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Pink Corner

Health


I am a qualified integrative counsellor with over 6 years experience and founder of New Beginnings Counselling. I also have a BA (hons) degree in Sociology and Social Policy. I believe we are all capable of creating a change in our lives that lead to personal growth and development and sometimes we need a helping hand in making this change. Counselling and psychotherapy can support you, in any area of your life that you may be struggling with or with feelings of anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, anger or stress. It can also help you through major life transitions such as motherhood, a change in living situations or in relationships. By guiding you to reconnect with your authentic self, your values and identity. Improving your confidence and self-worth.  Psychotherapy and counselling are closely linked, however counselling will often focus on the problems and parts of ourselves that we are already aware of. Psychotherapy will go deeper, uncovering things that may be hidden to us or that we are not consciously aware of.  My approach to therapy is a non-clinical and therapeutic approach. My aim is to help decrease negative stigma surrounding mental health and normalising it within our society. We all have mental health and it is our responsibility to care for it, just as we care for our physical health. I also believe in mental health education and I share information, strategies and techniques on how we can best care for our mental health and well-being, through my client work, workshops and in the articles I write. I offer my clients a safe space to talk, to be heard and understood without judgement. Therapy is different for everyone as we are all unique with our own world view. However it often focuses on helping clients to resolve problems, understand their thought patterns, gain new perspectives, learn how to catch, challenge and change cognitive distortions, improve their self-worth and sense of self and build a toolkit full of positive coping mechanisms. Therapy offers you the opportunity to resolve, process and let go of pain and worries that you have been carrying. It helps you to live authentically and with purpose. Prioritise yourself as you are the most important person to you.

How to manage social anxiety this Christmas 2 years ago

How to manage social anxiety this Christmas

With Christmas getting closer, many of us will feel a mixture of excitement and worry. However, for those of you who live with social anxiety, Christmas can be a very …
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Minding yourself through grief this Christmas 2 years ago

Minding yourself through grief this Christmas

By  •  Health

Any special occasion, like Christmas or any ‘first’ can be so difficult when you are bereaved, with each occasion such as a birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Christmas bringing …
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7 Beliefs of People with High Self-Worth 2 years ago

7 Beliefs of People with High Self-Worth

By  •  Health

Self-worth is knowing that you are good enough and worthy of love. It is being able to validate yourself from within and not relying on external validation.

Below are 7 beliefs …
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Exercise is no longer a choice 2 years ago

Exercise is no longer a choice

By  •  Health

At one point in time, people were active enough that they had a choice in whether to exercise or not. 

Their jobs or lives involved lots of movement, lifting, carrying, …
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Mica: The mental impact of living in constant fear 2 years ago

Mica: The mental impact of living in constant fear

By  •  Health

Having somewhere safe and warm to live is fundamental to our mental health and wellbeing. 

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory of psychology explaining human motivation based on the achievement of five …
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When things don’t go to plan 2 years ago

When things don’t go to plan

By  •  Health, Life

When things don’t go to plan, it is so easy to focus on the negative thought. We can start ruminating on all the things that aren’t going to plan and …
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Concern over BreastCheck uptake in Donegal Town 3 years ago

Concern over BreastCheck uptake in Donegal Town

By  •  Health

DONEGAL Action for Cancer Care say they are ‘very concerned’ that Breast Check have informed them that women who are being invited for their Breast Check screening at the Donegal Town mobile unit are cancelling their appointments.

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Breast Cancer Survivors urge women to ‘Care for your Pair’ 3 years ago

Breast Cancer Survivors urge women to ‘Care for your Pair’

Breast cancer survivors from around the country are urging women to join the Care for Your Pair movement, learn the warning signs for breast cancer and speak to two loved …
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Nikki Bradley’s brave decision 3 years ago

Nikki Bradley’s brave decision

A new phase of life awaits for Donegal’s Nikki Bradley, who has announced a major medical decision this week.

The well-known adaptive adventurer and cancer survivor is to have her …
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Covid-19 vaccines available for women at any stage of pregnancy 3 years ago

Covid-19 vaccines available for women at any stage of pregnancy

By  •  Health

Women at any stage of pregnancy are being offered an mRNA vaccine from today.

The HSE is encouraging pregnant women to take up the COVID-19 vaccine when it is offered, …
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Rosie’s exciting plans to mark diabetes milestone 3 years ago

Rosie’s exciting plans to mark diabetes milestone

A Letterkenny woman is on a mission to fundraise for a cure for diabetes – 40 years after being diagnosed with the disease.

Rosie Connolly, who is originally from Ramelton, …
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Hope as Donegal mum begins cancer treatment in US 3 years ago

Hope as Donegal mum begins cancer treatment in US

By  •  Health

A Donegal mother has started specialist lifesaving cancer treatment in America thanks to the success of a community fundraiser.

Vivienne Lynch-McDaid (48), from Buncrana, needs to undergo eight cycles of …
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Community rushes to support Donegal mum’s cancer treatment 3 years ago

Community rushes to support Donegal mum’s cancer treatment

By  •  Health, News

A Donegal woman’s medical fundraiser has received overwhelming support this weekend.

