WORD OF THE MONTH Absquatulate (v)

CONTRIBUTORS

Meet three of the people who have taken part in the creation of Psychologies

Carving out space

‘If I put you in a box and nailed closed the lid, you

Viewpoint

Send your letters to letters@psychologies.co.uk and tell us what you love about our magazine. You could win a six-month subscription, plus access to our new Life Leap Club!

I’d like to thank…

Thank you for keeping me well, with priceless support

The Fix

News I Reviews I Books I Film I Art I Ideas

LESSONS IN ADULTHOOD Show me how much you love me

It’s the ordinary things that show extraordinary love, Harriet Minter learns, as her old idea of romance gallops off into the sunset

More inspiration! with ‘Psychologies’ radio & TV

Watch Facebook Live sessions with top experts, listen to podcasts and, for life-changing coaching, sign up to our Life Leap Club, free to all subscribers

Coach yourself to a happier family

Are you considering hiring a qualified coach but don’t know who to choose? We are excited to present the Psychologies-approved ‘Find a coach’ directory, in partnership with Barefoot Coaching. Here, respected coach Julie Leoni helps a reader with a family problem

The wheel of life

Cut out this page and put it somewhere visible. Use the wheel of life, a classic coaching tool, to improve your family life. The wheel allows you to focus on improving one segment of life at a time, while giving you an overall picture of all the parts that comprise a happy life

Why I write…

Malika Booker is a British poet and artist. She is considered a pioneer of the spoken word movement and is writer-in-residence at charity First Story. She explores surrendering our ego in the ritual of writing

Food for thought

Vanessa King of Action for Happiness, author of 10 Keys To Happier Living, recommends The Psychobiotic Revolution – Mood, Food And The New Science Of The Gut-Brain Connection by Scott C Anderson, John F Cryan and Ted Dinan

HOW TO…Settle the mind

Mindfulness can help with everything from reducing stress and anxiety to promoting healthy eating and sleeping. Co-authors of Mindfulness Based Living, Choden and Heather Regan-Addis, lead us to calm

It’s the travelling life for me

Digital nomads live and work on the move, freed by technology to earn money from anywhere in the world. Anna Behrmann found the idea appealing – but would the reality match up?

Michelle Ackerley

The TV presenter talks about her career, her interest in psychology, coping with anxiety and finding comfort during testing times

“There is opportunity to find beauty everywhere; you just need to change the way you look for it”

Artist Philippa Stanton relied on her creativity to see her through challenging times and has now written a book to share the key to living a creative life

Reinvent your career

Is it really viable to quit your day job and take a new path? Yes, says author, speaker and entrepreneur Sháá Wasmund MBE

”I love him, but I need more intimacy”

Our agony aunt, Mary Fenwick, offers a new perspective on whatever is troubling you

How much is enough?

Can you enjoy money, or is it just something to fret about? Clem Felix discovered she has a scarcity mindset, and decided to change the way she views her finances, and her life

Join Ollie’s army!

Ever wanted to make a difference and train to become a coach? With the Ollie School, you could be changing lives before you know it

Healing through play

In her bid to rediscover her innocence, Karla Newbey ‘goes back to school’ to reacquaint herself with her inner child

Help for men’s mental health

In our column and podcast series, Professor Sarah Niblock, CEO of the UKCP, explores real-life challenges that affect all our lives and how psychotherapy can help. This month, due to the groundswell of response to last month’s Dossier on the emotional health of men in the 21st century, she outlines how therapy can literally be a lifeline for our menfolk

Panic button

When anxiety overwhelmed Heidi Scrimgeour, medication proved a lifeline. But she wanted to dig deeper – why had this happened? And had it really come out of the blue?

“I don’t want to go home for Christmas”

Our award-winning coach, Kim Morgan, speaks to a woman who’s battling to tell her dominant mother that she doesn’t want to spend the festive season together

The last word on… Dealing with life’s little irritations

Is something or someone trying your patience? You have the power to alter the irksome, says Oliver Burkeman

Claire Foy “A child forces you to look inward; to take responsibility”

Award-winning actress Claire Foy discusses motherhood, feminism, strength and vulnerability, and her role as complex heroine Lisbeth Salander in The Girl In The Spider’s Web

Overcome the overwhelm

Do you feel like a hamster on a wheel; bombarded with information, things to do and scores of unanswered emails, no matter how hard you try to clear them? It’s time to take back control of your life and restore peace

It’s time to quit the chaos

With endless calls on our attention, we’re constantly playing catch-up. It feels like we’re deluged by more emails, stuff, opportunities and information than ever before. So, how do we go about reclaiming our lives, asks Anita Chaudhuri?

Digital revolution for happiness

Our phones have been dubbed ‘devices of mass distraction’ – blamed for everything from low self-esteem in teenagers to burnout in adults. But our gadgets are neutral and we have free will, Margaret Morris tells Ali Roff

“Having all this space and light helps us to think and be calm”

As the founder of a children’s entertainment business, Sandra Patterson was living life in the fast zone, until a move to a small Scottish town helped restore the balance

What’s at the root of your overwhelm?

If you crave a calmer life, but can’t seem to step off the busyness treadmill, take our test to find out what’s really causing the deluge of activity and commitment

THE gift THAT KEEPS gifting

Treat someone special to a subscription to one of our

The plan

Every month, the #360me team will be sharing our baby-steps approach to leading a healthier, happier life – expert-endorsed and real-life approved

Body

Gently transformative ideas for a happier body

Spirit

Lift your spirit with these great finds and useful insights

Mind

This month’s food for thought… Tell us how you get on by using #360me

Gut

Nurture your gut health for an overall feeling of wellbeing

GINGER MISO SUNSHINE SOUP

This bright soup, spiked with ginger, turmeric, miso

Tread softly

Let the moon and sun be your silent guides, says Eminé Rushton. Allow yourself to listen to them, then quietly follow, without fear

Beauty of nature

Eminé Rushton looks to Mother Nature, as ever, for this month’s selection of uplifting gems

Slow but sure

When we rush, we rage, writes Eminé Rushton. Here’s an ode to a gentler way of being

The beauty of bathtime

Suzanne Duckett praises the uniquely salubrious virtues of a good old-fashioned soak in the tub

Making peace with our period

Each month, bestselling author and speaker, Henrietta Norton, discusses an area of women’s health and offers her perspective and advice. In this issue, she looks at the menstrual cycle, and how we can view it in a more holistic way

Freed from the trap

What in your life has to be just so? Ali Roff discusses how needing things a certain way can prevent us from enjoying the many delights that life has to offer

That old chestnut!

Nothing warms the cockles like a roast chestnut. Nutrition Editor Eve Kalinik gets under the skin of a festive favourite

The words

Quiet nights in with a crackling fire and a cracking read… Relight the embers of your inquisitive mind, as you hibernate with an evocative book

Let’s get together!

Creating and building connections with friends and family is essential for happiness, and it’s good for your physical wellbeing, too. We explore a few beautiful places, where you can celebrate, unite and relax with loved ones

Secret Sark

Our very own Channel Islands offer a unique paradise escape to rival those of the Mediterranean, discovers an enchanted Leanne Bracey

Natural wood

Living close to nature is good for the soul. You don’t have to own a log cabin – just add a few wooden elements to your home and celebrate this most rustic of materials

Recycle and reborn

Wood lends itself to being recycled because of its

Slowly does it!

Gizzi Erskine is back with a new book embracing the slow pace of life, and the best way to cook delicious and nourishing food for when the nights start to draw in

Comforting and convenient

When there’s a nip in the air, our bodies crave warm

Stronger together

Create a real community and lead a happier, healthier life