The Therapist Diaries

 Hello and welcome back to The Therapist Diaries,  For the final part in this series on what Fairytales can teach us about mindful living, we're turning to one of my favorite stories, the tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, which in my opinion is one of the most underrated Fairytales out there. Every night, twelve royal sisters are locked in their room, and every morning their shoes are completely worn out, like they’ve been out partying until dawn. Their father, the king, is totally confused. No one knows where they’re going or how they’re getting out. Eventually, a quiet soldier figures out that the princesses have been sneaking out through a hidden door into a magical underground world where they dance until they can barely stand. It’s a fun mystery on the surface, but as a therapist, and particular in light of writing this four-part series, I'd like us to look a little deeper. This isn’t just a story about enchanted forests and secret passageways. It’s a story about exh...

Hello and welcome back to The Therapist Diaries,  As Halloween sneaks ever closer I was thinking about the darker fairytales we have in our libraries. Y es, Grimms' Brothers, I’m calling you out! There’s a story I often return to, not so much for its darkness (though it has that too), but for its surprising depth. It's the tale of Hansel and Gretel. Yes, the Grimm brothers' eerie fairy tale of two children lost in the forest, lured by a house made of sweets, and forced to outwit a witch. At first glance, it's a survival story. But beneath it, there’s a profound metaphor for the mindfulness work I do every day, with clients and with myself. We are all, in some way, leaving breadcrumb trails in our lives; tiny efforts to feel safe, to remember who we are, or to find our way back when we feel lost. And like Hansel and Gretel, we don’t always know where we’re headed. Sometimes the forest is just that overwhelming. In therapy, clients often describe the “forest” as anxiet...

Hello and welcome back to The Therapist Dairies, In the last post I introduced the idea that in addition to warmth and nostalgia, Fairytales are filled with lessons on mental health and wellbeing, in particular, the idea of mindfulness.  Mindfulness is the ability to be present and fully engaged with the current moment, free from distraction or self-judgment. It involves actively observing and acknowledging your thoughts and feelings, neutrally, and maintaining awareness of surroundings and sensations. By focusing in on the present moment, we can help our bodies reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while also improving our overall well-being. It gives us the freedom to step out of "auto pilot mode" and become more positive in our responses to tough moments which in time, builds our overall mental resilience.  In this post, we’re going to step into the world of Cinderella, not just as a fairytale, but as a reflection of mindfulness in action. Beyond the b...