About

I've been riding horses since I was three years old. My parents bred Crabbet Arabians and we broke in and trained our own horses for as long as I can remember.

I'm also a social worker, and have been working as a mental health clinician and school counsellor for more than twenty years.

These journals are a fun, creative project to combine several of my passions - horses, writing, and counselling/wellbeing.

We know from research that journaling helps us to focus and to organise messy emotional experiences into something we can understand. Writing for just 15-20 minutes a day for four days in a row about emotionally disruptive events decreases rumination, anxiety and depressive symptoms…and boosts our immune systems (as reported in Rising Strong by Brene Brown, and recommended by therapists worldwide). And personally I have always intuitively understood the benefits of writing things down. 'Writing myself sane' is what I used to call my journaling.

There are a lot of resources for young people available, but when I think about what would have helped me as a tween and adolescent, what strikes me is the need for simplicity. Now, I love the details. But as a young person navigating the challenges of growing up, finding myself, learning how to value my own needs and worth, I would have gravitated toward something simple and eloquent. So that is what I have tried to create: not too much information, nothing to create a cognitive burden and make journaling seem 'too hard' - rather, gentle, unobtrusive facts and prompts from an experienced clinician, and plenty of space to write. All wrapped up in a beautiful package that the writer can treasure and value.

The challenges in 2023 are immense. We know that children and young people are struggling with their mental health and resilience. Professional support is often called for. These journals aim to fill a space nearby - perhaps to support your child or young person to understand and manage their emotions and experiences before things become even more challenging; perhaps as an adjunct to therapy; perhaps because you know yourself that self-awareness and reflection is critical to our happiness, so you're wanting to set your young one on this journey early. Or maybe you even want to start this journey yourself - it's never too late to give yourself the gift of self-knowledge.

The Horse Lover’s Journal is the first in a series, each journal extending on the wellbeing journey with different prompts and reflections. They're designed for 10-18 year-olds, but would also work well for anyone starting out with journaling and self-reflection.

Also available from my website are little treasures like gorgeous mugs, cards and backpacks, to complete the gift package.

Remember - wellbeing doesn't mean spa packages and weekends away! It can be as small and as huge as a lovely cuppa with a friend who'll sit with you when things are hard, or a little space and time to let your thoughts run free and your self-understanding grow.

Happy journaling!

Sara x