As a counsellor working in Basingstoke, Hampshire I understand that many people are feeling a range of emotions as the world embraces our ‘new normal’ following two years of lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions. After such a long period of time, during which we have adjusted to a certain way of life, how do we navigate this different landscape? Naturally this question brings up some difficult feelings, and I am here to help you walk through them.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone in how you are feeling. So many people I speak with are anxious or worried about ‘returning to the world’,. Big social occasions, or even going inside a crowded shop or pub, can feel scary, which is only natural after these activities were taken away from us for so long. I am here to help you process these feelings and develop techniques for managing them as you navigate certain life situations that you may find stressful.

Another feeling that you may have is a sense of anger at a lack of control in your life. For so long, we were all instructed by the government to remain indoors - instructions most of us followed very closely. Now that we have been given freedom to go outside, all of a sudden many find themselves now being told what to do by their boss, namely return to the office, for no clearly viable reason. It is perfectly natural to feel angry at the lack of control you have over these decisions, and how they affect your wellbeing and pattern of life.

You may not want to go back to the office, or attend large social gatherings, yet there feels like there is enormous pressure to do so - from friends, from government figures, from your work. Amid all these forces, it can be hard to remain close to how you feel within yourself - what you really want.

If you are experiencing this kind of issue, or any problems relating to the ‘new normal’, from depression to anxiety to anger, I offer a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space to talk them through with humanistic counselling in Basingstoke, Newbury, and online. I am here to give you that space where you can express your honest feelings in a way that makes sense to you. Feel free to get in touch with me at any time.