With so many different experts out there, how do you know which is the right one for you? We explain more about how health coaches, counsellors, and nutritionists can help you

Who doesn’t want to be healthier? An England-wide survey of over 5,000 adults found that nearly 80% of over 18s wanted to make healthier lifestyle changes. For many, that means eating more healthily (40%), losing weight (39%), and exercising more (41%).

Being healthier can mean a lot of different things, for different people. For some, it’s making the switch from junk food and ready meals to learning how to cook a more nutritious meal (without spending too much time or money). It may mean losing or gaining weight, incorporating regular exercise into your daily or weekly routine. Or it could mean finding healthier balances between work and life, decreasing overall stress levels, and putting your wellbeing first.

With so many differing goals to become ‘healthier’, how do we know the right kind of experts to reach out to? We explain more about the different kinds of help and support out there, what they can help with, and how you can figure out which pathway is right for you.

What is health coaching and how can a health coach help me?

We all know that making healthier choices isn’t as easy as just deciding to change. If it was, we’d all be able to make big, sustainable changes without needing help and support.

Health coaching is about gaining support in making nutrition, fitness, and/or lifestyle changes. This could be to help with a specific, diagnosed health issue or with your general health and wellbeing. A health coach can act as a mentor, helping you to figure out what changes you want to make, set realistic milestones and goals, as well as learning new skills and techniques to put your physical health and mental wellbeing first.

Different health coaches may offer different specialisms. Generally speaking, health coaches can help you with a broad range of issues that could be holding you back from living a healthier life. This could include weight management, career development, learning how to manage stress or relationship issues, creating a better work/life balance, and more.

Wellness coaches may offer overlapping help. If you’re primarily looking to improve your sense of mental wellbeing, working with a wellness coach could be the answer.

It’s important to remember that while health coaches can help with a broad variety of issues and goals, they hold distinctly different qualifications to counsellors, nutritionists, medical experts, and personal trainers (unless otherwise stated by

We explore the signs of empty nest syndrome and how you can manage this big life transition

Raising children and being a parent sets us up on a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you’re feeling the joy and pride of seeing them thrive, the next you’re filled with worry, doubt, and frustration as they veer wildly off-track. A lot can be said about parenting… but no one can say it’s a boring endeavour.

Throughout the journey, there are a number of transitions. One that may take you by surprise is the day your child(ren) leaves home and, suddenly, you’re alone again.

“Some parents may find the departure of their child to school or university a relief, time to get their space back, and get on with the goals they’ve been holding back on during the years of parenting,” life coach Geraldine Macé explains. “For some, however, it leaves a big empty space that they have no idea how to fill – an empty nest.”

Empty nest syndrome is a term used to describe the grief, anxiety, and sadness some parents and caregivers feel at this time. Here are some signs to look out for:

Loss of purpose

A feeling some empty nesters may resonate with is being ‘redundant’. Geraldine notes, “Parents may be feeling incredibly sad with a loss of focus, spending hours on their own thinking back to the times they had with their child. Sometimes that can be with a sense of regret for the things that they did or didn’t do while their child was at home.”

Becoming a parent or caregiver changes your life in a huge way, often having an impact on your sense of identity. So it makes sense that, once you don’t have kids in the house to look after, you may feel a little lost.

Languishing

Some empty nesters may also feel generally ‘off’, noticing a lack of motivation. Perhaps you think you should feel exhilarated now that you have more time to dedicate to yourself but, instead, you struggle to focus and lack the energy to do what you used to. The term languishing is used to articulate this sense of listlessness.

Using numbing techniques

“Other signs to look out for are using things to distract themselves so that they don’t have to think about how they feel, such as with food, drink, shopping, watching TV, gaming, or exercise,” Geraldine says. If you’re trying to distract yourself from the difficult emotions you’re feeling, this could be a sign of empty nest syndrome.

Restlessness

For some parents and caregivers, having an empty nest paves the way for some true relaxation, however, those experiencing empty nest syndrome may find this a struggle. Instead of being able to switch off, empty nesters may find themselves worrying about their child(ren) excessively, and unable to concentrate.

More emotional

There are a range of feelings that can come up during this time, so you may notice your emotions are close to the surface. “As parents try to negotiate this transition, they may find themselves feeling more emotional than normal,” Geraldine explains. “Tears come readily, or they may find that they get angry more easily.”

Relationship conflict

Raising a family will likely have an impact on y

The current economic crisis has seen many people turn to their careers to try and offset some of their financial difficulties. We asked Mental Health First Aid England what employers can do to help

Britain is facing the highest rate of inflation since the 1980s and, whilst we’ve seen promises of energy price caps and ‘levelling up’, there is still a great deal of uncertainty among us. As the cost of living rises, many people are being forced to consider changing their careers, upping their hours, or even getting a second job to try and offset some of the financial difficulties they may be experiencing.

With this in mind, we reached out to Simon Blake OBE, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid England, to ask what employers can do to support their employees’ financial wellbeing.

What steps can employers take to support employees' financial wellbeing?

As an employer, it is important to remove the stigma regarding financial issues so that employees do not suffer in silence and can access the support available to them. Research from a Wealth at Work survey found that 14% of UK adults say that financial worries make them feel embarrassed, rising to 23% of 18 to 34-year-olds.

