In this post, we’ll explore the psychology behind procrastination, debunk common myths, discuss motivation, examine how mental health can impact task engagement, explain how therapy can help, share strategies for long-term habit change, answer common questions, and provide a mini self-check quiz to identify your procrastination patterns.

Jealousy is a protective emotional reaction: it arises when you sense a threat, real or imagined, to your connection, self-worth, or relational security. Rather than ignoring or suppressing it, understanding the message in jealousy can guide healing — because jealousy often exposes deep needs like safety, validation or trust.

Surprise is an often-overlooked but powerful emotion. Unlike fear, anger, sadness, or joy, surprise doesn’t convey a clear positive or negative valence on its own—it’s an interruptive signal that something unexpected has occurred. Its purpose is to redirect attention, recalibrate the nervous system, and prepare you to respond to new information.

Disgust is one of the most powerful, yet often misunderstood, emotions. While it’s commonly associated with food or hygiene, disgust also plays a crucial role in social, moral, and relational functioning. It signals what our nervous system perceives as unsafe, unacceptable, or incompatible with our values.

Joy is often spoken about as the “pleasant” emotion, yet for many people it is surprisingly difficult to let in. While anger, sadness, or fear may feel familiar and predictable, joy can feel vulnerable, fleeting, or even uncomfortable.

Joy is the emotional state that allows you to expand—into the moment, into connection, into the parts of life that feel meaningful. It is not simply happiness; it’s a full-bodied sense of aliveness.

Sadness is a deeply human emotion that invites slowing down, turning inward, and acknowledging what has been lost or what never arrived. Many people judge sadness as weakness or see it as something to “push past,” yet sadness plays a crucial role in emotional processing, resilience, and our capacity for connection.

Anger is one of the most misunderstood emotions. Many people grow up learning that anger is dangerous, unkind, or something to avoid at all costs. Yet anger is one of the most protective emotional signals the body has. It alerts you to crossed boundaries, unmet needs, or situations where your inner compass senses misalignment.

Anger isn’t a sign of lack of control—it’s a sign that something matters.

Fear is one of the most instinctive human emotions—fast, physical, and deeply wired into how we survive. But fear isn’t just about danger. It influences the way we think, connect, prepare, and protect ourselves. When fear is misunderstood, people often label themselves as “too sensitive” or “overreactive,” without recognising that these reactions formed for very real reasons.

Fear is not a flaw in your emotional system. It is your emotional system.

Binge eating is one of the most misunderstood experiences in mental health and nutrition. Many people describe it as “I know what I’m doing, but I can’t stop.” Others minimise it as overeating or blame themselves for having “no discipline.”

In reality, binge eating is often triggered by various biopsychosocial factors. These may include the body’s survival instincts, psychological patterns, trauma history, social pressures, and nutritional deprivation.

Do you often say “yes” when you really want to say “no”? People-pleasing involves prioritising others’ needs over your own, often at the expense of your mental health, self-esteem, and relationships.

While it can feel like kindness or social savvy, chronic people-pleasing can create stress, anxiety, and burnout. Recognising the pattern is the first step to reclaiming control.

Perfectionism goes beyond striving to do well — it’s an intense, often self-imposed drive to avoid mistakes and meet impossibly high standards. For high achievers, perfectionism can feel like a motivating force, pushing them to excel academically, professionally, or personally.

While this drive can produce impressive accomplishments, it can also create stress, anxiety, and self-criticism when expectations are unrealistic or rigid.

Living with chronic pain can be exhausting, isolating, and deeply frustrating. When pain persists for months or years, it often affects every part of life — from sleep and mood to relationships and work. While pain starts in the body, the way we experience it is influenced by the brain, emotions, and environment.

Understanding the connection between mind and body is a key step toward managing pain more effectively and improving quality of life.

Trauma can touch every part of our lives — our thoughts, emotions, body, and relationships. While many people associate trauma with extreme or catastrophic events, it can also develop from ongoing stress, emotional neglect, or repeated experiences that overwhelm our ability to cope. Understanding how trauma affects the brain and nervous system is the first step toward healing and rebuilding safety and connection.

Stress and anxiety are words we often use interchangeably—but they’re not the same. Knowing how they differ helps you understand your emotional responses, manage them more effectively, and recognise when it’s time to seek support.

At Be Anchored Psychology, we help clients navigate the overlap between stress and anxiety with compassion and practical strategies that restore balance to both mind and body.

Depression is far more than feeling sad or “down.” It’s a whole-body experience that affects how we think, feel, and function day to day. For many people, it can feel like life has lost its colour, motivation fades, and even simple tasks start to feel overwhelming.

This post explores how depression develops, what keeps it going, and the evidence-based pathways to recovery.

When people begin therapy, we often hear that they expect to focus on learning coping strategies, improving emotional awareness, or addressing challenging thoughts. However, what many don’t realise is that therapy outcomes depend heavily on the state of your body.

Sleep, nutrition, hydration, exercise, and sunlight exposure aren’t just physical concerns — they influence your brain’s ability to process emotions, manage stress, and apply therapy skills effectively.

This post explores the mind-body connection and why self-care is essential for therapy success.

If you’ve ever wondered what therapy is really like, you’re not alone. Many people picture therapy as sitting in a room talking about childhood memories or simply “venting.” Others assume it’s similar to reading a self-help book or listening to a podcast.

But therapy is more than advice-giving or emotional offloading. It’s a structured, evidence-based process that helps you understand what’s happening beneath the surface — so you can build self-awareness, develop emotional regulation skills, and create sustainable change.