News & Events

Happy Monday everyone! Today’s ’M’ word is mental fatigue. Mental fatigue occurs when we overwork our minds for an extended time. This happens when our brains receive too much stimulation or our minds have to maintain an intense level of activity without rest.

We can think about mental fatigue as running on a low mental battery. We might be more forgetful, stressed, or irritable - clear signs that our brain needs a break! Ignoring these signals can lead to burnout.

Although mental fatigue can feel daunting, there are ways to recharge our minds:

🛑 Take breaks - It’s important to allow ourselves time to rest. Whether it’s a short walk, a nap, or disconnecting from our phones for an hour.

🧘‍♀️ Practice a meditation - A brief meditation can help you relax your mind, offering a much needed relief from the demands of the day.

🏃‍♂️ Stay physically active - Even just 20-30 minutes of moderate physical activity can boost our mood and give us a burst of energy.

🛏️ Prioritise sleep - A lack of good-quality sleep can lead to both physical and mental fatigue. Try to maintain a regular sleep routine as irregular sleep patterns can disrupt our internal clock.

🧹 Declutter your space - A cluttered environment often adds to stress without us realising it. Tidying up our workspace or living area can help free up mental energy.

🛁 Practice self care - Small moments of intentional self-care, like a hot bath or reading a good book, can go a long way in reducing mental strain.

✍️ Write down your thoughts - Journalling can be a helpful outlet for our thoughts and worries, giving us a space to process and make sense of them.

🎯 Focus on one thing at a time - Mental fatigue often stems from feeling overwhelmed by too much on our plate. Prioritise tasks and try focusing on just one thing at a time.

🤝 Connect with supportive people - Sometimes, connecting with friends or family can provide the grounding and perspective we need. A supportive conversation can help us feel more centred and less mentally drained.

This is your reminder to take care of your mental energy, and don’t be afraid to hit the reset button when needed!

This Monday, ‘M’ is for Mental Health Stigma.
 
🧠Mental health difficulties are common, statistics vary but it is commonly reported that now 1 in 3 people will be affected by mental health difficulties in Scotland in any one year. Despite this, there can still be stigma (a negative attitude) surrounding mental health difficulties.
 
⚠️Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental health difficulties can be subtle or obvious—but no matter the magnitude, stigma can lead to harm. People with mental health challenges can be marginalized and discriminated against in various ways, but understanding what that looks like and how to address and eradicate it can help.
 
💛At TEP, we actively strive to break mental health stigma by talking openly about mental health on our social media channels, being conscious of the language we use and showing compassion to our clients who may be struggling with the impact of stigma. 
 
💪We challenge you to reflect on any stereotypes that you may hold and to consider the potential impact of these on yourself and others. 
 
#mentalhealthstigmamondays #mentalhealthstigma   #theedinburghpractice

We are excited to announce that we are now working with BRAVEHOUND! @bravehound_uk

🐕 BRAVEHOUND is a registered Scottish charity that provide assistance dogs to veterans who have a clinical diagnosis of a mental health condition such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. Their mission is to help heal the invisible wounds of military veterans with their specially trained assistance dogs. 
 
🫶They know that a dog can provide companionship, promote taking exercise and give a purpose and structure to each day. Their dogs have been a valuable asset for veterans and their families. They help to facilitate daily life, giving veterans confidence and provide the assistance that the veteran needs.
 
Dr Julia met with the first BRAVEHOUND veteran last week to carry out a Psychological Assessment. We are excited to be working with BRAVEHOUND, the work they do really is life changing, heart warming and incredibly meaningful! 💛
 
#bravehound #mentalhealth #theedinburghpractice

Welcome back to our Monday ‘M’ series, we hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! This week ‘M’ stands for Movement!

The saying “Movement is medicine” applies not just to our bodies, but to our minds as well. Regular movement is a powerful tool for boosting mental health by reducing stress, improving self-esteem, managing anxiety, and even improving sleep quality. Whether it’s through setting new goals or meeting new people, movement encourages us to live more actively and mindfully.

While sports and exercise are fantastic ways to stay active, there are many other ways we can begin to move our bodies more such as:

🚲 Walking or cycling to work instead of taking the car
🚌 Getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way
🚶 Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
🎵 Doing household chores such as hoovering or gardening while listening to music
🌱 Going for walks during your lunch break or going outside to a nearby park
🙆‍♀️ Stretching while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil in the morning

No matter how you choose to move your body, it’s important that we reframe how we look at physical activity. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of intense exercise, especially if it’s not part of your routine. But starting small can lead to meaningful improvements in both mental and physical health. However you choose to move, remember that every step counts!

Today we are celebrating the ‘International Week of Happiness at Work’ 😄
 
💼We spend a large part of our lives at work, and this has a significant impact on the rest of our lives. Therefore, paying more attention to happiness at work can make a difference.
 
