{"id":49136,"date":"2017-12-14T11:00:38","date_gmt":"2017-12-14T11:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=49136"},"modified":"2023-03-14T03:28:12","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T03:28:12","slug":"spending-christmas-alone-how-to-cope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/spending-christmas-alone-how-to-cope.htm","title":{"rendered":"Spending Christmas Alone This Year? How to Cope and Boost Your Mood"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_49140\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-49140\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-49140\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2072143462_0519fe962b-1-400x305.jpg\" alt=\"christmas alone\" width=\"400\" height=\"305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2072143462_0519fe962b-1-400x305.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/2072143462_0519fe962b-1.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-49140\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/21345996@N04\/2072143462\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">s_herman<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">by Andrea M. Darcy <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Yet another Christmas alone this year and dreading it?<\/p>\n<h2>How to handle spending Christmas alone<\/h2>\n<p>It doesn&#8217;t matter if we chose to spend the holidays alone as we can&#8217;t bear our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/dysfunctional-family-help.htm\">dysfunctional family<\/a>, or it isn&#8217;t a choice. If we are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/moving-abroad-cause-depression.htm\">living overseas<\/a> or without any family left. Christmas by ourselves is challenging either way. Here&#8217;s how to manage.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">1. First off &#8211; take an inventory.<\/span><\/h3>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #666699;\">Take a moment to get <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>very<\/em><\/span> honest with yourself about what you<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em> really<\/em><\/span> feel about Christmas alone. Not what you are telling yourself, not what you want to feel to look \u2018strong\u2019. What you truly, deep down, feel about the matter.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Pretending we are fine when we aren&#8217;t <\/strong>can protect our pride can work temporarily. But when your real feelings of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/depression-vs-sadness.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sadness<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-handle-rejection.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">rejection<\/span><\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/repressed-anger.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">anger<\/span> <\/a>rise, it can result in things like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/why-we-put-the-blame-on-others.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">blaming others<\/span><\/a> or pushing them away. You might <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/stop-self-sabotaging-behaviour.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sabotage<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/connecting-with-people.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">connection<\/span><\/a> with the very people you want to be close to, or fall into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/quiz-stressed-or-depressed\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">deep depression<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For some of us, a personal inventory might reveal what we actually feel is <em>guilty.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Guilty that you we are happy to spend Christmas alone. If this is the case, give yourself permission to enjoy it. The only person you owe anything to is yourself.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">ACTION STEP:<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Try some mindfulness (use our free <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/mindfulness-help-guide.htm\">guide to mindfulness<\/a>). Take a quiet moment to yourself, breathe deeply, get present. Then ask yourself, how do I feel about being alone at Christmas? Sit with the question and notice the changes in your body \u2013 is there <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/release-muscle-tension.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">tension<\/span><\/a> in your stomach, do you feel you can\u2019t breathe? Do you feel angry, or sad?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Afterwards, take time to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/journal-writing.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> write in a journal<\/span><\/a> about what you experienced. Were your emotions surprising? What new things did you learn here? How can you work through these feelings? Do you need to re-think Christmas alone?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">2. Think environmentally.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_49142\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/6538344225_1c0d8e784c-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-49142\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-49142\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/6538344225_1c0d8e784c-1-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"christmas alone\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/6538344225_1c0d8e784c-1-400x266.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/6538344225_1c0d8e784c-1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/6538344225_1c0d8e784c-1-180x120.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-49142\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65487073@N03\/6538344225\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Ricardo Camacho<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-gestalt-therapy.htm\">Gestalt therapy <\/a><\/span>is a school of thought that believes<strong> we are not separate from the environments we are in, <\/strong>but that they influence us.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s an interesting thing to keep in mind if <\/strong>faced with a Christmas alone, especially if you recently experienced a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/life-after-divorce.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">divorce<\/span><\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/truth-about-grief-and-bereavement.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">bereavement.