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Our Articles


Not Sure How To Start A Difficult Conversation?
Starting difficult conversations with young people can feel incredibly daunting, especially when the topic is something as sensitive as self-harm, eating difficulties, or emotional distress. It’s completely natural to feel unsure, worried about saying the wrong thing, or even afraid of what you might hear. But these conversations are so important. Avoiding them can leave young people feeling like there isn't anyone safe to talk to, while approaching them with care can open a
Ruth Jacobs
Mar 282 min read


Understanding Demand Avoidance
It’s really easy to feel frustrated if your young person constantly avoids what seem like simple requests; getting out of bed on time, starting homework before the last minute, or replying when you ask them how their day was. It’s easy to assume they’re being difficult or lazy. But there’s almost always a reason behind demand avoidance, and it usually comes back to anxiety, overwhelm, or fear about the task itself rather than stubbornness. We all avoid things sometimes! When
Ruth Jacobs
Jan 303 min read


Self-Harm Doesn’t Stop for Christmas.
We often assume December is a lull in the academic year, a gentle winding-down, a time of festive calm before the return of January commitments. But for many young people self-harm doesn’t pause. Rather it goes underground. The closer we get to the holidays, the harder it becomes for schools to see the signs, and the more likely young people are to carry their distress into the new year. The current situation A mapping report published last November found that self-harm and e
Ruth Jacobs
Dec 4, 20253 min read


Not Ready for Therapy? Here’s Why You’re Not Broken — You Just Need This
When you’re struggling, it feels like everyone has the same advice: “You should go to therapy.” There is no one size fits all in mental...
Ruth Jacobs
Sep 14, 20253 min read


It’s Not Weak to Speak: Changing the Story Around Men and Mental Health
The idea that strength = silence is outdated and harmful. We need to reshape masculinity to include courage, vulnerability, and...
Ruth Jacobs
Jul 24, 20253 min read


Why is Self Harm Rising and What Are We Still Getting Wrong?
Unpacking Myths, Realities, and How We Can Truly Help Self-harm is on the rise, and the statistics are sobering. In the UK, hospital...
Ruth Jacobs
Jul 23, 20253 min read
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