The Science Behind Gratitude
By: Sabrina Peters
Have you ever sat with a friend or colleague and thought, ‘How are they still standing?‘
Tag Archive for: mental health
Persistent Depressive Disorder: Often Overlooked, but Worth Noticing
By: Thomas Cheeseman
Depression doesn’t always appear like a crisis. Sometimes it’s quieter, longer-lasting, and easier to overlook.
Four God-Centered Ways to Overcome Burnout
By: Telana Sladen
Burnout has become a familiar word in modern life. Many people describe themselves as constantly tired, overwhelmed, or emotionally drained. Yet while burnout may feel normal, it was never meant to define how we live.
Chronic Pain: Effective Practices To Support Daily Living
By: Michelle Nortje
Chronic pain can be a debilitating and arduous experience. However, I have a few clients who have been inspirational to me, in how they have faced up to these challenges with awareness, curiosity and grace. Despite what can feel like never-ending discomfort, mental well-being and hope can still be possible.
What Do We Mean by Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is pain that lasts for longer than three months, or beyond the usual time it takes for tissues or injuries to heal. It might begin after an injury, illness, or surgery, or sometimes with no clear starting point at all.
Importantly, chronic pain is not just a signal of tissue damage. Over time, the nervous system itself can become more sensitive, meaning the brain and body stay on “high alert,” even when there is no ongoing injury. Pain, in this sense, becomes a learned and reinforced experience within the nervous system.
This doesn’t mean the pain is “imaginary”! Chronic pain is very real, and it reflects changes in how the brain, nerves, muscles, and stress systems interact.
How Chronic Pain and Mental Health Affect Each Other
Chronic pain doesn’t exist in isolation. It often becomes tightly linked with mood, energy, sleep, and motivation.
Many people notice that over time:
- Pain leads to reduced activity, social withdrawal, or avoidance
- Reduced activity can contribute to low mood, frustration, or hopelessness
- Depression and anxiety increase muscle tension, inflammation, and pain sensitivity
- The nervous system becomes caught in a pain–stress–fatigue cycle
This creates a loop:
Pain → less movement and pleasure → lower mood → heightened pain sensitivity
The encouraging news is that this loop can be interrupted. Gently supporting the nervous system can reduce pain intensity, increase confidence in the body, and improve quality of life.
Simple, Evidence-Based Practices to Support Chronic Pain
These practices are not about “getting rid” of pain or pushing through it. Instead, they aim to calm the nervous system, reduce reactivity, and help the body relearn safety.
Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.
1. Mindful Attention to the Body
Mindfulness for pain is not about ignoring pain or trying to make it disappear. It’s about noticing sensations with curiosity rather than fear.
How to practise:
- Choose a comfortable position
- Gently bring attention to your breath or body
- When pain shows up, notice its qualities (pressure, heat, movement) rather than judging it
- If the sensation feels overwhelming, shift attention to a neutral or pleasant area (e.g., hands, feet, or breath)
Why this helps:
Mindfulness reduces threat signalling in the brain and helps separate pain from suffering. Research shows it can reduce pain intensity, distress, and depressive symptoms.
2. Visualising Safety and Comfort
The brain responds to imagery in much the same way it responds to real experiences. Visualisation can be a powerful way to signal safety to the nervous system.
How to practise:
- Close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel safe or at ease
- Picture details: colours, textures, sounds
- If helpful, imagine warmth, softness, or gentle support around painful areas
Why this helps:
Visualisation can reduce muscle guarding and calm the stress response, which often amplifies pain signals.
3. Gentle, Paced Movement
When pain is persistent, it’s common to either avoid movement altogether or push too hard on “good days.” Both can increase flare-ups.
How to practise:
- Choose small, predictable amounts of movement (e.g., a short walk, stretching)
- Keep it consistent rather than reactive to pain levels
- Focus on what your body can do, not what it can’t
Why this helps:
Regular movement reassures the nervous system that the body is safe, reduces stiffness, and improves mood and confidence over time.
4. Compassionate Self-Talk During Pain Flares
How we speak to ourselves during pain matters. Threat-based thoughts (“This will never end,” “My body is broken”) increase nervous system arousal.
