Combatting loneliness and boosting social connection by Noel Bell
April 7, 2025 My latest podcast is about combatting loneliness and boosting social isolation. In the attached link (see below) I chat with Marina Sabolova, founder of OK Talk, a counselling practice based in Portishead. In the chat we specifically reference the Chatty Café Scheme, a fantastic initiative that encourages open, friendly chats in local cafés, seeking to reduce isolation one
What is loss chasing and how to break the cycle by Noel Bell
February 17, 2025 Loss chasing typically defines the transition from recreational gambling to disordered gambling. It is the tendency of a gambler to amplify their betting in an effort to recoup prior losses. Loss chasing for traders and gamblers occurs when discipline to a pre-determined strategy is abandoned in favour of a more aggressive approach. When traders review
How to deal with a friend who has become an emotional drain by Noel Bell
December 31, 2024 Here’s how to spot when your friend has become an emotional drain. The conversation tends to increasingly become all about them No matter what success you may have had, such as a new job, a new relationship, or a new house move, for example, they will twist your news and only see the perceived negative
IFS for your dog? by Noel Bell
December 5, 2024 I have often wondered why there are so many approaches and new theories that emerge so regularly in the world of counselling and psychotherapy. By the latest estimates, there are over 500 different types of psychotherapy approaches, all seemingly offering the silver bullet that can prove the difference when in pursuit of uniqueness and excellence. One
How to effectively address your relationship problems by Noel Bell
October 11, 2024 My latest article on addressing relationship problems has been published on the Counselling Directory website. Setting healthy boundaries can potentially help to keep us safe when dealing with others, whether this in the romantic sphere, social setting, family environment or work space. But setting boundaries and enforcing them are often two very different challenges. To
The importance of cognitive distortions for skilled problem gamblers by Noel Bell
September 11, 2024 What’s this, a post about being a skilled ‘problem gambler’, surely a dichotomy of terms? However, there can be many misconceptions held by counsellors and therapists seeking to treat problem gamblers. One such misconception is to treat them all as mere ‘mug punters’, since in seeking to beat the house, they are seen to be
Me interviewed on BBC Radio London by Noel Bell
July 15, 2024 Today I was interviewed by Shay Kaur Grewal on BBC Radio London about relationships (see embedded link) and specifically when seeking to rekindle sparks in long term relationships. In the interview we discussed how date nights can work and what couples might be experiencing when approaching therapists for help in their relationship. Noel Bell is
CPD and Deliberate Practice by Noel Bell
June 27, 2024 I am quoted in the attached feature article from the current edition of the UKCP journal NEW Psychotherapist by Emma Ledger (see attachment below) about new beginnings and specifically using choice of continuing professional development (CPD) courses to support the principles of Deliberate Practice. The concept of Deliberate Practice says that the best performing therapists