In a world that constantly bombards us with images of supposed "ideal" personalities and lifestyles, it's easy to feel like we fall short. We might question whether our personalities are "normal" or whether we fit into society's narrow definition of what is acceptable.

For people without experience of manipulation and exploitation by an intimate other, ‘getting it’ (narcissistic abuse) is nigh on impossible. Support comes to the survivor, not necessarily from their family or lifelong friends, but from other people who have suffered in the same way.

When Personal Power comes up against Positional Power, and the person with the Positional Power has many narcissistic traits, the drive to diminish the Personal Power of the other becomes almost an obsession – which is subsequently why the target of bullying feels targeted – because they are!

Written over the entrance to the Ancient Temple at Delphi were words which could easily form the basis of modern trauma-recovery therapeutic interventions. Know Thyself. They are an exhortation to look first within our own character in order to understand our world.

Some of us have harsh, sarcastic or critical voices that are part of our own internal dialogue. These harsh inner voices are the result of conditioning. We learned this cruel internal discourse as we were growing up, from our parents, caregivers, teachers, peers or siblings.

Counselling is: holding a healing space to support and empower a person to find the best way forward. My mission is to help people find their courage and confidence again, and get back behind the steering wheel of their lives.

Let's allow ourselves, for our own sakes, to see that people change. Let's assume that everything is impermanent - that we are inside a human existence inside a universe that is constantly shifting.