Our thoughts

An evidence-based guide for parents of a teenager whose mood and energy dip in winter: the winter blues or SAD, what helps, and when to talk to the GP.

Your child is lying awake, or can't get up in the morning, and worry seems to be part of it. How sleep and anxiety feed each other, what the research says about screens, and what helps.

An evidence-based guide for parents of a child or young person who seems lonely or has no friends: what is normal, what the research shows actually helps, and when it makes sense to seek support.

Your child has started secondary school and it's not going well. Here is what's normal in the first few weeks, how to tell ordinary settling in from something that needs help, and what genuinely makes a difference.

Your child has left home for university, and you’re worried. What the evidence actually says about university and mental health, why your child may not tell you they’re struggling, and what a parent can still do from a distance.

If your child seems fine at school but falls apart at home, or quietly withdraws while you sense something is wrong, you’re not imagining it. A calm, practical guide to helping school see the full picture.

You might find yourself wondering if you’re being too soft or if the school is judging you. These worries are completely normal. This guide explains what’s really happening when a child can’t face school, and practical ways to support them at home and with the school.

A real answer rather than "it depends". What the research says about how long counselling takes to work for children and young people, what progress looks like early on, and when to review.

If your teenager avoids anything that puts them on the spot, you may be wondering whether counselling would help. What the evidence says, what sessions involve, and how to find a counsellor who fits.

How to tell ordinary teenage ups and downs from something that needs a professional look, when to book a GP appointment, and what to say so your child is heard.

Burnout in a child or young person is more than tiredness, and it isn’t something they can simply push through. What burnout looks like, why it builds up, and how to support your child through recovery.

You don’t need to wait for a crisis. How to tell a rough patch from something that needs support, what actually happens in counselling sessions, and how to raise the idea with your child.

Almost every child and teenager has intrusive thoughts. Understand what they are, why they happen, and how to help your child feel calmer and more in control.

The relationship between your child and their therapist matters more than the type of therapy. Here is how to find the right fit, and what to do if it’s not working.

Facing a long CAMHS wait, or a referral that was turned down? This guide covers how to get your child’s needs heard, work with school, support them while you wait, and decide whether private therapy is worth considering.

"Unmotivated" is rarely laziness. A guide to the real reasons a child or teenager loses motivation, how to tell which one you are seeing, and what genuinely helps.