https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter daily 0.75 2026-03-08 https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/hope monthly 0.5 2026-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/4c19b0ff-be13-4b1f-97c4-c6b6290c2922/Mulk.jpg Newsletter - A Message of Hope - In Masjid Nasir Al Mulk - Shiraz, Iran (est. 1888) Then, I was lucky enough to fall in love with a beautiful Iranian man. And he invited me into the world of Persian cuisine, music, culture, poetry and art, which I had never encountered before, and a special place opened in my heart for Iran and its people. Just because in our lifetimes, our people and homelands have struggled, does not mean there have not been moments of complete beauty, joy and fulfilment for the people living there, or even for myself while visiting. I recall eating fresh kaak bi knafeh in the urban streets of Tripoli, Lebanon, early in the warm, summer mornings. Running around the pools with our family friend’s kids, all of us wonderfully tan, in the beautiful chalets of Beirut. Watching that burning Mediterranean sunset over the horizon, surrounded by all of my kinsfolk. I recall listening to live Persian music in a hundreds year old Vakil Bazaar in the winding streets of Shiraz, while eating the most delicious faloodeh ice cream. Having my breath taken away again and again by every new palace we visited in Isfahan, wondering how they could have such incredible craftsmanship and mastery of art all those long years ago. Having tea with my Mamani and speaking broken farsi to her, in her ever warm, ever inviting home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/15ef0805-9447-4287-89a7-cd3c066f0537/Ceiling.jpg Newsletter - A Message of Hope - Chehel Sotoun Palace - Isfahan, Iran (est. 1647) Chehel Sotoun Palace - Isfahan, Iran (est. 1647) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/6a65efa2-b465-4dbf-99ab-9ff6cc5cc56d/fav.jpg Newsletter - A Message of Hope - Make it stand out Iran Mehr Hotel - Shiraz, Iran (est. late 1700’s) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/706bef96-6158-48bb-9baa-ebca4fdb8056/Iran+mountain.jpg Newsletter - A Message of Hope - Mountains in the north of Iran https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/shinrinyoku monthly 0.5 2026-02-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/32b0ab27-fa73-48e6-aa8a-4e9a2d871c63/bamboo.png Newsletter - Shinrin Yoku - Immersed in a bamboo cluster. Just exposing your body to a natural space and doing nothing else significantly reduces your cortisol levels, and the effects sustain over time (Antonelli, Barbieri, & Donelli, 2019). First thing’s first, no phones. No way to be reached or accessible to anyone or anything external to yourself, if you can find a spot with no telecommunication reception, even better. That little SOS in the top right-hand corner of my phone are the three sweetest little letters I can see. When the brain is anticipating an alert, such as the ones we receive from our phone, it enters into a chronically alert or ‘readiness’ state, which produces a low-level form of stress, which can drain our brains over time (Ward, Duke, Gneezy, & Bos, 2017). Second, the whole point of Shinrin Yoku is the exposure and quality of awareness, not the destination or even necessarily the breath-taking beauty of the location. You use your 5 senses to enhance your experience of the natural landscape you are in; 1) The various colours, shapes, sizes and locations of the natural objects in relation to your body 2) The smell of the natural world around you and all its various quality, depth and richness 3) The texture and feel of the natural environment, sensing the minute differences in sensory input 4) The lush sounds of all of nature, living, breathing and ever moving around you 5) The tastes of the natural plants, waters and even the air, enhancing senses you rarely consider while outside your house It is not a rushed experience, where the more you see, the better. It is about slowing down, walking with intention, mindfully absorbing as much detail as you are able to, moment to moment. A true practice of mindfulness. I feel calm now just describing the process. Third comes the self reflection. Invite your mind to reflect deeply within your body, allowing all the systems of survival and activation to wind-down, switch off and become present. This invites your mind to enter into a state called soft fascination, wherein you observe stimuli that the brain does not have to work hard to process, such as the gentle swaying of a branch in the wind, a sight that our nervous systems have evolved to observe for thousands of years. This leaves the direct attentional processes of the brain offline, allowing our brains to rest, recover and even reflect down creative pathways that we normally cannot access while we are “on”, which is what happens when the Default Mode Network operates (Basu, Duvall, & Kaplan, 2019). Now to the juicy health benefits, take a gander at this long list of positive mental and physical health benefits of doing Shinrin Yoku, extracted from the paper by Li, 2000 and supported by multiple other meta-analytic studies (all referenced below): Shinrin-yoku increases human natural killer (NK) activity, the number of NK cells, and the intracellular levels of anti-cancer proteins, suggesting a preventive