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #800080;\">If you always had Christmas with others you loved in the house you are now in, is this really the right environment to now be alone in?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>What<em> would<\/em> be an ideal environment for you to be in instead?<\/strong> Nature? Parks are open on Christmas day. A crowded place? Think restaurants, churches. A beach? If you have the budget, what is really stopping you from time away in a hot country where perhaps Christmas isn\u2019t even celebrated at all?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">ACTION STEP:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/guided-visualisation-therapy-can-make-feel-better.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">visualisation<\/span><\/a>, a technique used by some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-integrative-therapy.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">integrative therapists<\/span><\/a>. Close your eyes, relax, and breathe deeply. Concentrate on the idea, \u2018happy place\u2019. What images arise? Is it a field of flowers? A beach? A beautiful art gallery? Now form your \u2018ideal Christmas day\u2019 in the visualisation, starting from wherever that happy place is, and not worrying about being realistic. How can this feed into your plans for Christmas day?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">3. Commit to one new thing.<\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_49144\" style=\"width: 292px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/14752841625_118c650689-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-49144\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-49144\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/14752841625_118c650689-1-282x400.jpg\" alt=\"christmas alone \" width=\"282\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/14752841625_118c650689-1-282x400.jpg 282w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/14752841625_118c650689-1.jpg 352w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 282px) 100vw, 282px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-49144\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/internetarchivebookimages\/14752841625\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Internet Archive Book Images<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>If the truth is that you don\u2019t really want to be alone at Christmas? <\/strong>It\u2019s time to give yourself a little push outside your comfort zone and try something new.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #666699;\">Scary? Yes. But so are the weeks of depression that can follow a Christmas spent alone when you really don\u2019t want to be.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Excuses will arrive by the dozen.<\/strong> <em>No, I\u2019ll just stay alone at home that\u2019s what I deserve, the weather will be too bad anyway. How would I find transport to go anywhere?\u00a0 It will be boring to join others.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>These are merely<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/making-assumptions.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> assumptions<\/span><\/a>. The truth is that if you have never tried <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/boosting-your-mood-volunteer.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">volunteering<\/span><\/a> on Christmas day,\u00a0 or having that meal in China town with your Jewish friends? You simply do not know what it will be like.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">ACTION STEP:\u00a0<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Borrow a page from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-london.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">CBT therapy<\/span><\/a> and make a thought chart. In one column, put your worst beliefs about trying something new, such as &#8216;spending Christmas at a potluck&#8217;\u00a0 (they will all be crazy and weird, I will miss my family more).\u00a0 In a second column write the exact opposite of these negative thoughts (they will be the coolest people I\u2019ve ever met, they might make my family look boring). Now in a third column find a \u2018shade of grey\u2019 thought halfway between the two (there will probably be at least one or two nice people I have things in common with, and I can call my family from there if I miss them).<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">4. Create a reward system if spending Christmas alone.<\/span><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_49119\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-49119\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-49119\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5-400x400.jpg\" alt=\"christmas anxiety\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-49119\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">By: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/pedrosimoes7\/11907978264\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\" \">Pedro Ribeiro Sim\u00f5es<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/how-to-overcome-loneliness.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Loneliness<\/span><\/a> can trigger<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-are-repressed-emotions.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">repressed emotions<\/span><\/a>, often around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/abandonment-issues.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">abandonment<\/span><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-childhood-trauma.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">neglect in childhood<\/span><\/a>. That time you were five and your father didn\u2019t show up to get you for Xmas, or the time you were sixteen and your mother decided you were too old for presents.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Counter this b<\/strong>y making your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-the-inner-child.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">inner child<\/span><\/a> happy. Children love feeling rewarded. So how can you reward yourself for bravely getting through Christmas without the usual family and friends?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">ACTION STEP:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Write down five things that feel like rewards to you.\u00a0 What makes you personally feel most appreciated? A spa day at home with some expensive bath salts? Your favourite foods? A chat with an old friend? Hours spent watching old films? Which of these rewards are feasible for Christmas? Can you order or arrange for one of these right now?<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993366;\">5. Get your support system sorted.