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Pink Corner

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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.

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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Knowing Yourself

By  •  Life

We can spend a lot of time worrying about our relationships with other people and what they think of us. Yet one of the most important relationships in our lives …
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Valentine’s To Go: Ten dining options we love from across Donegal 3 years ago

Valentine’s To Go: Ten dining options we love from across Donegal

By  •  Food

Valentine’s Day 2021 may be absent of romantic restaurant bookings, but that doesn’t mean we can’t treat ourselves to food we love with the people we love.

Many Donegal …
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Prioritising your wellbeing in 2021 3 years ago

Prioritising your wellbeing in 2021

By  •  Health, Life

The past 12 months have been like no other in living memory and it is important that we take a compassionate look at our self-development and mental health in 2021.


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3 daily tips to help grow your confidence 3 years ago

3 daily tips to help grow your confidence

By  •  Health

Sometimes we view confidence as something that is so unattainable, but it isn’t really. Confidence can be learned, it is a habit that we can reinforce by repeating certain actions …
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Boost your confidence by showing yourself some self-compassion 4 years ago

Boost your confidence by showing yourself some self-compassion

By  •  Health

We all have that annoying, negative voice in our heads. The voice that criticises, doubts and generally puts you down. Destroying your confidence and feeding your anxiety.

Sometimes we …
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Three reasons to surround yourself with positive people 4 years ago

Three reasons to surround yourself with positive people

By  •  Health

The people who you spend the most time with can influence or change your mood and how you view yourself and your abilities.

When you are surrounded by positive people …
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Double delight as Joanne completes ‘Hike for Heroes’ 4 years ago

Double delight as Joanne completes ‘Hike for Heroes’

Gortahork woman Joanne Cullen set up Hike for Heroes at the start of May in aid of Letterkenny University Hospital and the Donegal Hospice.

 Joanne is pictured above with Geraldine …
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Caring for yourself and your family during lockdown 4 years ago

Caring for yourself and your family during lockdown

By  •  Health, Kids

The coronavirus outbreak has affected our daily lives. It can be a big adjustment, as we create a new routine at home, with home-schooling and working from home. Tensions might …
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5 ways to create a new routine for your wellness at this time 4 years ago

5 ways to create a new routine for your wellness at this time

By  •  Health

Without a routine, our life can feel stressful and unpredictable. If you have a mental health condition, this unpredictability and lack of structure can cause you extra stress, worry, as …
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15 wellness tips for self-isolation 4 years ago

15 wellness tips for self-isolation

By  •  Health

The main focus at the minute with my clients, myself, my friends, my family and probably the majority of people is how can we care for our emotional and mental …
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How to create a vision board 4 years ago

How to create a vision board

By  •  Health

I love vision boards, for me they’re an opportunity to think about what you would like in your life, big or small. They are one of the best visualisation tools.


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5 ways to bring positivity into your life 4 years ago

5 ways to bring positivity into your life

By  •  Health

Being positive will impact your life in so many ways. Your relationships with others will improve as people are drawn to positive people and your stress levels will decrease helping …
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Facing social anxiety 4 years ago

Facing social anxiety

By  •  Health

Social anxiety, put simply, is the fear of social situations.

Living with social anxiety can be frustrating and overwhelming. Your mind is constantly jumping to the worst case scenario. …
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Managing your negative thoughts 5 years ago

Managing your negative thoughts

By  •  Health

Negative thoughts can spontaneously pop into our heads, sometimes in an intrusive and critical way.

It can happen whilst you’re having a coffee with a friend. When suddenly a negative …
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Your future is not defined by your Leaving Cert results 5 years ago

Your future is not defined by your Leaving Cert results

By  •  Health

If you received your Leaving Cert results today, please do not let them dictate your future and the person who you are.

I cried when I received mine, and not …
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Tidy House = Tidy Mind? 5 years ago

Tidy House = Tidy Mind?

By  •  Health

The benefits of a tidy and organised home are obvious.

Cleaning can be an outlet for energy and negative emotions. Removing dust, dirt and clutter from our environment provides you …
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Why ‘Me’ time is a necessity, not a luxury 5 years ago

Why ‘Me’ time is a necessity, not a luxury

By  •  Health

Life can be hectic, chaotic, noisy…

It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, no matter who you are or what your social media feed or stories say.


