Ridgeway College

REMINDER..... we have moved pages! Also find us on Instagram!

As Stress Awareness Month comes to an end, we wanted to add a gentle reminder to all our wonderful students! 🙌

😫Counselling training asks a lot of you.

You’re learning, reflecting, holding others, assignments, placements and meeting parts of yourself along the way!

Of course stress shows up.

🌸Please remember, this does not mean you are failing..... Far from it! You are human.

Just a reminder…
you don’t have to carry it quietly.

Your tutors are there. Your peers are there. The college is there. Also I am here too (DM's always open). 🙂

📣Reach out. Let yourself be supported.

Reminder we have moved pages!
Make sure you follow our new page. We are also on Instagram 😊

We hope you’re enjoying the Easter break 🐣💫

🌸A chance to slow things down a little, catch your breath, and step out of the hamster wheel of life!

This can be such a needed pause… but sometimes, when everything goes quiet, our minds don’t always follow! 😅 (thanks brain!)

If yours has been feeling a little buzzy, full, or hard to switch off, take a moment! give yourself permission to engage in this little task 😁

Use the journal prompts below, and take some time to explore gently. 💭 But please remember there is no pressure to have answers and no expectation to “fix” anything. 🧘‍♂️

Be kind to yourself this half term!
you deserve the same care you give to everyone else 💙

Reminder: we have moved pages.
Also join us on Instagram!

😫Counselling training can be intense.
Reflective practice. Emotional processing. Academic pressure. Group dynamics.

For neurodivergent students, that intensity can land differently.

• Sensory overwhelm in classrooms
• Processing delays in group discussions
• Executive functioning challenges with deadlines
• Rejection sensitivity during skills feedback

🙏At Ridgeway College, we continue to reflect on how we create learning environments that are accessible and affirming.

That means:

🌱Clear expectations.
🌱Flexibility.
🌱Multiple ways to engage.
🌱Compassion over assumption.

lets all ensure this week we are removing unnecessary barriers so that every student has the opportunity to thrive.🥰

💙Different brains bring different strengths.
Pattern recognition. Deep empathy. Creative problem solving. Lateral thinking.

In a counselling room, those strengths matter.

🙌This week, and every week, we remain committed to building spaces where difference is not merely accommodated, but respected.

thanks to for this image!

Reminder: we have moved pages.
Also join us on Instagram!

World sleep day! March 13th!

💤Sleep is the scaffolding holding the whole mental health house upright. Remove it and everything starts to wobble.😫

With that in mind, lets have a look at sleep hygiene!

⏰Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and practices that promote better sleep, including maintaining a regular sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, optimizing the sleep environment, and avoiding stimulants like caffeine and alcohol before bed.

By improving sleep hygiene, individuals can enhance the quality and duration of their sleep, which can positively impact overall health and well-being.

Here are our top tips!💙
🌙Regular Sleep Schedule:
Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends, helps regulate the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.

🌙Relaxing Bedtime Routine:
Engaging in calming activities before bed, such as reading, taking a warm bath, or listening to calming music, can help wind down and prepare for sleep.

🌙Optimizing the Sleep Environment:
Ensuring the bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet can promote better sleep. Using room-darkening shades, earplugs, or a fan can be helpful.

🌙Avoiding Stimulants:
Limiting caffeine, ni****ne, and alcohol intake, especially in the evening, can prevent sleep disturbances.

🌙Managing Stress:
Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing can help reduce stress and improve sleep quality.

🌙Exercise:
Avoiding heavy meals before bed, and engaging in regular physical activity can also positively impact sleep. However strenuous exercise just before bed, can lead to feeling unsettled.

What helps you settle to sleep?

Reminder we have moved pages!
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For this weeks mindful exercise, lets explore mindful eating! 🥰
🍽At lunchtime today, try eating just a few bites with full attention.
Notice the temperature.
The texture.
Any flavours.💙

No rules. No “eat slowly” pressure. No perfect mindfulness moment.
Lets just gently bring your attention back to the act of eating, even briefly.
Mindful eating can be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your body during a busy day.🙏

Reminder that we have switched pages 😊 please follow our new page! And follow us on Instagram

We know our students have a love hate relationship with triads! but they are absolutely VITAL for development! 🙌

Triads are a common exercise in counselling training that helps students practice their therapeutic skills and develop their understanding of professional concepts. In a triad, students take on the roles of therapist, client, and observer, and provide feedback to each other. 😍

Here are some benefits of using triads in counselling training🧐:
🔷Students can practice their therapeutic skills with each other.
🔷 Students can receive constructive feedback from the observer.
🔷Students can practice taking on their professional role for the first time in a safe, supportive environment.
🔷Students can demonstrate their understanding of professional concepts.
🔷Students can role play realistic situations, which can help the counsellor use appropriate counselling skills.

We can learn so much from our peers! Triads are there to support students in their learning journey, our tutors will help guide in a gentle way 🫶
Note to our students: YOU GOT THIS! and we have got you 😀

Just a reminder!!

We have moved - Find our new page here!
Also please follow on Instagram!



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🌱

When your mind feels busy or overwhelmed, grounding through your hands can help bring you back to the present moment. 🙏

Take a moment to notice what your hands are touching.
Is it warm or cool? Smooth or textured? Light or heavy?
Pay attention to the pressure, the movement, and the sensation.
You don’t need silence, stillness, or perfect focus.

Just noticing what your hands can feel can help your nervous system settle, even a little. 💙

Small moments of awareness can make a difference.

WE HAVE MOVED 😁

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Self injury Awareness Day💙

Self-injury is not attention-seeking.
It’s not a phase.
It’s not a failure of strength.

🙏For many people, it’s a coping strategy, a way to manage unbearable emotional pain when words feel impossible, when regulation feels out of reach, when survival is the goal.

As counsellors (and counsellors in training), awareness means:
• listening without judgement
• being curious, not reactive
• understanding the function of the behaviour, not just trying to stop it
• holding compassion alongside risk awareness

🌱Recovery starts with safety, understanding, and being met where you are. Shame has no place!

If today brings things up for you personally or professionally, you don’t have to hold it alone. Reach out, ground yourself, take care.🧘‍♀️

Awareness saves lives.
Connection changes them.

Eating problems Find information about eating problems and eating disorders, including what can cause them, what the treatments are, and tips for taking care of yourself.

As this week is coming to a close, here are a few more statistics we would like to share with you all! 💙

I (Zoe) specialise in this particular area. I have many qualifications and extensive experience working within eating disorder organisations. If you are struggling and needed signposting, pop us a DM and I will pick it up and reply. Making sure you are pointed in the right direction. 🫶

Please do not struggle in silence. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates within psychiatric illnesses. Also if you are a parent or carer, please do seek support for yourself too! Supporting someone with this illness is so emotionally confusing. We see you, we are here for you too. 😘