Often we don’t have the spare cash to pay for counselling. In this post I recommend a few YouTube channels and other resources that have great content. These resources are made by professionals who follow current best practice. (But that doesn’t mean they’re always correct – check their work against what others say.)
Many of these channels offer short, easy to understand presentations. I recommend watching one short video every day, or as you feel able. Keep doing this for a while, and you will find your emotions shifting. As I write here, all you need to start improving your life is the willingness to try.
Relationships
Therapy Jeff
Therapy Jeff has a great Instagram and is great for daily tips. His style is very “brief”, packing good content into a short bundle. This YouTube video is 9 Ways To Change Your Attachment Style.
Steph Anya
Steph specialises in relationships and family therapy.
The Gottman Institute
John and Julie Gottman are influential relationships counsellors.
Attachment Styles
Attachment styles are ways of relating that we learn in our childhood. The four attachment styles affect how we relate to others as an adult, especially in romantic relationships:
Here’s a short video explaining attachment styles. Many of the treatments for insecure attachment styles are similar to those for anxiety. Try these resources:
This short YouTube video is 9 Ways To Change Your Attachment Style.
Heidi Priebe
This video by Heidi is the 4 Stages Of Attachment Healing (Conscious Competency Model). Heidi also covers other topics like trauma.
Healing the Fearful Avoidant
This YouTube channel by Pauline Timmer specialises in the “Fearful Avoidant”, one of the three types of insecure attachment.
We Heart Therapy
This channel by Anabelle Bugatti specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is often used for healing attachment styles. EFT is also used for other issues. This video is How to Explain Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Grief
The 5 Stages of Grief
Carl Benedict talks about the “Five Stages” model of grief developed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. I agree with him that these stages overlap and recycle, rather than follow a distinct straight line.
Using A Ritual To Process Grief
This 5 minute video talks about making a “ritual” to help process grief. A ritual doesn’t have to mean anything religious, just an action that means something to you. (The video is aimed at therapists, but is clear.)
Grief Counsellor Answers Your Questions
59 minutes but you don’t have to watch it all. I suggest picking one topic within this video at a time.
Trauma and Anxiety
I’ve grouped Trauma (PTSD, C-PTSD) and Anxiety together for now as they have similarities and the treatment for them is very similar. Try these YouTube channels
Crappy ChildHood Fairy
Anna Runkle talks about all things Trauma. She focuses on Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) but most of what she says also applies to PTSD,
Therapy In A Nutshell
Here’s a good starting video, “10 Ways To Treat Anxiety That Work“
David Hawkins (Emotional Abuse Institute)
David helps people who’ve experienced physical or emotional abuse. His video: “Is It Possible To Trust Again After Emotional Abuse?”
NICABM
In this YouTube channel different professionals offer help with trauma. Here’s one example:
Ways To Help Yourself Feel Safe by Using Your Body. Although this video is aimed at therapists, it has some simple self-soothing techniques to try.
Chronic Illness and Trauma
Veronique has an excellent website for those wanting to explore a connection between chronic fatigue (CFS/ME) and trauma. For example, here are How Understanding Trauma is Making Sense of My Chronic Fatigue and 16 Tools to help.
Anger
There are two strategies for anger. One is immediate (“first aid”, what to do when you’re suddenly angry). The other strategy is long term work on yourself to reduce your tendency to anger. The videos below are mostly on the second strategy, “long term health”, but do contain suggestions for when you’re triggered.
A 7 minute video with some ideas. Note: Brief mention of sexual abuse. Dr. Gabor Maté on How to Process Anger and Rage
8 Stoic Strategies For Controlling Your Anger
When It Looks Like Anger But Is Actually Depression
Our Shadow/Dreams
Carl Jung (d. 1961) was an influential Swiss psychiatrist who developed ideas on the unconscious and founded the school of analytical psychology. Jung can be useful in confronting our dark side, which he called our “shadow”. This “shadow work” is best done with some guidance.
5 Carl Jung Shadow Principles To Become Who You’re Afraid To Be
Brenda Blanco, less than 9 minutes.
A more general introductory video on Jung’s ideas (11 minutes).
Become Who You Are Afraid To Be (Our Shadow)
Looking into our dreams, and our darker side. 39 minutes.
Where To Get Help
A list of phone and other services if you need help
Key Counselling 
Leave a comment