<\/span><\/h3>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">This is not just about choosing who you will reach out to over the holidays, but getting very clear on who you will avoid. Spending Christmas alone leaves many of us in an emotionally vulnerable place and we must prioritise our own wellbeing.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>A &#8216;support buddy&#8217; is a wonderful option.<\/strong> Is there someone else you know who might also need emotional support over the holidays? Could you form an agreement now that respects both of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/healthy-boundaries.htm\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">boundaries<\/span><\/a>? Rules can include deciding on the number of calls, emails, and texts that are allowable, the times of day you are happy to be contacted, and tools to include such as using a timer where you are each allowed 5 minutes to rant uninterrupted on your one daily call.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you don\u2019t have a support buddy, do consider professional support.<\/strong> A few sessions with a counsellor can mean a real difference to the way you see in the New Year. And with the convenience now offered by telephone or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/online-counselling-psychologists.htm\">online counselling<\/a>, there really is no reason not to.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Action Tip: <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Make your naughty and nice list \u2013 people you know leave you upset , and people you like support from. Create an email now for those you don\u2019t want to hear from, perhaps an electronic Christmas card stating you won\u2019t be available during certain dates but wish them well and will see them in the New Year. Then consider calling someone from your nice list and arranging a check in time on Christmas day.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>You are not alone in spending Christmas alone!<\/h2>\n<p>When we are feeling left out we can start to feel we are the only one suffering such a fate. It can help to mull over that there are others out there just like you.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">In 2020 <a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/life-style\/christmas\/christmas-alone-covid-poll-b1777639.html\">a survey in conjunction with the charity Shelter<\/a> found that more than eight million British adults expected to be alone during the holidays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>And if you feel that being alone at Christmas is triggering your mental health issues,<\/strong> again, you are not alone<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mind.org.uk\/information-support\/tips-for-everyday-living\/christmas-and-mental-health\/christmas-and-mental-health\/\">. The Mind Charity website<\/a> is a great place to read case studies of people just like you navigating Christmas as their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/emotionally-unstable-personality-disorder.htm\">BPD<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/midlife-crisis-depression.htm\">anxiety<\/a> goes off the charts. They have an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mind.org.uk\/information-support\/side-by-side-our-online-community\/\">online community<\/a> called &#8220;Side by Side&#8221; you can join.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you feel desperate for someone to talk to, please do consider<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/mental-health-helpline.htm\"> calling a helpline<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samaritans.org\/\">The Good Samaritans<\/a> operates a hotline 24-7 here in the UK, even on Christmas Day. You can call them for free at\u00a0116 123 (the number will not appear on your phone bill).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>We connect you with some of London&#8217;s most highly rated and exclusive <span style=\"color: #333399;\"><a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/therapists.htm\">talk therapists <\/a>who can help with loneliness<\/span>, in central locations or online. Not in London or looking for an affordable online therapist? Try our sister site for<span style=\"color: #333399;\"><a style=\"color: #333399;\" href=\"https:\/\/harleytherapy.com\/therapists?location_type=skype&amp;utm_source=Harley%20Therapy%20Blog&amp;utm_content=Post%20End\"> harleytherapy.com<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-117271 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png\" alt=\"Andrea M. Darcy mental health expert\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/headshot-yellow-e1675110089673.png 268w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Andrea M. Darcy<\/b> is a mental health and wellbeing expert and writer. She also runs a consultancy helping people find their perfect therapy and therapist. She&#8217;s spent more Christmases alone than anyone she&#8217;s ever met, so she knows what she&#8217;s talking about!\u00a0 Follow her on Instagram for useful life tips @am_darcy<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Andrea M. Darcy Yet another Christmas alone this year and dreading it? How to handle spending Christmas alone It doesn&#8217;t matter if we chose to spend the holidays alone as we can&#8217;t bear our dysfunctional family, or it isn&#8217;t a choice. If we are living overseas or without any family left. Christmas by ourselves [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":49119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-depression","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Spending Christmas Alone This Year? How to Cope and Boost Your Mood - Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Spending Christmas alone? Even if you think that is what you want consider this mental and emotional checklist of tips to ensure it goes well.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/spending-christmas-alone-how-to-cope.htm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spending Christmas Alone This Year? How to Cope and Boost Your Mood\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Spending Christmas alone? Even if you think that is what you want consider this mental and emotional checklist of tips to ensure it goes well.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/spending-christmas-alone-how-to-cope.htm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Harley Therapy\u2122 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/harleytherapy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-12-14T11:00:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-14T03:28:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/wp-content\/uploads\/11907978264_fbe2eb6be5.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andrea M. 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