Blooming Brain CHT

12/08/2026

🌻 THIS is what OCD recovery can look like! 🚆

Another proud post this week celebrating clients achievements!

Tom has completed the final rung of his Exposure Response Prevention hierarchy. Going to a train station, sitting on the platform and allowing intrusive thoughts about jumping onto the tracks to come and go without responding to them.

No avoiding. No trying to push the thoughts away. Just making space for the discomfort and showing OCD that "thoughts are just thoughts" they don’t have to mean anything and they don’t have to control what you do.

From avoiding feared situations to sitting right alongside the uncertainty… what a way to finish his therapy journey! 🙌

Absolutely buzzing for you, Tom. Not only has Tom defeated his fears but he's such a nice chappy, he's agreed to be part of our Mentorship Team to help other clients with advice and tips on how to manage their OCD. What a guy 🌻

10/08/2026

This is what OCD recovery can look like! 🌻

Today it looked like making chocolate chip cookies using raw egg ingredients, without excessive cleaning, contamination behaviours, checking, or asking somebody else to do it for them.

It looked like eating those cookies and letting there family eat them too, while resisting the fear that they might somehow make somebody unwell too.

Then it looked like taking those imperfect, slightly broken cookies out, walking around a mucky duck pond, sitting on a public bench and eating them anyway.

They broke up in the tin. They weren't perfect. And we let that be okay.

Because OCD recovery isn't about the anxiety disappearing. It's feeling the uncertainty, taking the risk to resist the compulsion and choosing to carry on with your life instead.

These things might sound small to somebody without OCD. But when your brain has spent so long telling you that contamination, mistakes and uncertainty are dangerous, they can represent huge steps towards freedom!

08/08/2026

The perfect day for a cleanse and practice some affirmations! 🔥☀️

07/08/2026

Whilst incredibly frustrating, the medical model of assess and medicate at an alarming speed is not helpful for anyone trying to understand their neurobiology and psychological struggles. I hope the pause is leading to a huge reform of the pathway and moving towards a holistic formulation of need and post diagnostic support. No other disorder would you be given a lifelong unchanging diagnosis with no explanation of what it means for you or how to manage it 💙🌻

26/07/2026

Today I had the privilege of joining the Fire Service peer support walk at Rivington Reservoir and listening to the people behind the uniform.

It's an honour to support firefighters and witness the strength, courage and compassion they show every day. But behind that resilience are people carrying the weight of traumatic incidents, often without the specialist support they need.

One message came through loud and clear today: our firefighters deserve a better response after attending fatal and distressing incidents.

I have tried researching the statistics for mental health prevalence in the fire service as well as su***de rates in the profession to discuss possible solutions and targeted interventions. However there is currently *no* mandatory national reporting system to accurately monitor firefighter su***des in the UK or Greater Manchester.

We know it's happening.
We see the consequences.
These people are colleagues, friends, family, parents, watch managers.

We cannot solve, what we do not measure!

They show up for us on our worst days. It's time we showed up for them with timely, specialist psychological support.

I'm proud to play a small part with my brother in that mission. ❤️

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

15/07/2026

*Rejected from DClin Psychology training?*

I'm creating a survivors handbook called Rejected, Not Defeated for aspiring Clinical Psychologists navigating rejection, self-doubt, application season chaos, and the annual "DClin Reaping".

I'm looking for honest stories from applicants, trainees and qualified psychologists.
The highs, the lows, the interview disasters, the irrational application behaviours, the terrible advice, the resilience, and the moments that kept you going.

If you've ever obsessively refreshed your email, convinced yourself a single answer ruined your interview, or briefly considered a career as an alpaca farmer after rejection season, I'd love to hear from you.
Your story could help somebody else realise they aren't alone.

Survey link take 10 minutes to complete:
https://forms.gle/H5o7rWVohS8N7Dg97

25/06/2026

Every person I meet has a story 📖

I don't just see anxiety, trauma, or depression. I see the person behind the pain.

I see your thoughts, your feelings, your experiences, and the unique lens through which you've learned to navigate the world.

My role isn't to judge or tell you who you are. It's to walk alongside you with compassion, helping you make sense of your story so it no longer defines your future.

As a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and EMDR therapist, I help people heal from the past, reclaim their lives, and reconnect with the present.

Because you are so much more than what has happened to you. 🌻

22/06/2026

I'm incredibly proud that Blooming Brain Clinical Health Therapies is now contracted to provide ADOS assessments through the Right to Choose pathway across Greater Manchester 🌻

But if I'm honest, what excites me most isn't the contract itself.

It's the opportunity to help reduce waiting times for people who have often spent years wondering why they experience the world differently!

I don't believe anyone should have to wait years to better understand themselves and how their brain works.

Too often, I meet people who have spent much of their lives feeling
"different"
"too much"
"not enough"
"lazy"
"difficult"
"sensitive" or "broken"

By the time they reach assessment, many have already developed deeply rooted negative self-perceptions and core beliefs that impact their confidence, self-esteem, relationships, education, employment, and mental health.

When we view these experiences through a neuro-affirming lens, the story can change.

What if you're not failing?
What if you're not broken?
What if your brain simply works in another way?

Understanding neurodivergence doesn't solve every challenge, but it can provide clarity, self-compassion, validation, and access to the right support.

Earlier assessment means earlier understanding. Earlier understanding means fewer years spent blaming yourself for things that were never character flaws in the first place.

This is why reducing waiting lists matters.

This is why neuro-affirming assessment matters.

And this is why I feel privileged to be part of a service that helps more individuals and families access answers sooner.

🌻 Supporting neurodivergent people to understand themselves, embrace their strengths, and reclaim the life they want to live.



www.bloomingbraincht.com

07/06/2026

Reading Google reviews like this...🌻

Therapy can be a challenging thankless profession. Most of the work happens quietly behind closed doors, supporting people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. It's not a job where you often receive recognition, which is why feedback like this means so much to me.

I feel incredibly privileged to work alongside people from all walks of life, helping them navigate challenges, understand themselves better, build confidence, and create meaningful change.

One of the things I love most about therapy is that it doesn't have to be heavy all the time. Yes, we have difficult conversations, but there can also be laughter, growth, connection, and moments of real hope.

Thank you to everyone who trusts me with their journey and takes the time to share their experiences. Your kind words genuinely make my day and remind me why I do what I do.

🌻 Supporting people to reclaim the life they want to live. 🌻

I currently offer:
✨ Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
✨ EMDR Therapy
✨ Neurodevelopmental Assessment
✨ ADHD Post-Diagnostic Coaching
✨ Mental Health Training & Education

📍 Bolton & Online
📩 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
🌐 [www.bloomingbraincht.com](http://www.bloomingbraincht.com)

07/06/2026

For a full list of specialist therapeutic services I provide and to make an enquiry.
Please visit my new and improved website

Blooming Brain CHT provides personalized mental health therapy, assessment, and holistic support in Manhattan, offering in-person and online services for adults and children.