Across the country, our feathered friends are supporting people in new and surprising ways

Gentle coos, methodical scratching, and a brisk ruffle of feathers; anyone who has had the pleasure of spending time around chickens will be able to relate to the soothing qualities of this particular poultry. Even so, they may not be the first creature that comes to mind when you think about therapy animals. But that’s about to change.

In south-east London, The Growing Lives project invites adults with mental health problems and autistic children to visit Sydenham Garden, which was founded in 2002 when a small group of local residents had the vision to convert a neglected nature reserve into a thriving community garden. Today, co-workers (the titles given to the beneficiaries) come together to garden, spend time in nature, and, importantly, care for a flock of 12 adopted hens.

The community project is supported by the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), a charity that saves 60,000 hens from slaughter every year, and rehomes them as pets and – now – as therapy animals. Jane Howorth MBE is the founder of the charity – and, for her, the decision to bring chickens into therapeutic environments just made sense.

“We all know how much joy animals can bring as pets, and chickens certainly fit into that category,” Jane explains. “But we hear so much anecdotal evidence of the way keeping hens can benefit human wellbeing.

“We’ve seen chickens being kept in prisons and probation hostels to help people not only learn responsibility, but also open up and develop empathy. We’ve seen them kept by community groups and other charities to bring people together and support mental and physical health.

“And we hear so many stories from our adopters about how hens have helped to give them a positive focus and provide so many bright moments in life. They have so much love and affection to give that you can’t help but feel better when you’re around them.”

David Lloyd is the coordinator for Growing Lives, and he’s seen first-hand the impact these feathered friends can have on the people around them. He shares how children from a local special school visit them several times a week and, while some are non-verbal and avoid eye-contact with humans, they happily stroke, interact, and chatter away with the chickens in a way they can’t with other people.

“Having rehomed chickens fits with our ethos; they’re a bit of a metaphor for the work we do here,” David explains. “They’ve had a difficult first part of their life, they’re saved from death, they’re then given a lot of love and nice surroundings, and within months they’re thriving and growing into their potential.”

Out of London and down to Cornwall, mother-of-three Billie-Jo Pascoe has also seen how beneficial chickens can be when it comes to supporting children with autism.

George, her son, didn’t speak until he was five-and-a-half-years old. But, after noticing that George smiled and made happy sounds whenever he saw chickens, the family adopted five from the BHWT.

“George was instantly in love,” Billie-Jo says. “He spent ho

With the back-to-school season well underway, we’re taking a look at how families can use this time to reset and shape new routines to prevent burnout

Just like that, the summer holidays are over and as we see the beginnings of autumn, we also see children returning to school. Despite the buzz in the air from the kids, it can also be a time of doubt for parents who are faced with the dreaded early starts and school runs - and that’s all before they start their own working day.

It’s six o'clock and you’ve probably grabbed your first of many coffees that’ll get you through the morning. After ushering everyone out of bed and trying to get them ready, you’re faced with the great breakfast debate - who’s having what cereal and in what coloured bowl? Hair, teeth, coats, bags, shoes, and a whirlwind of multitasking later, you’re finally ready to head out the door for the school run until… “I need the toilet!” All before 8:30am.

As exciting as it can be watching your child grow, the back-to-school season can also be a time of heightened emotions for parents. The truth is, after a long summer and perhaps a lovely family holiday, the struggle of going back to work is real, let alone doing the school run too. Upon returning to work, you might be expected to remain positive and breezy, when actually you’ve already faced your battles for the day and it’s not even 9am.

Luckily, there are some things you can do as a family that can help ease the hustle and bustle of the school morning routine.

Tips for resetting your school routine

1. Plan ahead

This seems easier said than done. The last thing you want to do after a long day at work is get everything sorted for the following morning, but your mind and body will thank you for it.

Try to establish an early evening routine before you wind down for some much-needed family time by gathering everything you and the kids need for the following day - does homework need to be completed? Make sure school bags are packed, lunch boxes are at the ready and you could even set out plates, bowls, and cutlery in time for breakfast.

You might also want to leave coats, bags, and shoes at the front door to save time (and the panic of trying to find that one missing shoe buried at the back of the cupboard). To really make the most of it, encourage the children to get involved in the evening routine, such as making lunchboxes together. This will not only give them some independence but also allows you to spend time with them catching up on their day.

2. Meal plan

The above also applies to preparing dinners. Batch cooking is a great way to ensure the whole family is getting hearty, nutritious meals at a fraction of the time it would normally take to cook them. You could spend some time at the weekend thinking about what you’d like to eat that week and store it in the freezer. This makes for a quick and easy way to whip up dinner for the whole family, whilst still allowing for ‘you time’.

Struggling for inspiration? Try these batch-bake recipes.

3. Prioritise

Throughout the week, make sure you prioritise doing the things that really need to be done, and toss those that can wait to the side. The easiest way to keep track of this is by writing a to-do list. Maybe you need to do the laundr

The important link between diet and good mental health is often overlooked. So here are six practical tips to help you put positivity back on your plate

Mental health has affected me in many ways over the years. I have watched close friends suffer and fail to manage illnesses, noticed mental health go uncared for, witnessed first-hand the stigma, and seen the personal struggles of people trying to get help, yet getting nowhere within an impersonal system.

Following my own mental health struggles, I have spent the past decade creating my own mental health handbook, that’s been my guide to life ever since.

This all started for me at the end of a five-year degree in fashion. I was at an all-time low, and just on the turning point of a period of intense depression and eating disorders, after losing someone I loved very much.

I had finally found the right combination of talking therapy and holistic treatments, and was opening up to the idea of getting better – but the missing link was finding some sort of passion again.