More than $116,237 (just under €100,000) has been raised to help Vivienne Lynch McDaid from Buncrana access cancer treatment …
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Five great reasons to exercise (that have nothing to do with weight loss) 3 years ago

Five great reasons to exercise (that have nothing to do with weight loss)

By  •  Health

Exercise and weight loss tend to go hand in hand. 

Whenever people think of exercise, the majority tend to be using it as a tool for getting or staying in …
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Young Donegal woman hopes for Lyme disease treatment to get her life back 3 years ago

Young Donegal woman hopes for Lyme disease treatment to get her life back

A young Castlefin woman is on an urgent search for relief from the pain of Lyme Disease.

Jenny Brolly, aged 29, has lived with poor health for the past 8 …
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Revenge bedtime procrastination – how to stop being too busy to sleep 3 years ago

Revenge bedtime procrastination – how to stop being too busy to sleep

By  •  Health

Do you ever feel so busy during the day that you just run out of hours to do the things you actually want? Following to-do lists, running errands and finding …
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What all diets have in common 3 years ago

What all diets have in common

By  •  Health

 If you google the word diet, you will get 93 MILLION suggestions that you can click on relating to the term. 

Diets are a contentious subject and there is so …
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Disconnect to reconnect 3 years ago

Disconnect to reconnect

By  •  Health

So much of our time, personally and professionally is being consumed by being present in the online world. Yet we are not always fully present in our real world, experiencing …
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How to prepare for going back to the gym 3 years ago

How to prepare for going back to the gym

By  •  Health

Next Monday, June 7th will see the welcome reopening of gyms and fitness facilities across Donegal.

My own gym Rushe Fitness here in Letterkenny will be opening at 6am and …
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Letterkenny University Hospital eases maternity restrictions 3 years ago

Letterkenny University Hospital eases maternity restrictions

From today, birthing partners will be allowed a daily 30 minute visit to the Maternity Department at Letterkenny University Hospital after the birth of the baby.

In addition birthing …
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Try the ‘Eat Real Food’ Challenge! 3 years ago

Try the ‘Eat Real Food’ Challenge!

By  •  Health

Eating real food should be what we do every day.

But with the lockdown and the past year of Covid, we are seeing more and more people turning to takeaways …
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BreastCheck continuing, but CervicalCheck deferred following HSE hack 3 years ago

BreastCheck continuing, but CervicalCheck deferred following HSE hack

By  •  Health

The National Screening Service has confirmed that BreastCheck screening appointments are proceeding as normal, following a ransomware attack on the HSE last Friday.

All BreastCheck screening appointments are proceeding as …
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Lockdown habits? No more excuses! 3 years ago

Lockdown habits? No more excuses!

By  •  Health

It has been extremely easy to fall into a rut with everything that has been going on. 

I spoke about this at the start of the initial Lockdowns back in …
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Protest calls for easing of maternity restrictions in Letterkenny 3 years ago

Protest calls for easing of maternity restrictions in Letterkenny

A small and controlled protest took place outside Letterkenny University Hospital this morning calling for restrictions to be lifted in Ireland’s maternity units.

Letterkenny University Hospital currently allows partners to …
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No, you don’t need another meal plan 3 years ago

No, you don’t need another meal plan

By  •  Health

With the gyms getting ready to reopen and people starting to think about getting back in shape after the lockdown, it is easy to think that a meal plan could …
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Ballyshannon woman is ‘most inspirational midwife of 2021’ 3 years ago

Ballyshannon woman is ‘most inspirational midwife of 2021’

By  •  Health

A DONEGAL woman as been named as ‘The Most Inspirational Midwife of 2021’.

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Don’t be afraid to get back to the gym 3 years ago

Don’t be afraid to get back to the gym

By  •  Health

With the country beginning to reopen and life starting to get back to normal, it is important to remember to schedule time for your health and fitness into your routine. 


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Donegal mum demands end to junk food ads 3 years ago

Donegal mum demands end to junk food ads

By  •  Health

A Donegal mum has spoken out against the junk food marketing that her child is being exposed to every day.

Breege Doherty, a mum-of-one, lives in Stranorlar and says she …
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Donegal woman taking important steps for MS awareness 3 years ago

Donegal woman taking important steps for MS awareness

A Donegal woman is taking on a 50km challenge in May to show that you can live well with Multiple Sclerosis.

Niamh McCarron is proof that an MS diagnosis is …
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Senator Flynn shares baby news in call for easing of maternity restrictions 3 years ago

Senator Flynn shares baby news in call for easing of maternity restrictions

Senator Eileen Flynn has announced that she is pregnant and due her second baby in September.

The Donegal-based Senator made the announcement in the Seanad on Friday during a speech …
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New Minding Mummy workshop launching this May 3 years ago

New Minding Mummy workshop launching this May

By  •  Health, Mammy

Our DW mental health columnist Sarah Barr is launching a new workshop for maternal mental health this May.

Here, Sarah shares an introduction to the Minding Mummy Workshop and how …
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New mothers in Donegal should have better access to postnatal GP care – report 3 years ago

New mothers in Donegal should have better access to postnatal GP care – report

A new report on maternity care has found that women in Donegal have the lowest attendance rates for their first postnatal check-up with their GP.