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5 ways to manage social anxiety this summer 5 years ago

5 ways to manage social anxiety this summer

By  •  Health

Social anxiety can impact on people in different ways. Some people will find that all social situations are stressful, while others will only feel the fear when they have to …
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We all need a little Afternoon Indulgence sometimes! 5 years ago

We all need a little Afternoon Indulgence sometimes!

Visit our Facebook giveaway here to win this Afternoon Indulgence experience for two!

Driving up to Lough Eske Castle feels like you’re entering another world. And it definitely did …
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How you can help care for a new mum 5 years ago

How you can help care for a new mum

By  •  Health

Statistics often say one thing about postpartum mood disorders and social media says another. Many new mums feel like they can’t identify with the happy messages being shared on social …
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College Corner: The surprising things you learn at university 5 years ago

College Corner: The surprising things you learn at university

By  •  Life

College is finished!

What an incredible three years it has been. Dublin City University was the place where I guess you could say, helped shape me become the woman …
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Identity: Learning to like who you are 5 years ago

Identity: Learning to like who you are

By  •  Health

Your self-talk is one of the major factors in helping to shape your identity.

Studies show that self-talk can improve your memory, confidence and focus.

Show yourself some kindness


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Motherhood Unplugged – Why we need Maternal Mental Health Day 5 years ago

Motherhood Unplugged – Why we need Maternal Mental Health Day

By  •  Health, Mammy

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week starts April 29th – May 3rd. Maternal Mental Health Day is May 1st.

As many as 1 in 5 mothers experience some type of perinatal …
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Taking the first step into counselling 5 years ago

Taking the first step into counselling

By  •  Health

Visiting a counsellor for the first time is incredibly daunting and it can be really difficult. Many people will often think about making that first appointment for months before they …
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Have you seen my confidence? 5 years ago

Have you seen my confidence?

By  •  Health

Confidence is something that (mostly) everyone will struggle with, at least once in their lives. Whether it is your confidence in work, in college, as a mum, as a …
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Why social anxiety is more than just being shy 5 years ago

Why social anxiety is more than just being shy

By  •  Health

Social anxiety is more than just being shy.

• Social anxiety is all-consuming, slowly stealing your confidence and identity.

It is making you feel lost, unsure of …
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Don’t forget to love yourself this Valentine’s Day 5 years ago

Don’t forget to love yourself this Valentine’s Day

By  •  Health, Life

Valentine’s Day puts the emphasis on love for someone special in your life.

Yet YOU are the most important person in your life.

Why not make this day about loving yourself?


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Naming Your Anxiety 5 years ago

Naming Your Anxiety

By  •  Health

Whether you get physical panic attacks or mental mayhem, heart palpitations or cognitive chaos. If you feel isolated or watched,  terrified of a crowd or of interacting with one person …
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Caring for yourself this New Year 5 years ago

Caring for yourself this New Year

By  •  Health

Living with a mental illness this time of year can be hard. There is so much pressure pouring in from social media, society etc to “start over” or change how …
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5 ways to manage social anxiety 6 years ago

5 ways to manage social anxiety

By  •  Health

Anxiety is a part of everyday life for many people. Yet you may be completely unaware, as so many people put in a lot of energy and time in hiding …
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Sarah Jessica Parker has so much love for Donegal in this poetic farewell 6 years ago

Sarah Jessica Parker has so much love for Donegal in this poetic farewell

By  •  News

Sex and the City star Sarah Jesica Parker’s holiday with husband Matthew Broderick and kids in Kilcar has come to an end this week.

SJ, being the literary fan that …
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Celeb couple SJP and Matthew Broderick take a break in the hills of Donegal 6 years ago

Celeb couple SJP and Matthew Broderick take a break in the hills of Donegal

By  •  News

Donegal is welcoming some A-List guests this week as Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick visit the county on a summer getaway.

The Hollywood actors have checked into to their holiday …
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Wedding Inspiration: Four Donegal’s best profiles to follow 6 years ago

Wedding Inspiration: Four Donegal’s best profiles to follow

Planning a wedding is so exciting and of course us brides-to-be flock online to research all things weddings!

There are so many fantastic sites out there to go to for …
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Jigsaw to launch digital support portal 6 years ago

Jigsaw to launch digital support portal

By  •  News

Jigsaw has 13 centres nationwide including on Pearse Road, Letterkenny which provides free, non-judgemental and confidential mental health support service for Donegal’s young people aged 12 – 25.