Portrait | Olivier Yoan for Gung Ho London

Fashion certainly wasn’t it, and neither was the food I had always previously adored. So, I set out to rewrite this story, and create a trend book ‘rebranding’ mental health with an emphasis towards wellness.

Exploring adaptogens (active ingredients in certain plants and mushrooms), rituals, and this new idea of wellbeing, was so exciting to me, and I jumped feet-first into a lifestyle that could feed my mind, too.

Many years, three restaurants, and hundreds of cookery classes later, Mind Food became a book earlier this year, and at a time where the world of mental health is changing, and our mental health as a nation is worse than ever. Here are my six practical ideas for positive mental health:

Mindset

This is all about prevention rather than cure, and sharing resources and foundations for good mental health, so that whatever you are going through, you have the tools to best support yourself and those around you.

We don’t always think about how food will make us feel, but understanding your personal recipe for feeling good is a very powerful tool. The idea of mind food is to include ingredients that can support you when you need to soothe, lift, balance,focus, or chill. This could be eating rosemary daily for better memory and focus, saffron tea for a natural lift each morning, or a cosy hemp hot chocolate for a moment of calm.

Whole foods

On the whole, mind food ingredients are eaten in their natural form – not only because unprocessed ingredients optimise taste and nutrition, but when you start any recipe with good ingredients, you can’t go wrong.

Leafy greens, rainbow vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans, healthy fats, herbs and spices, are all essential in a balanced diet. But the real key is biodiversity, which means eating a range of foods rather than always sticking to what you know. Try buying a different vegetable, or ordering s

Separating fact from fiction: Here’s what you need to know about narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) tends to have a bad reputation. If you search for it on Google, you’ll be presented with a definition: ‘A mental health condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others.’

It’s no surprise, then, that diagnosing personality disorders like NPD can be considered controversial. Whats more, experts currently don’t agree on how we can best understand personality disorders or even if we should diagnose them.

But with so much confusion and so many misconceptions surrounding narcissism and NPD, what do we really need to know? And what common assumptions do we have that are just plain wrong?

Understanding NPD

Generally speaking, someone with narcissistic personality disorder has a distorted self-image, believes they are superior to others, and often feel that their opinions, feelings, and interests are more important than others’. They may struggle to empathise with others, exaggerate their talents and accomplishments, or even lie about them. Success and power are extremely important to them. They may appear patronising, be quick to anger if contradicted, and show a need for admiration.

Without help and support, those with NPD may be at risk of developing depression or suicidal thoughts, and relying on substance or alcohol misuse. Building (and maintaining) healthy relationships can be challenging without help.

Common myths and misconceptions

We spoke with Counselling Directory member and counsellor, Peter Klein, to find out more about narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder, and to get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions and misconceptions.

Myth: Narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder are the same thing

“Narcissistic personality disorder, as a definition, is more clear cut than narcissism,” Peter explains.

“Many of those with NPD are unable to connect with others on a deeper level, which means that their relationships are more superficial. Someone with NPD will often not be able to experience empathy, and therefore is more likely to exploit others for their own means.

“Many will also feel a sense of emptiness, which coincides with other problems such as anxiety and depression. Therefore NPD is mostly a far more serious problem than that which falls within the wide range of what is defined as being a ‘narcissist’.”

Myth: All narcissists are incapable of love

While love and relationships may be more difficult for some with NPD, they aren’t impossible. Peter explains, “Narcissism is on a continuum, and healthy amounts can allow people to not constantly overestimate life’s challenges and connect with people without feeling inferior. Many forms of love necessitate an ability to be able to connect, at least in some form

It’s time to put the fun back into social media

Ever find yourself tapping out of social media feeling worse than you did before? Bad news, comparison traps, and toxic trends can wear you down over time. So, follow these steps to take back control of your feed.

1. Focus on following pages that inspire you

What are the things that interest you, that really make you tick? It could be crafting, gardening, music, DIY, cooking, books, or film. Hunt down and follow accounts dedicated to sharing content on these topics. You’ll then have the chance to soak up inspiration, and you might even learn a thing or two as you go, meaning you’ll be leaving Instagram with more knowledge and drive than you went in with.

2. Make use of the ‘mute’ button

Social media politics is a real thing, and we all know the anxiety that can accompany making the choice to ‘unfollow’ someone you know. But if someone is posting things that you find distressing, or even which just rub you up the wrong way, the ‘mute’ button is your best option. It’s especially helpful when you know the person IRL, as you’ll no longer see their posts popping on your feed, but you’re still ‘following’ them, and so have the option to check in with them from time to time.

3. Turn off ‘like’ counts

If chasing ‘likes’ is something that causes you stress, or has you second-guessing what you should or shouldn’t share, now’s the time to turn them off. You can hide likes on the things that you post, and also on other people’s posts, by heading into the settings on the app. This eliminates a key factor in comparison culture, and also encourages you to share happy memories and special moments without the worry of how those ‘likes’ will add up.

4. Feed the algorithm

The algorithm appears to work in strange and mysterious ways. And while sometimes it can get things right and show us content that we want, it can also get things wrong and we might find ourselves face-to-face with something we could have done without seeing. If that happens on your ‘Explore’ page, did you know that you can let Instagram know it wasn’t for you? Simply tap the options button, and mark it as ‘not interested’. You can also feed it in other ways, by ‘saving’ and ‘liking’ the things that you really love.

Over time, your algorithm should learn what works for you, and if you’re employing other techniques for creating a more positive feed, it shouldn’t be long before your social media feeds start to blossom.