Just 44.4% of women attended …
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Review launched into gynaecology service failures at LUH 3 years ago

Review launched into gynaecology service failures at LUH

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is today launching a review of governance arrangements for gynaecology services at Letterkenny University Hospital.

The review comes after serious concerns were raised …
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Managing motherhood and lockdown 3 years ago

Managing motherhood and lockdown

By  •  Health, Mammy

The transition to motherhood is a huge transformation for many women, physically, emotionally and mentally. Add a global pandemic and lockdown on top of that and it can be so …
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Don’t worry about chocolate at Easter! 3 years ago

Don’t worry about chocolate at Easter!

By  •  Health

This is going to be short and sweet today. After all, most of you are probably still reeling from all the chocolate at the weekend.

Over the last few days, …
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Delight as Kacey gets date for vital spine surgery 3 years ago

Delight as Kacey gets date for vital spine surgery

By  •  Health, News

A Donegal teenager who needs life-changing spine surgery has been told she can go under the knife next week.

Kacey Blackburn from Raphoe needs corrective surgery after being diagnosed with …
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Three recipes for success 3 years ago

Three recipes for success

By  •  Health

Today, I’m going to give you a day of recipes that you can use straight away that are easy to make and they all taste great.

The one thing that …
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Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service demand answers over vaccine delay 3 years ago

Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service demand answers over vaccine delay

Frontline workers with the Donegal Domestic Violence Service have been left angry and frustrated as they are passed over for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Donegal Women’s Refuge has operated as …
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Life is a Gift: Donegal woman received the greatest gift of all 3 years ago

Life is a Gift: Donegal woman received the greatest gift of all

A young Donegal woman said she will be forever grateful for a kidney donation which saved her life at 14 years old.

Elizabeth Ferry (33) from Falcarragh finally got the …
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Go Green! Toast to St Patrick’s Day, the healthy way 3 years ago

Go Green! Toast to St Patrick’s Day, the healthy way

By  •  Health

Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone. 

Everything and everywhere is going green today to honour the Patron Saint of Ireland. 

It’s great to see all the businesses around Donegal doing the …
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Donegal woman settles legal battle with HSE after surviving sepsis following first birth 3 years ago

Donegal woman settles legal battle with HSE after surviving sepsis following first birth

By  •  Health

A Donegal woman who developed life-threatening sepsis after being discharged from Letterkenny University Hospital after having her first child has settled her claim against the HSE.

Caroline Cunningham was forced …
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Watch: Maternity unit tour to help Donegal mothers prepare for childbirth 3 years ago

Watch: Maternity unit tour to help Donegal mothers prepare for childbirth

By  •  Health

Letterkenny University Hospital has filmed a virtual tour of the Maternity Unit to help expectant mothers prepare for labour. The aim of the tour is to allow expectant mothers and partners/family …
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Toxic Positivity 3 years ago

Toxic Positivity

By  •  Health

Toxic positivity is the assumption, that despite a person’s emotional or mental pain or the difficult situation they may be in, they should only have a positive mindset and outlook. …
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It’s time to make time for YOU 3 years ago

It’s time to make time for YOU

By  •  Health

Happy International Women’s day ladies. 

Here’s to all the strong women that are looking after everyone else during the times we are in. 

But, today, I’m going to talk about …
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How to combat comfort food cravings 3 years ago

How to combat comfort food cravings

By  •  Health

For some people, cravings for certain types of food seem to arise when they are in a place emotionally, where they are vulnerable. 

It may happen consciously or unconsciously, but …
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Local family donates tablets to LUH after father overcomes ICU experience 3 years ago

Local family donates tablets to LUH after father overcomes ICU experience

By  •  Health

A very generous young Lifford woman and her family have raised €1,100 for The Friends of Letterkenny University Hospital cause.

The Friends of LUH committee wish to thank Rachel Doherty …
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BreastCheck routine screening to resume in Donegal 3 years ago

BreastCheck routine screening to resume in Donegal

BreastCheck routine screening is to resume at a reduced capacity in Donegal this week.

Invites are being sent out to eligible women for screening appointments dated from 08 March 2021.


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Three healthy recipes for a flipping good Pancake Tuesday feast 3 years ago

Three healthy recipes for a flipping good Pancake Tuesday feast

By  •  Food, Health

I have three Pancake Tuesday recipes coming at you today.

They range from the very simple, up to one that is for those who like to get all “Great British …
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Share the love and support LUH this Valentine’s Day 3 years ago

Share the love and support LUH this Valentine’s Day

A special fundraiser aims to raise support for The Friends of Letterkenny University Hospital this Valentine’s Day.

The ‘Rushe to Raise’ event challenges people to complete a virtual 5K wherever …
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Donegal students aim to put a stop to period stigma 3 years ago

Donegal students aim to put a stop to period stigma

A team of Transition Year students at Rosses Community School Dungloe are this year advancing a project called “Power of Periods”.

YSI Team leading the Power of Periods project at …
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