“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6 v 25
I am really looking forward to sharing my news this August as I have been busy preparing new courses and retreats and have lots of tips and insights on wellbeing.
There is a brand new six-week course “Taking care of the Temple”
And a new line up of mindful self-compassion day retreats to calm, soothe, and restore natural balance. And some top tips and techniques for health and wellbeing. So do keep reading!
As I stepped into my practice this afternoon, ready to write something for my newsletter and blogs. I realised calming the busy mind is about clearing the path ahead so you can see more clearly-after I had deep spring cleaned my room, I felt I could really focus and be more creative, I felt lighter and calmer-no mess-no fuss-no clutter-just space to breath. This is what coming on retreat is all about-the opportunity to let go of the clutter, breath and refocus on what really matters when you strip away the business and noise of everyday life.
As I navigate my way into a new era after reaching that special age earlier this year. I reflected on the wise words of my missionary teacher and founder of the sunflower trust Mella Price who says we don’t retire we refire! And I am fired up to run new courses, workshops, and retreats and to continue doing what I love best which is helping people.
It’s interesting to reflect and look back over the years. I can’t believe I have been in the privileged position of collaborating with people and helping them overcome deep emotional and mental issues for over 25 years! I sometimes wonder where that time went, and I have so much to be thankful for.
Not a moment of life is wasted- we are all on our own path travelling towards something that gives meaning and purpose to our lives. For many of us our journey is interrupted by everyday life and how we manage our emotional responses, and this often distracts and detracts from our original path towards self-fulfilment-enlightenment-or simply a sense of inner peace and wellbeing.
So, I hope the news I bring to you this August is welcome and provides you with an opportunity to stop a while, pause and consider where you are at this exact moment on your life’s journey and what that means for you.
I offer a safe space in my Twemlow practice to explore these topics from early teens, midlife, to later life and all that comes in between so do reach out.
In my workshops, courses, and retreats I offer an opportunity to explore your needs and experiences, emotional and physical wellbeing.
On that note, I am so excited to be launching a new series of wellbeing workshops and retreats, and a brand new six-week course, focusing on the fundamental essentials of our ultimate wellbeing and longevity.
Six new mindful self-compassion day retreats
Annette Boden Wellbeing presents”
![C:\Documents and Settings\annette\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\H251YADJ\MC900436885[1].png](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeYc43-WxANxMYUthael_4NKZLjxgPyoumwA0ZG4kIHDrTK5wHdxrJ9JxvN784CI02obN-JtIOlZNtnyrVdpPWqLAEqUzDW9ya14UphshwJl0TYUnODLRwe751kXibsuRY7Ogyqtg?key=aZSyu8M8beah6PmGOMtQKA)
Days of peace and nurture with mindful self -compassion retreats
Come and enjoy unique and uplifting days of mindfulness, self-compassion, guided reflection and practice, deep relaxation, and good company. A series of individually themed day retreats to support your wellbeing.
Dates for your dairy: Saturday July 26, August 9, August 23, September 13, October 4, 2025
Venue: Disley Quaker meeting House
Time: 11.00am – 3.30pm
Cost: £50.00 payable by cash on the day or via bacs in advance of the day.
Please bring a packed lunch. Drinks and snacks will be provided.
For further information and to book a place
Tel: 07753 957371
I will soon have an online booking form for all my events and retreats.
A New six-week course: Taking care of the Temple: 6 essential keys to human physical and emotional wellbeing.
“It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.” Proverbs 3 v 8
From late August 2025 I will be running a new six-part course incorporating the key principles to Taking care of the temple -a compassionate and balanced approach to human wellbeing and longevity.
Through my new wellbeing programme ‘Taking care of the Temple’ I aim to support you on a journey of self-discovery, recovery from old unwanted habits and addictive behaviour patterns, and refreshment, in a new and enlightened approach to your personal and precious wellbeing.
I will be sharing all that I have discovered and, tested out and applied from the latest science and neuroscience, psychology, and the very best of mindful compassion focused practice.
Everything you discover and learn is designed to promote optimum emotional and physical balance and optimum wellbeing and inner peace.
Check out the details here and get in touch for further information and to register your interest.
Blog spot!
The importance of nutrition in our mental wellbeing.
Research shows that chronic stress can reduce serotonin production in the gut. This can lead to a range of issues including irritability, mood swings, low mood, anxiety, and sleep disturbances – check out my better sleep page here – and lead to weight management issues –check out my weight management page here. So, paying attention to your gut health is essential for overall good health and well-being.
Eating well – the balance of mood, food, and wellbeing.
As an integrative psychotherapist I look at the ‘whole person when it comes to helping them with issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. I have a keen interest in optimum nutrition and have studied the link between emotional wellbeing and a balanced diet.
Diet is not just about managing weight, it is concerned with getting enough of the right nutrients such as essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals to promote the efficient functioning of the brain, improve energy levels, enhance quality sleep, and increase hormonal balance, as well as keeping inflammation in check and the body in homeostasis.
Sometimes you can feel an emotion and search for meaning and a story whilst the truth of the matter lies closer to home in the gut-if our microbiome is unsettled, disturbed, or out of balance, we can often feel corresponding emotions such as sadness, low mood, fear even-sometimes referred to as ‘false anxiety’. However, food does play an important part in managing ‘real’ anxiety
I have learnt about this important relationship between the gut and the brain, our food and mood through my mindfulness practice and studying nutrition and as part of my own wellbeing journey and over the next few months I will be sharing some of my discoveries and useful tips to create a well balanced gut biome through reducing sugar and acid to create a more alkaline environment, reducing acidity in the body, thus the risk of increased pain and increased risk of disease. A happy gut also gives a genuine sense of wellbeing and at the same time our immune system is strengthened.
