Hi. My name is Jim Sheehy. I live in a very beautiful part of the world here in Donegal, Ireland. I work as a psychotherapist and life-skills trainer. This weekly blog is based on a project I’m starting called reallyhuman.ie. I have worked with individuals in therapy over many years, helping them in their healing and recovery. I also present workshops in schools and communities around developing skills in managing life-issues and moods read more
This presentation is regarding people with eating disorders. What is at the root of why somebody becomes obsessive regarding what they eat? The actual behavior comes at the end of what has been a long journey around anxiety, lack of self-worth and the struggle in finding a place in which they can belong. Eating disorders often present during teenage years. The sooner the behavior is noticed and treated the better. Why is this? Of all issues that pres [ ... ]
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When we look at how we operate, we look for reasons why. How much of what I do is beyond my control? Whether alcohol misuse, schizophrenia, severe anxiety or any mental health issue, we ask if we were programmed from birth because the issue seemed to be in the genetic code of parents or extended family. I speak to teenagers about the crucial transition when they reach 18. During their teens, usually around 15 and 16, they seem to go thro [ ... ]
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We regularly struggle with the basics of health: sleep, exercise and diet. In a way, these bodily behaviours reflect accurately the state of our mind. If my sleep is restless, my exercise non-existent and my eating and drinking mindless there is a lot of negativity floating around my head. But let's focus on managing weight. If my 'Healthy' self is conscious of needing to reduce weight but my 'Soothing' self can't live without excess, a confl [ ... ]
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How do you know if you belong to this tribe, the 1 in 7 of the population? And where might this high sensitivity be traced back to? And, most important, how can I manage high sensitivity. See how many of the following can you tick. The Highly Sensitive Child Startles easily Complains about scratchy clothing, seams in socks, or labels against his/her skin Doesn’t usually enjoy big surprises Learns better from a gentle correction than a st [ ... ]
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I really understood tribes and their importance when living in North Belfast for 21 years. My wife and I had lived up to then in the Republic of Ireland where tribes exist but the contact between them was respectful and cordial, the exceptions being immigrants and travellers. Belfast exposed how deeply and easily we can label, judge and blame the neighbour next door or street. We had a young couple right behind our house – middle-class, profes [ ... ]
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