Building relationships .................... ◻ 3 You feel at your best when you’ve ♥ Ticked off an important goal ......... ◻◆ Connected…

Tick the answers that most closely apply to you, then add up the symbols. Read the section, or sections, you ticked most, to find out the steps you need to take to find a loving relationship 1 Your usual strategy to get someone’s attention is to ♥ Talk about your latest achievement.................................... ◻ ● Connect via messages................... ◻ ◆ Make them feel special .................. ◻ ■ Act like you don’t care.................... ◻ 2 When things go wrong, you tend to ■ Blame yourself................................ ◻ ♥ Work harder..................................... ◻ ● Hide away ........................................ ◻ ◆ Take responsibility.......................... ◻ 3 If you could go back and change one thing about your past, it would be ◆ Times spent with people who didn’t have your best interests at heart... ◻ ■ Times when…

Hello, lovers! September is here, and the lazy holiday season is behind us. And for many – me included – now feels like the perfect opportunity for a personal kick up the backside, and to embark on a relationship reset. In my work, it’s typically women who take the first steps accessing couples’ help, but recently (and encouragingly) I’ve noticed an uptick in men reaching out to get relationship advice and wanting to put the work in. Big respect – as we know, it takes two! Often it’s to see first and foremost whether a relationship can be improved, but, equally, many are realising the importance of getting constructive help and guidance to establish if, in fact, their partnership has reached the end of the road. Whether you stay or…

This month, I’m sharing part one my A to Z of reasons to sing, explaining how singing supports our physical, social and mental health… A is for Active Singing keeps both our bodies and brains active. As an aerobic activity, it helps to improve our posture, encourages us to regulate our breathing, and increases oxygenation of the blood. It also helps us to keep our brain active through learning new words, melodies and languages. Indeed, a recent study for the University of Exeter found that singing is linked to better brain memory and thinking skills in older age. B is for Bonding When we sing with other people – whether in a festival crowd, at a choir, or at a sports match – it helps create deep social bonds. This…

I’m wearing an identical model of the Levi’s 501 jeans I had as a teenager. On my right hand is the chunky African silver ring my mother gave me for my 21st birthday. And before I sat down to write this, I exchanged a stream of excited texts with my best friend from university, about his new girlfriend. I might be 53, but in many ways I feel much like I did three decades ago. Not least because I’m writing. Being in the library researching and writing essays was my favourite part of my architecture degree. Having been waylaid by building sites and bathroom details for a quarter of a century, I’m back doing what I love most. From the vantage point of my 20-something self, 50 was when you…

Tick the answers that most closely apply to you, then add up the symbols. Read the section, or sections, you ticked most, to find out what’s prompting you to stockpile your possessions 1 If you lost all your things in a house fire, you’d feel ■ Rootless and disconnected from your memories................................ ◻ ♥ Like you had lost a part of yourself ............................................ ◻ ● As though a burden has been lifted ....................................... ◻ ◆ Overwhelmed by the task ahead... ◻ 2 You would get rid of more stuff if only ♥ You found it less of a wrench ......... ◻ ◆ You had more time to sort through it........................................... ◻ ● It didn’t make you feel so anxious ... ◻ ■ It didn’t hold so many memories ... ◻…

When you picture the stereotypical single woman, who comes to mind? It might be Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Bridget Jones, or even Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love – but what is true for all of these characters is that their singledom is a holding place until they eventually find The One. Carrie finally marries Big, Bridget marries Mark Darcy and, after much soul-searching, Liz (Roberts) ends up with Felipe (Javier Bardem). But for author and journalist Marianne Power, this isn’t her experience. ‘Not everyone is suited to being in a couple, but we live in a world that suggests otherwise,’ she tells me. ‘From fairytales and movies, to tax breaks for couples, our world is shaped around the couple and the family unit. That’s not to…

Creamy coconut black beans Make a delicious and simple tomato and coconut milk sauce, adding hot chilli sauce to give a delicious depth of flavour, then just add tinned black beans and simmer until thick and creamy. Serve on baked sweet potatoes and top with coriander – a fantastic alternative to the standard jacket potato, and good for vegans, too! PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 45 MINS SERVES: 4 ● 4 sweet potatoes● 2 tbsp olive oil● 1 large onion, finely chopped● 10g minced garlic● 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes● 2 tbsp hot chilli sauce● 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk● 2 x 400g tins of black beans, drained● 30g pack of fresh coriander, roughly chopped● Sea salt and black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to…