As a nation, we might not feel terribly comfortable talking about our finances but, if we remove the stigma of talking about financial insecurities and worries, we can start to create plans to alleviate financial concerns and promote mental wellbeing. Here are a few top tips on how to remove the stigma of mental health in the workplace:

1. Deploying Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®) in the workplace

The role of a MHFAider® is to be a point of contact for an employee who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. The MHFA course teaches people how to spot the early signs of poor mental health, including the warning signs of common mental health crises.

Research from The Royal College of Psychiatrists shows one in two adults with debt experience mental health issues, and over 100,000 people in England every year attempt to take their own life whilst struggling with debt. MHFAiders are trained on how to approach the person, listen and communicate non-judgmentally and then signpost to relevant support. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation to supporting the person to get appropriate help.

2. Focus on flexibility

There are individual and business benefits to some face-to-face interaction and, whilst at MHFA England I am keen for my teams to be in the office once a month for our all-staff meeting, I am also aware of the cost of travel. Keeping mandated office days to a minimum and providing lunch for everyone, I hope goes some way to mitigating some of the costs. We also have a policy of flexi or condensed hours which can help our employees avoid peak travel costs.

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Can coaching really help with creative ideas, careers and businesses? We explain more about creativity coaching and how it could benefit you

Around half of us think we’re creative, yet 75% of us believe we aren’t living up to our full creative potential. Whether you’re an artist, writer, musician, crafter, performer, run a creative business or side hustle, or are some other kind of creative, chances are, you’ve experienced a creative block.

Creative block (where you feel like you are lacking inspiration, are stuck, or other barriers are stopping you from being creative) can last anywhere from days to years. Many different things can cause a creative block, from fear of failure to perfectionism or even stress.

Feeling blocked isn’t the only thing that can hold creatives back. Perhaps you feel like you’re stagnating, or you aren’t sure how to take your craft to the next level. Or maybe you feel like you’ve got the creative side down, but don’t know how to turn your passion into something you can share with others.

Could working with a professional creativity coach be the answer?

What is creativity coaching?

A creative coach helps you to work through barriers that may be holding you back, as well as to develop your creative skills. If you’re struggling with self-doubt, low self-confidence, or even imposter syndrome, a creative coach can help offer support and guidance, introducing you to new tools, techniques, and coping mechanisms to help you build your confidence, challenge self-doubting thoughts, and feel more comfortable sharing your creativity with others.

Creativity coaches can help you to gain clarity and momentum with your ideas. Providing a space to explore your creative ideas without fear of judgement, a coach can offer support, guidance and accountability. Through working with someone who can help you set goals, identify milestones, and plan how you want to grow, you can create a sense of accountability and a more firm timeline, which can often be beneficial for creatives who struggle to complete projects.

Some creative coaches may specialise in a particular area of creative work, while others may work more generally within the creative industry. Creative coaches often share their specific areas of experience and expertise on their profiles, or many are happy to have a quick introductory call to see if what you’re looking for help with is an area where they can offer support.

How do I know if creativity coaching is right for me?

Coaching in general can have a significant impact on your self-confidence and self-belief. Many find that it can help increase their performance in certain areas, help them learn new methods of organisation, planning, and even help them improve certain skills.

Creativity coaching isn’t just about helping overcome creative blocks. If your job has a creative element, you are looking to launch a creative business or to turn a hobby into a business, creative coaching could be right for you. A coach may also be able to help offer tips and guidance around marketing and self-branding for creative-led businesses, helping you to

Starting university comes with fresh challenges, so here’s how to find the help you need

Going to university can be an exciting time. With the chance to focus on a subject you love, make friends, and try new experiences, many find student life enjoyable and fulfilling. But starting university can also be daunting. And if you have a mental health problem, or another health condition, it can be even harder to adjust to student life.

Thankfully, there’s lots of support available to help you make the most of your time at university. Here’s how to access it.

Speak to the disability team

Often, the first port of call is speaking to the disability team at your university. This service is there for students with any additional needs, including mental health conditions, dyslexia, sensory impairments, and physical disabilities. They are used to supporting people, so don’t be nervous about approaching them.

It’s best if you can reach out to them before you start, to make sure they can arrange support from your first day, but don’t worry if you’ve already started – they are available to help you anytime.

Disability teams often have disability advisors who you can meet with to talk through what’s known as ‘reasonable adjustments’. This, for example, could mean they recommend you get extra time on exams, because you have a condition that affects your reading or concentration.

Your university’s website should have the contact details for the disability team, as well as info about what they provide.

Apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance

You may be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). This is additional funding that helps cover extra costs of being a disabled student – including having a support worker, or help towards the cost of equipment.

What you get depends on your individual circumstances – you have to fill in a form and have an assessment to decide what would be best for you. There’s more information about DSA at gov.uk.

Don’t worry if you feel daunted by the application process, the disability team at your university will be able to help.

Speak to someone

If you’re struggling, it’s OK to reach out. Lecturers and staff are used to helping, whether you’re finding it hard living in halls or are overwhelmed by work. And if you’re worried about deadlines or feel stressed, letting your lecturers know means they can be more understanding. Sometimes, having a chat is enough to make you feel better. They may also be able to suggest practical ideas to help.

Universities usually have their own counselling service for students, offering the chance talk about anything that’s troubling you. Check your university’s website or speak to the student support team to find out what’s available where you are.

You may also find that your university runs wellbeing sessions that are open to all students. These can cover things like dealing with stress or learning mindfulness, and are worth checking out.

Support from your students’ union

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