Gaslighting is a type of abusive behaviour where a person uses subtle and not-so subtle mind control techniques to make another doubt their own reality and feel that they cannot trust their own perceptions. It takes its name from a 1938 play (and its film adaptations) called Gaslight, where a charming husband slowly makes his new
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Dear Little Questioning Beauty on the Other End of the Internet, So, it seems you may have stumbled on this post looking for answers and tips on how to come out, how to be queer out loud-we’ll get to that. There is no doubt that the next few years of your life will see you
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The team at Shona HQ first met Lara back in 2021 when she was just 17 years old! Lara shared a conversation with one of our Shona Ambassadors, where they spoke about their coming out experiences, how important it is to own your individuality, find your community, and to just be you with. This conversation
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Disclaimer: This article is based on personal experiences. I speak only about my own experiences, the experiences of others may differ. I have always been different. Different enough that it was noticeable, but not so different that people felt bad about treating me poorly. While most teenagers and young adults have trouble with relationships, school,
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We’re generally not into labels because everyone is different and unique. We shouldn’t need to find a box that we fit neatly inside so that everyone knows and understands us. As a society we’re changing rapidly, trying to find new ways to respect and protect each other. And that’s a good thing. When it comes
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Steph Golds is a valued member of the Shona team, a counselling psychotherapist, who has spent countless hours working with young girls. We asked for her advice on staying calm when the world keeps spinning… There is a lot of scary or stressful information swirling around out there at the moment. It can be easy
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Steph, our wonderfully talented Psychotherapy and valued Shona team member, has something a little different for everyone this week. It’s a tough one, so mind yourself while reading it. But sometimes important messages are tough to hear. It’s not her typical Ask Steph piece. This is especially for when it all gets too much. She’s written
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Body, body, body. What comes to mind when you read that word? Perhaps sports, health, doctors, or perhaps something far more likely: weight. Why? Diet culture. That”s why. The best way I can describe diet culture is this: it seeps. Snapchat ads of bellies flattening, bottoms rounding, hips thinning, and thighs narrowing. TikTok videos encourage
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People who menstruate really are true champs. We deal with everything from leaking to severe back pain, all while participating in everyday life like it’s nothing. How do we do it every month? With menstruating, there are often the normal conversations about back pain and= stomach pain. One thing that not everyone talks about however is
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Last week, we called on Caitriona to give us her go-to study tips and this week, we’ve once again called on our Jambos for some assistance. Joanna, again who is just like you and is sitting secondary school exams, has a few hacks up her sleeve for when exam stress gets a little too much.
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Do you see that? Just over there. Yep, that’s summer!! It’s so close that we can almost smell the suncream and Lays crisps. Buuuuut, there is just one more obstacle in the way. Summer exams, the JC or the LC. We know you’re tired, and we know you are overwhelmed, but we are here to
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So, is it just us, or is the go-to solution that is at the tip of everyone’s tongue when you say you are stressed is, “Have you tried meditation?”. That then is often followed by an eye roll, a scoff, or a combination of both by the stressed person. Don’t lie, we know that’s how
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Hey – make your bed! One small but mighty thing you can do every single day that can transform your life is to make your bed every morning. Sure, there are loads of excuses not to: I’d rather just have the extra five minutes in bed. It’ll just be unmade again later when I get
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Making new friends can be tough, especially in big schools where it seems like everyone already knows and gets on with everyone else. From the outside it looks like everyone else finds it easy, and that you are the only one struggling. Trust us when we say that this is not the case. All around
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I’ve felt different from other people for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I had some quirks: I didn’t really play with other kids a lot, and I much preferred the company of myself or my twin sister. I was quiet and clumsy, and I was always away with the fairies.
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Periods are a normal bodily function, experienced by about half of the world’s population every month. And yet, we still struggle to be upfront and have open conversations about how they affect our lives. Period products, like pads and tampons, can be expensive and can put people under serious financial pressure. ‘Period poverty’ refers to
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From the 22nd of March to the 21st of April this year, Muslims around the globe are supposedly starving themselves for 30 days straight in the name of Allah (God). I can without a shadow of a doubt, debunk this rumour. We don’t starve ourselves; we fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days straight. No
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Navigating relationships of any kind can be difficult, especially online, where it seems that there are all these hidden rules and measures that you need to follow in order to maintain a friendship/relationship. So, what happens when one of these relationships goes wrong, and you find out that someone you love has just unfollowed you?
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