🙋‍♂️Maartje Wolff and Fennande van der Meulen founded Happy Office in 2015 and help organisations with transformation processes towards more work happiness. “It is our mission to put work happiness on the agenda of as many organizations as possible, both domestically and internationally. Ultimately, it is especially about taking action, changing behavior and culture”.  In 2017, they thought how wonderful it would be if,  in addition to the ‘Day of Happiness’, there was a week dedicated to Happiness at Work. 
 
📝Research by Charles-Leija et al. (2023) found that meaningful work, feeling appreciated as coworkers and enjoyment of daily tasks significantly predict happiness at work. 
 
💛At TEP we strive to create a happy workplace, where our team members have a voice, opportunities for professional development and are engaged in meaningful work which aids in supporting the range of clients we see. 
 
#internationalweekofhappinessatwork #happinessatwork #mentalhealth #mentalhealthpractice #theedinburghpractice

Happy Monday! This Monday our ‘M’ word is mindset 💭
 
🧠Our mindset shapes how we approach learning and challenges. A fixed mindset leads us to believe our abilities are static, while a growth mindset recognises that effort and persistence drive improvement. By shifting from a fixed to a growth perspective, we open ourselves to learning, resilience and progress. 
 
👩‍⚕️This powerful perspective was first introduced by psychologist, Carol Dweck, through her extensive research on achievement, success, motivation and mindset. 
 
📈Embracing a growth mindset can be a transformative journey — not just professionally, but personally too. A growth mindset provides you with the strength to withstand setbacks, the resilience to bounce back, the ambition to reach for your goals and empowers you to become the best version of yourself. 
 
💛We encourage you to reflect on your current mindset and challenge any ‘fixed mindset’ thoughts that may be holding you back. 
 
#mindsetmondays #mentalhealth #theedinburghpractice

🧠 Today is World Alzheimer’s Day! A reminder - Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain which causes dementia. These symptoms could include memory loss, difficulties with planning, problem-solving or language and sometimes changes in mood or behaviour. In Scotland alone, around 90,000 people are living with dementia, with an estimated 66% affected by Alzheimer’s.

✍️ At TEP we are proud to offer gold-standard, detailed memory clinic assessments following NICE best practice guidelines. Our assessments are personalised, with consultations from our Consultant Psychiatrist and, if needed, neuropsychological assessments by our Clinical Psychologist. We are the only private memory clinic in Scotland offering multi-disciplinary team assessments and treatment, ensuring that each individual receives tailored care based on their unique needs. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s can give a person more time to come to terms with the changes that are likely to happen, it also allows access to medication which may help delay or improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s as well as giving time to discuss future plans. To learn more about TEP`s memory clinic or to submit a referral, visit our website (link in bio).

💛 We are also honoured to support our partner charity @alzscot and just recently attended the Alzheimer Scotland Annual Conference 2024 which was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people living with dementia, their carers, health and social care professionals and researchers. Let’s continue to fight for a future where no one has to face Alzheimer’s alone. Alzheimer Scotland’s 24 hour dementia helpline is a wonderful resource that provides information, signposting and emotional support to people with Alzheimer’s, their families, friends and professionals. You can call their freephone on 0808 808 3000.

#WorldAlzheimersMonth #WorldAlzheimersDay

👋 Welcome back to our Monday ‘M’ Series! This week our ‘M’ word is Motivation!

🌟 Motivation can be tricky - it can come in waves, sometimes surging, and other times feeling nonexistent, depending on what’s happening in our lives or our current mental state. Some tips for staying motivated are:

✍️ Setting clear and achievable goals: Start with specific, realistic goals that you can confidently work towards. Clear goals give you direction and make it easier to track progress. Look up `SMART goals` for a helpful goal setting framework.

✍️ Breaking tasks into smaller steps: Large tasks can feel overwhelming, so break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This makes it easier to start and helps you stay motivated as you complete each step.

✍️ Planing and visualising your goals: Create a plan that outlines how you’ll achieve your goals. Visualising success can boost motivation by helping you to envisage the end result and stay focused on the path ahead.

✍️ Celebrating your progress: Recognise and celebrate small achievements. Celebrating progress reinforces positive behaviour, keeps you motivated, and builds momentum toward your goals.

✍️ Cultivating a positive mindset: Focus on the positive aspects of your journey and practice gratitude. A positive mindset can help you stay resilient through challenges and maintain motivation.

✍️ Think about your why: Clearly write out what your why is. When you are struggling with motivation remembering your bigger goal can help you to keep going!

📱 There are many apps that can help us stay on track and achieve our goals, such as Forrest, ThinkUp, Habit Tracker and Habitica. One size does not fit all when it comes to motivation, so it’s always best to try new techniques and approaches to find what works best for us!

#TheEdinburghPractice #MondayMotivation #StayingMotivated