“Trust the process” is a phrase that you might hear therapists or other mental health professionals use a lot of the time. You might also see it on social media, from coaches, mindfulness instructors, or in guided meditations. But what does it really mean?

Sure, we can burnout from overworking ourselves, but we can also experience burnout if we feel that we have no control over our careers, if we are working towards a goal that doesn’t align with what we really want, if we lack support, and so on.

Parentification of a child happens when the child switches roles with their mum, dad, or both, to become the parent within the household at a young age.

Have you ever found yourself thinking 'no, no, no' and then blurted out a 'yes'?

Have you ever found yourself so busy but still agreeing to do something else?

Have you ever wondered why you are saying yes when all you really want to do is say no?

Depending on what industry you work in, there will be varying degrees of competition among colleagues. In many industries, there can be incredible competition to get jobs in the first place, and once you are in, the competition only increases. The Muse found that nearly a third of managers thought their employees were more competitive than a decade ago.

You know that feeling when you are working on something important and trying to focus, but you find yourself picking up your phone and starting to scroll through social media. You then berate yourself; “For goodness sake, why am I so easily distracted. So stupid. I need to focus and get this done.” Well, this is the opposite of a gentle, nurturing lens.

If a therapist offers an initial phone call before you decide to book with them, this will be an opportunity for you to ask questions about how the therapy will be, about their qualifications and experience, or about whether they think they can work with what you’re bringing.

It is also a time when the therapist will want to learn more about what has brought you to seeking out therapy and what you are hoping to gain from the therapy sessions.

When you start therapy, it is important to make sure that you are happy and comfortable with your therapist. Therefore, it is important to ask some questions to ensure that they are right for you.

Each therapist is different, which has the benefit of you having a lot of choices, but also means that you might be 'shopping around' before you find the right person for you.