Becky Richens - Independent Mental Health Nurse

03/11/2026

So... the kids are back at school.

Have you breathed a sigh of relief? Or has the return to routine brought a whole new set of emotions and challenges?

For many neurodivergent people and families, the end of a school holiday isn't always the moment of calm we hope it will be. The pressure of getting everyone back into routines, managing transitions, coping with tiredness and supporting children through big feelings can leave us feeling completely drained.

Sometimes it's only when things quieten down a little that we realise just how much we've been holding together.

If you're feeling more overwhelmed than expected, more emotional, or like your patience is running on empty, that's not a sign you're failing. It's often a sign that your nervous system has been working incredibly hard.

Understanding emotional regulation can help you recognise those signs earlier, understand what's happening in your brain and body, and develop practical strategies that genuinely support you when life feels overwhelming.

Because emotional regulation isn't about being calm all the time.

It's about understanding yourself with compassion and having tools that work for you.

If the return to school has highlighted just how much you're carrying, this workshop could be exactly what you need.

Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulation

🎟️ Book here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

Building emotional awareness, resilience and regulation skills to better understand and navigate life's challenges.

03/11/2026

Last night I spent the evening listening to Dr Bessel van der Kolk speak about how The Body Keeps the Score.

There is something quite special about being in a room full of people who share curiosity. People who want to understand more, who value the evidence, the research and the neuroscience, who are interested in asking better questions and (importantly) who want to keep moving our understanding of trauma and recovery forward.
So much of what we see in mental health, drug use and distress makes little sense when we look at it in isolation. We talked about trauma, ACEs, the lasting impact of adversity, drug use, mental health and the ways in which our experiences shape us. But perhaps even more importantly was the power of feeling safe. Of being seen. Of being understood. Of being loved.
And just how much the people around us, our families, our communities and the relationships we build influence both our capacity to heal and our experience of the world.
I think we sometimes underestimate just how much safety matters. Not just physical safety, but that deeper sense of being able to exist safely without constantly having to protect, defend, mask or anticipate what might happen next.

A really lovely reminder of why I love working in mental health. There is still so much to learn, so much research to translate into practice and so much opportunity to do things differently.

31/10/2026

How has half term been for you?

Maybe it's been full of activities.

Or perhaps you've spent most of it trying to keep everyone fed, entertained, regulated and vaguely on schedule while running on empty yourself.

For many neurodivergent people and families, school holidays can be a mix of joy and exhaustion. Changes to routine, increased demands, more noise, more decisions and less downtime can all take their toll.

If you're finding yourself feeling more emotional, more overwhelmed or less patient than you'd like, you're certainly not alone.

That's why understanding emotional regulation matters. It's not about staying calm all the time. It's about understanding what's happening in your brain and body, recognising when your stress levels are building, and having practical strategies to support yourself before overwhelm takes over.

💙 If half term has highlighted just how much you're carrying, this workshop is for you.

📅 Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulation
🎟️ Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

30/10/2026

Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulation - Next Friday

If emotional regulation was as simple as "taking a deep breath" everyone would do it!

The reality is that when we're stressed, overwhelmed or emotionally flooded, our thinking brain can go offline.

That's why logic, problem-solving and communication can suddenly feel impossible.

In this workshop we'll look at: 🧠 What's happening in the brain 🧠 Why overwhelm affects thinking 🧠 How to recognise escalation earlier 🧠 Practical strategies to support regulation and recovery

Whether for yourself, your child, or someone you support - you'll leave this workshop with lots of new knowledge and practical strategies you can try straight away.

🎟️ Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

Building emotional awareness, resilience and regulation skills to better understand and navigate life's challenges.

29/10/2026

Imagine being expected to have conversations in a language you’ve never been taught.

You know something is happening, but you don’t have the words for it. You know you feel SOMETHING, but you can’t quite work out what it is, why it’s there or what you’re supposed to do with it.

That can be what emotions feel like when we haven’t developed emotional literacy.