This new …
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American girl (11) delighted as her message in a bottle is answered from Donegal 6 years ago

American girl (11) delighted as her message in a bottle is answered from Donegal

By  •  News

On the 2nd of January 2017, Catherine and her older sister Una went to the seaside. While her sister swam in the frigid waters off Singing Beach, Catherine threw the …
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Letterkenny mum leads campaign for Organ Donor Awareness Week 6 years ago

Letterkenny mum leads campaign for Organ Donor Awareness Week

Her children Zoe, Féile and Mollie, also took part in the awareness campaign alongside broadcaster Claire Byrne.

In 2017 Ireland recorded a record number of organ donors and transplants, which …
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Donegal siblings score highly in prestigious dance competition 6 years ago

Donegal siblings score highly in prestigious dance competition

By  •  News

Emily (13) placed second in the prestigious competition and was awarded the coveted Globe trophy. Her brother Thomas also scored highly, placing 16th in his category.

Emily has been …
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Eilish’s message in a bottle makes remarkable 400km trip 6 years ago

Eilish’s message in a bottle makes remarkable 400km trip

By  •  News

A Wexford mum is hoping to get in touch with the man who found her daughter’s message in a bottle – on the other side of the country!

Little Eilish …
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Calling all couples: Would you like to share your REAL wedding stories? 6 years ago

Calling all couples: Would you like to share your REAL wedding stories?

One of my favourite things to do is to share all of the tips and tricks I have learned over the years as a wedding planner to help you to …
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5 ways to deal with rejection when feeling anxious 6 years ago

5 ways to deal with rejection when feeling anxious

By  •  Health

Rejection is hard for most people. Since childhood, we have looked for acceptance from our friends in school to our parents at home. Sometimes doing whatever we can and …
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Nominations open for Outstanding Young Person of the Year award 6 years ago

Nominations open for Outstanding Young Person of the Year award

By  •  News

Junior Chamber International (JCI) Donegal are running a competition to identify those in the community who have done something remarkable. Nominations to identify these outstanding young people in Donegal are …
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Can you help us reunite this Letterkenny family? 6 years ago

Can you help us reunite this Letterkenny family?

By  •  News

Yvonne Richardson (née Jenkins) is seeking information on her grandmother, Ellen Deery (or perhaps Deary), whose family was based in Letterkenny. Ellen’s father, James Deery, was a farmer in the …
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Watch: American woman’s dream of relocating to Donegal comes true 6 years ago

Watch: American woman’s dream of relocating to Donegal comes true

Kelly appeared on the hit US show ‘House Hunters International’ which was broadcast on the American HGTV channel earlier this week.

Kelly sold her home and pet care businesses in …
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Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Sunday Fundays 6 years ago

Thoroughly Modern Mammy – Sunday Fundays

By  •  Mammy

Spring

It’s here. Well it’s TRYING to be here.

And now that Mammy and Daddy are done with rehearsals, our weekly Sunday Fundays must commence! Up in the …
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This couple’s unique wedding is one for the history books 6 years ago

This couple’s unique wedding is one for the history books

The bride and groom had been searching for somewhere special to celebrate their big day – and upon finding the Donegal beauty spot online, they knew it would be the …
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Travel: Sampling the high life at the Shandon Hotel 6 years ago

Travel: Sampling the high life at the Shandon Hotel

This week I had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Shandon Hotel & Spa to celebrate the opening of the new Marbles Restaurant.

I had never stayed at the …
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Donegal women lead the way in law 6 years ago

Donegal women lead the way in law

By  •  News

Figures released by the Law Society Gazette have revealed that there are more female solicitors than male solicitors in Donegal.

For the first time, the Society has revealed the county …
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Beaming Bernie bags €23,000 on Winning Streak! 6 years ago

Beaming Bernie bags €23,000 on Winning Streak!

Bernie’s parents Hilda and John Joe made the trip from Mountcharles to cheer her on along with sisters Kate, Mags, Hilda Jnr and Eimear, husband Macarten (Mac), kids Liam (9) …
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Local LEGO camps get bigger and better for the Easter holidays 6 years ago

Local LEGO camps get bigger and better for the Easter holidays

By  •  Kids

After a very successful run of Christmas and Mid Term camps, Bricks 4 Kidz Donegal has just released an even greater schedule of Easter camps!

Twelve camps are taking place …
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