Is there a link between nutrition and anxiety?
Are there foods we should stay away from and foods that we should include plenty of to help manage our anxiety?
Certainly, eating foods that put stress on our physical well-being will have an impact on our mood and increase anxiety. These would include foods high in sugar and saturated fat. Foods that create an acidic inflammatory response in the body also create imbalance in the hormonal systems. Have a look below at some key information:
- There is also increasing research showing a link between vitamin D deficiency and mood disorders such as anxiety.
- Alcohol and caffeine are known to create anxiety responses in the body so reducing these is a simple but effective first step.
- Eating a well-balanced rainbow (coloured fruit and vegetables) diet rich in alkaline producing foods and nutrient dense complex carbohydrates, fats, and proteins such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds ,lean meat, and fish grains such as Oats and pulses such as lentils help to enrich the body with B vitamins and important mineral such as zinc and magnesium known to support a healthy nervous system and balance hormones.
- Dark chocolate and bananas are a good source of magnesium which promotes pain relief and relaxation.
- Good sources of protein such as lean meat, fish, and nuts and seeds if you eat a predominantly plant -based diet provide amino acids which convert into mood lifting neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
- Camomile is often recommended for calming anxiety
- Turmeric (curcumin) has been studied and shown to reduce anxiety and can be easily incorporated in to soups and smoothies and calming well-being teas.
- Reducing sugar intake can also be helpful. Sugary drinks can give quick energy fixes but then we get the energy dips which can lower mood, or worse keep us awake at night-so swapping a sugary drink with a herbal tea or a soda and a squeeze of lemon can be really helpful in restoring emotional balance.
- As we move into late summer, salads are high on the list of good foods and are great with avocados, nuts and seeds, fish, and lean meats as a way of getting a good range of vitamins and minerals. Going for a range of colours is known as a ‘rainbow diet’ and ensures we get the balance right.
- Also, a colourful plate is much more appealing as we first engage with food through our eyes. So, experiment with a variety of peppers, tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, fresh garlic, radishes, fennel, cucumber, onions, and salad cress …delicious! 😊
Work stress -quick tips for managing our work-life balance
“A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17 v 22
Work is a place where we go and meet others and work towards a common goal of a company or ourselves if we are self-employed. We spend a great deal of our life in work. It can be a great source of satisfaction and also a great source of stress depending on the environment and relationships we encounter. Work pays the bills, satisfies a need, provides security, an income. It can also be a place to feel valued, where we find meaning and purpose. However, if we are working long hours or have relationship difficulties in work and cannot meet the demands of our personal life, and our own core values then this can become overwhelming and is not sustainable. There are many things in our working life we cannot control but we can reduce the impact with an awareness of our needs and meeting those needs to create balance.
- A good morning routine is essential to get your working day off to a good start. Make some space from your waking moment every morning to arrive at the day and breath. Don’t think about the rest of the day ahead until you have had time to fully wake, stretch, breath, and hydrate.
- Pace your days with small breaks where you stop momentarily and come into full present moment awareness -noticing your surroundings, how you feel, where you are. Take a longer break for lunch.
- Have a good social support system either both work and at home. This means choosing to surround yourself with people you feel comfortable with, share similar interests with, and who you feel valued with. In work this includes people who understand the challenges of your job.
- Prioritise your workload and organise it.
- Try to avoid huge impossible lists as these can be overwhelming and this can affect productivity. Once you have a list then break that list into three parts essential good to do can be carried over. Order and prioritise your workload into those three parts draw a line between each segment so that your focus is drawn to the top section only which will look and feel much more manageable and allows for the inevitable interruptions of ‘unexpected work that comes along such as a phone call requiring an immediate reply and action.
- Bring issues that are causing stress or anxiety and difficulty into the open in a compassionate focused way. Communicate your needs mindfully and consider how your communication will be received. Take time to consider what outcome would serve everyone well. This will help you to frame your communication in a positive non-threatening way that is clearly understood.
- Exercise regularly, eat healthily, and practice sleep hygiene. You can find further information on sleeping well here and here.
- Breathe – you cannot be angry or anxious and breath deeply at the same time. Take a deep breath in -inhale- to the count of four, hold the breath to the count of four and breath slowly out to the count of about six to eight-so a long slow out breath – exhale
- Take holidays and breaks away from work regularly
- Avoid coping strategies such as drinking to excess. Practice exercise and relaxation exercises instead.
- Seek out retreats and quiet time in nature.
- Have a hobby or interest that fully absorbs your attention in the moment enabling you to be mindful and at ease.
Psychology and self-help books for sale
These will appeal to anyone who works in mental health or anyone wishing to explore further. I have collected a vast library over the years, and I am now in a position where I am selling them on to make room for new books and beginnings. Please get in touch if you would like a catalogue. I will be selling them at my practice and can post out with postage and packing added to the book cost.
The sunflower trust and books for sale!
I have lots of mindfulness and meditation books to sell and all proceeds will go to my charity The sunflower trust. Please get in touch if you would like a copy of the list. Prices are between £5-£10 or a donation of any amount above £5.
Well thank you for taking the time to read through this bumper issue and I hope you found something helpful/useful/of interest!
Wishing you well and happy always wherever the road takes you.