My upcoming workshop Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulations explores:
- What emotional regulation is and why it matters
- The purpose and function of emotions
- Understanding the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours
- How the brain and nervous system influence emotions
- Recognising emotional triggers and patterns
- Developing emotional awareness and emotional literacy
- Understanding stress, overwhelm and emotional dysregulation
- Building resilience through self-awareness
- Healthy ways of responding to difficult emotions
- Practical strategies for emotional regulation
- The role of self-compassion and acceptance
- Creating greater emotional balance in everyday life

If you'd like to join me next week, there are still tickets available here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

28/10/2026

When people hear "emotional regulation" they often think about anger, frustration or meltdowns.

But emotional regulation affects so much more than that.

It influences:
Decision-making
Motivation
Focus
Relationships
Energy levels
Stress tolerance

When we're tired, unwell or running on empty, regulating our emotions becomes much harder.

In this workshop we'll explore what's happening in the brain, why regulation can be more challenging for neurodivergent people, and practical strategies that can actually work in real life.

No judgment. No pressure. Just understanding and useful tools.

🎟️ Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

27/10/2026

Have you ever found yourself reacting far more strongly than you expected to something that to others seem relatively small?

Maybe it's the dishwasher being unloaded the "wrong" way. Maybe it's one more request when you're already overwhelmed. Maybe it's a change of plan that leaves you feeling unexpectedly emotional.

Emotional regulation isn't about staying calm all the time.

It's about understanding what's happening in your brain and body, recognising your early warning signs, and developing ways to respond before overwhelm takes over.

If you've ever wondered "Why do I react like that?", this workshop is for you.

💙 Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulation
📅 6 November
🎟️ Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

25/10/2026

Many of us grow up believing that feeling emotions intensely means we're being "too sensitive", "overreacting" or simply not coping well enough.

But emotions aren't problems to fix.

They're information.

In this workshop, we'll explore why emotions happen, what they're trying to tell us, and how to work with them rather than against them. We'll look at emotional awareness, triggers, overwhelm, resilience and practical strategies that can make everyday life feel more manageable.

Understanding your emotions can change the way you understand yourself.

My Understanding and Developing Emotional Regulation workshop takes place on Friday 6th November. I'd love to have you join me.

🎟️ Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/understanding-and-developing-emotional-regulation-tickets-1997850785480

23/10/2026

The feedback from recent workshops has been so lovely to read.

Here's some from the recent Executive Function Skills for Neurodivergent Minds:

"I've attended several of these workshops now, and I've found them all incredibly helpful. As a woman navigating neurodivergence, it was refreshing to hear experiences and strategies that I could genuinely relate to. The workshops were informative, supportive, and full of practical tips that I've been able to put into practice straight away. I've come away from each session with a better understanding of myself and greater confidence in managing day-to-day challenges."

Thank you so much to everyone who has attended so far, every single workshop has had such a lovely atmosphere to them, and I've loved sharing those 'ah ha!' moments with people.

There are only 3 workshops left for 2026! If you would like to join any of them, more information and tickets can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/121250077589

22/10/2026

What's the best £20 (or less!) you've ever spent that makes neurodivergent life easier?

I love asking this question because the answers are often brilliant.

Not expensive gadgets. Not life-changing courses. Not miracle solutions.

Just really practical things that remove friction from everyday life.

Things like:

🕒 Visual timers

🎧 Noise-cancelling headphones

💡 Motion sensor lights

📍 AirTags and key trackers

🧺 Extra laundry baskets

📔 Whiteboards

☕ A second water bottle

📦 A "doom box" instead of trying to organise everything perfectly

Sometimes the smallest changes have the biggest impact because they remove just one tiny barrier between us and the thing we're trying to do.

I'm a huge believer that life doesn't have to be harder than necessary.

If something saves energy, reduces stress, helps you remember, makes a task easier or removes a source of frustration... that's a win.

And honestly, finding those little adaptations is one of my favourite things.

It's also a huge part of what we'll be talking about in Practical Strategies for Neurodivergent Living this Thursday evening.

Not because there's one magic solution.

But because the more ideas we have available to us, the more likely we are to find something that works.

So tell me...

👇 What's the best thing you've ever bought that helps your neurodivergent brain?

And if you'd like two hours packed with practical ideas, tickets for tonight's workshop are here:

🎟️ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/practical-strategies-for-neurodivergent-living-tickets-1997849147581