The Spark Blog

Category: relationships

  • A Nation of Unhappy Men?

    A Nation of Unhappy Men?

    The theme of 2017 Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘surviving or thriving?’ In the context of men’s mental health in the UK in 2017 it feels like a perfect question to pose. Data – and there is lots of it – points to only one conclusion: many men are, at best, just about surviving and…

    /

  • Songs For Sound Minds #10 – Red Hot Chili Peppers

    Songs For Sound Minds #10 – Red Hot Chili Peppers

    Songs for Sound Minds are our picks of the best music that uplifts, inspires and boosts mental health. Songs written as an anthem to overcoming the storms of life. The songs that give hope in those times when we are struggling. The song that propelled Red Hot Chili Peppers to superstardom is a poignant story…

    /

  • Holidays Highlight Relationship Issues

    Holidays Highlight Relationship Issues

    Holidays are important. Especially since we only get a few each year. They can be fabulous times packed with great memories we will cherish forever. Whether we get to enjoy some family fun over Easter or the summer school break, holidays are one of the biggest (if not the biggest) motivation for working 9 to…

    /

  • Sexting: 5 Ways to Protect Your Child

    Sexting: 5 Ways to Protect Your Child

    Raising children in the digital age brings with it a host of challenges previous generations never faced. One such high profile and extremely distressing issue is sexting. Sexting is an issue that is fast becoming a common problem. As the lives of young people become ever more embedded in social media, its significance and the…

    /

  • Tips for Parents During Exams

    Tips for Parents During Exams

    Exam time can be as stressful for parents as it is for students. The normal teenage angst that leads to tension in the household cranks up a few notches during exam preparation. Indeed, many parents will recall attempts to ‘help’ their stressed-out teen that are interpreted as an act of war worthy of Michael Howard.…

    /

  • Exam Stress Tips for Students

    Exam Stress Tips for Students

    It is not long until schools, colleges and universities across Scotland will put up their ‘Quiet! Exam in Progress’ signs. And with it comes the inevitable exam stress and worry. To help you cope with pre-exam nerves, The Spark has prepared some top tips. We work in Scottish schools providing courses on how to cope…

    /

  • Coping with Life Transitions

    Coping with Life Transitions

    Benjamin Franklin famously wrote: “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. Change is an inevitable part of life. It is as inescapable as the passage of time and is often the precursor to a significant life transition. Life transitions are typically the most significant milestones in our lives.…

    /

  • Relationships and Social Media

    Relationships and Social Media

    Social media is becoming ever more intertwined in our lives and relationships. In an earlier blog we looked at the concept of the ‘digital shadow’ and the risk to relationships between parents and children. The conclusion being that parents who share every aspect of a child’s life on social media risk damage to their future…

    /

  • Songs For Sound Minds #12 – Lee Ann Womack

    Songs For Sound Minds #12 – Lee Ann Womack

    Songs for Sound Minds are our picks of the best music that uplifts, inspires and boosts mental health. Songs written as an anthem to overcoming the storms of life. The songs that give hope in those times when we are struggling. For our latest pick we are going a little bit country with ‘I Hope…

    /