This is a training manual for those studying counselling at level 4 or 5.

After the success of my first book "I shall wear purple," I was keen to do a series of books in the "I shall......." range. Looking at other psychological issues and helping people to overcome them. So this is my second book "I shall be blue" taking a look at depression, what it is and how to overcome it. From my experience when one is suffering with depression, there is very little empathy from the society, family members and friends. We often hear comments like "pull yourself together," "try and do something and you will feel better." In all fairness people just want the 'old you' back,...

I have worked in the substance misuse field as a therapist, couples counsellor and family behavioural therapist for ten years and I feel that I have learned a lot about this client group and addictions, both from my colleagues and from my clients. It's very easy to get involved with drugs in this day and age, there is likely to be a 'dealer' within a mile of anyone's home. No matter what type of area you come from drugs are not defined by class. It is extremely hard to come off drugs, once you are entrenched in them, by yourself. It takes motivation, willpower and it needs to be because you...

Have you ever thought about the consequences of several depraved human beings paths crossing? Has it ever scared the life out of you when you think about society today and the consequences of some of its citizens? Gut Instinct brings to life the often horrifying results. A serial killer contrary to the norm, a psychotherapist that runs away from her own murky history like she is fleeing a tsunami. A murder squad team with dark memoirs and hidden secrets and an egotistical head of homicide that needs his team's adulation and relies on a rapidly becoming dysfunctional gut. That's not forgetting...

The underground room holding the weekly meetings was full. We used a large room in a derelict underground station, which was now out of use. All the underground stations were abandoned and boarded up now and had been countrywide since the monorail system was built in 2022. The room may have once been a large cafeteria, a waiting room or maybe even a newsagent in its time; it was now a meeting room for 'the organisation' which was what we called our group to protect its true identity. The meetings were underground in more than one sense and were organised with the highest level of secrecy It...

I wish I had a pound for every time I had been asked as a therapist and as a mother: "Linda how did you manage the teenage years" or "From a psychological point of view what advice would you give to parents raising teenagers?" There is not a parent that I know that has swum through the teenager years of their offspring without some difficulty; it is part of the course. However from my experience if these years are managed in a healthy way then the terrible teen years end between nineteen and twenty one. If however, they are managed in an unhealthy way then the challenging behaviours of our...

If you are fan of 'Sybill' and 'The three faces of Eve," then this book will take you to a different and more twisted dimension. When and where can we draw the line between insanity and sanity when they both sightlessly blend into the other? Debbie a mysterious and unethical professional works blindly with three extremely complex clients with a serious mental health issue. Her motives are slightly dubious, her needs are definitely deprived and ironically the one that is eventually left bordering between that fine line of sanity and insanity is her. Two mind blowing twists, to a powerful...

A fairy tale for all. It is about a fairy on the christmas tree who is very sad at being in the attic. Until one day some lively charactors appear and make all her wishes come true. A happy ending for all.

My earliest recollection of being somewhat 'different' from other people was when I was five years old. I was never interested in playing the 'silly' games that other children played at nursery school. I had always felt old beyond my years. One teacher once called me a 'little professor' and although I think that this was meant to be a criticism, for me it was a compliment. I became appreciably aware of the 'gift' that I had at around the age of six or seven when I found a small frightened bird in my garden. It had a broken wing. It lay on the ground looking defeated as if ready to die. I...

It all started on the day that my mum came home from my school parents evening. Steam was swiftly coming out of her ears, like a pressure cooker ready to explode. I really thought that at any minute she would 'take off'. I began reciting in my head ten, nine, eight, seven, six...... I never did reach blast off before she began ranting at me again. It turns out that my dull and boring History teacher, Mr Butler had slated me, saying that I always messed around in his class. Well I did to be honest I hated history. It was one of my worst subjects. I could not understand why we needed to learn...