effect on cancers. Reduces blood pressure and heart rate, showing preventive effect on hypertension and heart diseases. Reduces stress hormones, such as urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline and salivary/serum cortisol contributing to stress management. Increases the activity of parasympathetic nerves and reduces the activity of sympathetic nerves to stabilise the balance of autonomic nervous system. Improves sleep quality. Increases the levels of serum adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (helpful for insulin resistance and inflammation). In the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test, Shinrin-yoku reduces the scores for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion, and increases the score for vigour, showing preventive effects on depression. Reductions in negative repetitive thinking regarding oneself (rumination) Enhances self-compassion, well-being, introspection, and mindfulness. What is even more incredible, is that these health effects can last anywhere from 7 days to a whole month after your Shinrin Yoku trip! Wow! https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/learning-to-trust-t9fab-g5z4c monthly 0.5 2026-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/1769677414344-EAV9L65JI3J43I27HO6L/unsplash-image-1yqA4OyC6gQ.jpg Newsletter - I Finally Experienced Integration - Healing from food-related wounds takes time. Be gentle with yourself in this process. https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/learning-to-trust-t9fab monthly 0.5 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/1769132529492-R7TF95EBPR3AKW1JVKZ0/Food.png Newsletter - The Psychological Benefits of Food - Food is more than just nourishment for the body It is a way to find comfort after a long day of work It offers emotional soothing when the world feels too cruel It is a reliable friend, always there for you when other relationships let you down It boosts dopamine, offering a brief moment of happiness in an otherwise heavy life It takes you back to your childhood, calling back nostalgic memories of warm dishes made with love It is a distraction, taking you away from stressful thoughts or feelings It brings energy to a depleted body It can inspire and excite, heal and rejuvenate, sicken and destroy Join me in a curious exploration of the psychological role that food plays in our lives, and how we can use specific interventions to harness the power of food, rather than feel we are at the mercy of our appetites and compulsions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/4b1517e0-3574-4504-ae0d-37191f5fc14e/Screen+Shot+2026-01-23+at+1.26.09+pm.png Newsletter - The Psychological Benefits of Food - Research shows that imbalances in gut bacteria are associated with conditions such as anxiety, depression, and stress, due to reduced metabolites, increased inflammation, and changes in stress-response systems. Gut microbes can influence brain function by producing neurotransmitters, signalling through the vagus nerve, and affecting the body’s stress hormones. Eating probiotics, switching to a Mediterranean diet, and other microbiome-based approaches, show promise for improving mental health. (Kanchanbala et al., 2025) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12007925/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/1769136895024-3I5N0BA388IE17YDUZEQ/unsplash-image-N_Y88TWmGwA.jpg Newsletter - The Psychological Benefits of Food - Healing from food-related wounds takes time. Be gentle with yourself in this process. https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/learning-to-trust monthly 0.5 2026-01-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/53e14ccd-030e-4c67-a90c-1c2ec465e09e/CentredLife-82.jpg Newsletter - Learning To Trust - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/81f8b2a4-f591-4141-86c6-bc12a1dbe709/feotus.png Newsletter - Learning To Trust - In the womb of our mother or in the womb of Mercy. Safe in suspension, our nervous systems ever seek this feeling of complete and whole safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/31be5261-1959-4030-b5c0-b8fbe10c3653/pexels-raybilcliff-7977139.jpg Newsletter - Learning To Trust - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.centredlifepsychology.com.au/newsletter/Blog Post Title One-3zaa9-lfdja monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65f1320de978dd703d64b358/b40d32a0-7fea-4157-b783-ceb929189c71/Journal.png Newsletter - The Beginning - Between Sessions - Make it stand out You will find me endlessly journalling, even while on holiday. It is my fondest companion and has witnessed so many events in my life. I have been journalling religiously since I was 18 years old, after I was gifted my first journal by my sister. I took this photo in New Zealand, writing my reflections of our trip, as I watched the sun set gently over the mountain ranges. The serenity I experienced in this moment was indescribable. I hope you find a reflective practice that is as soothing for your soul, as I have found journaling to be for mine. I shall end this post with one of my favourite excerpts from a poem, which I think perfectly encapsulates the heart of what therapy hopes to achieve in present-minded awareness and gratitude. “Be happy for this moment. 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