Author Archives: Ellie Atkins

At Headspace Guildford we are running some anxiety groups next week (face to face and online versions). We’ve got just a few spaces left so if you, or a child/young person you know gets nervous sometimes, feels worried, gets anxious or is scared about going back to school, worried about coronavirus or about anything really,Continue reading “Last few places at our anxiety group”

Here is some advice from another child who has been to Headspace Guildford and worked with Ellie. ‘Before coming to Headspace Guildford I was really nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. My Mum and Dad really wanted me to go, but I wasn’t so sure. But after my first visit I couldn’t waitContinue reading “Nervous about coming to Headspace Guildford?”

This post is jointly written by Jemima Onih and Dr Ellie Atkins as part of the work we are doing as a practice to be more thoughtful and inclusive. We have taken our time to produce this as we were keen not to be tokenistic or write something which did not mean anything beyond theContinue reading “Black Lives Matter at Headspace Guildford”

I’m working like mad at the moment getting the Headspace Guildford groups organised for the end of August. These groups are designed to help children and young people who might be nervous about going back to school in September or struggling with anxiety more generally. Groups are always so much fun and full of energyContinue reading “It isn’t your fault”

Creating a roadmap with the help of our BAME internships. The week that George Floyd was killed I was half way through the book ‘Biased’ By Jennifer Eberhart. In this book she catalogues the research she has done into bias, particularly focusing on the way the police respond to African Americans and other people ofContinue reading “Finding our way”

I read somewhere that we’ll remember this year for the rest of our lives. It’s been a rollercoaster of a time since Covid really started making an impact on our lives and it will be sometime yet to come before we can make sense of all this. But in the midst of this, life isContinue reading “Anxiety groups at Headspace Guildford”

From the children and young people we are talking to at Headspace Guildford, we know that there is a fair amount of anxiety out there about recommencing activities we’ve been prevented from doing for so long. For some people lockdown has been a helpful way to withdraw from anxiety provoking activities (which can include school,Continue reading “Managing anxiety post-lockdown”

This picture was on a train advert and I thought it was spot on. This is so often what happens in our head. One thought pops into our head, from the way we’ve interpreted a situation or as a result of another thought. And suddenly we’re spiralling. One thought leads to another, to another, toContinue reading “How worries spiral”

Let’s face it, there are some pretty tough things happening at the moment. There’s a killer virus, people have died, the economy is struggling and we don’t know what the future holds. There are also the smaller tough things which are hard to bear, the queues at the supermarket, the schools closed, summer holidays cancelled.Continue reading “The best and the worst of us”

I find that some days during lockdown are good, some even wonderful. To be at home, in the garden, enjoying the sunshine, with my family, is about as good as it gets. Work has been busy and stimulating and I have learnt a great deal. There are certainly silver linings to this dark cloud. ThenContinue reading “Hold on…”