How to practise:
- Notice critical or catastrophic thoughts
- Gently replace them with supportive statements such as:
- “This is difficult, and I’m doing my best”
- “My body is trying to protect me”
- “This sensation can change”
Why this helps:
Self-compassion reduces stress hormones, lowers emotional distress, and supports emotional resilience, all of which influence pain processing.
A Hopeful Note
Living with chronic pain can be exhausting and isolating. But pain is not fixed, and the nervous system remains changeable throughout life. Small, consistent practices that support safety, awareness, and self-kindness can gradually reduce pain intensity, improve mood, and help you reconnect with your life, even if pain is still present.
Support from a psychologist, physiotherapist, GP, or pain-informed therapist can further tailor these approaches to your unique experience. Contact the Centre for Effective Living for further support or questions. Some other helpful websites include Pain Australia and PainHealth.
Feature image: Canva
Genetics & Mental Health Issues: What’s the Link?
By: Laura Bennett
We know social and environmental factors can influence symptoms of depression, but what about genetics? Does our ancestry play into how we process life’s stressful events?
This article discusses mental health topics. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
A recent study from McGill University and the Douglas Institute looked at the effects of depression on the brain and, after examining post-mortem brain tissue from individuals who died during an episode of major depressive disorder. Researchers found that certain neurons and microglia may function differently in people living with depression – disrupting systems related to mood, stress and inflammation.
“Our genetic makeup can influence how sensitive we are to stress and how we respond to it,” Clarity Health Care Psychologist Enzo Somosi said.
“For some people, that heightened sensitivity can make them more vulnerable to mental health struggles, but it doesn’t mean those challenges are inevitable.”
Enzo explained on a physical level, depression can influence the way different areas of the brain “talk” to each other – some regions may show inflammation or thinning, while hormones such as cortisol can become irregular – and while genetics also play a part, it’s not in a deterministic way.
“It’s best to think of mental health issues as the result of a gene–environment interaction,” Enzo said.
The “dandelion-orchid” theory created by Dr. W. Thomas Boyce is often used by mental health practitioners to assess how sensitive a person is to their environment.
“The dandelion–orchid idea is a really helpful way to understand how our genes and our environment work together,” Enzo said.
“Some people are a bit like dandelions – they can grow almost anywhere.
“They feel emotions, of course, but they tend to move through things more quickly and cope well across a range of circumstances.
“Others are more like orchids. They’re equally beautiful, but they’re more sensitive to what’s happening around them.
“A bit of stress or a difficult patch in life can hit harder and take longer to recover from.
“But the important part is that, just like real orchids, with the right care and the right conditions, they can thrive.
“This perspective helps us understand a person’s temperament and how we can best support them, rather than assuming everyone responds to life in the same way,” he said.
To safeguard mental wellbeing Enzo encouraged simple, caring steps: regular exercise, a balanced diet, healthy sleep rhythms and staying socially connected.
“One of the biggest [helps] is recognising that you can improve in these areas and that your wellbeing isn’t fixed,” Enzo said.
“Staying connected with your community also makes a difference, even if it feels a bit tedious at times. Pushing through to meet up with friends and having a yarn about whatever’s going on can really help protect against developing more chronic mental health issues.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
About the Author: Laura Bennett is a media professional, broadcaster and writer from Sydney, Australia.
Feature image: Canva
Genetics & Mental Health Issues: What’s the Link?
By: Laura Bennett
We know social and environmental factors can influence symptoms of depression, but what about genetics? Does our ancestry play into how we process life’s stressful events?
Why Grief Isn’t Something To Fix: How To Move Through It, Not Fight It
By: Lauren Chee
Grief is an universal human experience – and yet it is commonly misunderstood. Many of my clients ask for help to move through or “fix” their grief.
Jesus Saves, Therapy Helps
By: Sabrina Peters
As a Christian (and a pastor), I hold a deep conviction that Jesus saves. I believe He is the source of ultimate healing, redemption, and hope. His love reaches into the darkest corners of our lives, offering forgiveness, freedom, and a future.
What Keeps Low Self-Esteem Going?
By: Sabrina Peters
Low self-esteem isn’t just about lacking confidence. It’s deeper than that. It’s about carrying around a quiet ache that says, “I’m not enough.” It’s the internal narrative that keeps whispering that you don’t measure up, that you’re unworthy, unlovable, or destined to fail.
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