20 things you might not know about me

by Nicky Abdinor

In the spirit of authenticity, Robyn Young (Brandheart Personal Branding) inspired me to share a few things that you might not know about me: My full name is Nicolette Jeanne Abdinor. I have two older sisters (one in London and the other one in East London, South Africa) and a younger brother in California. I […]

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Be kind

by Nicky Abdinor

My cousin was recently on an international flight. A man was sitting in her booked aisle seat and was grumpy and rude when the airhostess asked him to move. After landing the following morning, he asked to borrow a fellow passenger’s cellphone to make a call. His mother was ill and he didn’t know if she […]

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Positive vs Negative Emotions

by Nicky Abdinor

“The word ‘happiness’ would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” Carl Jung. We all want to experience positive emotions. We strive to be happier and experience joy, excitement and pleasure in our lives. As an inspirational speaker, the aim of my talk is to challenge the audience to think differently about […]

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What are your 2015 intentions?

by Nicky Abdinor

I’ve entered the New Year with a list of “intentions” for 2015. I did a similar exercise last year and found it encouraging to go back to my list and to see how many intentions I managed to achieve and integrate in my life. Many involved stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks. […]

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The practice of mindfulness

by Nicky Abdinor

When you have lunch at work, do you sit in front of your computer catching up on emails while eating your sandwich? When your child shows you their homework, are you busy preparing supper at the same time? When you sit with friends or family at a restaurant, are you checking your phone for messages? […]

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CBT treatment guidelines for insomnia

by Nicky Abdinor

“It’s 3am and I can’t sleep! I have to sleep! I have a big meeting tomorrow! I’m never going to fall asleep!” Sound familiar? When we are stressed, anxious or troubled, we usually experience sleep disturbances. Some struggle to fall asleep, while others wake up a few times during the night, struggling to get back […]

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I MUST be perfect: The Costs of Perfectionism

by Nicky Abdinor

Recently, my friend and colleague, Tracey Foulkes (Productivity Coach and CEO of Get Organised) and I were discussing overcoming perfectionism. It’s a common theme in Tracey’s work and I was discussing the psychological considerations – when is perfectionism “normal” and when does it present as part of a potential anxiety disorder?  It’s not surprising that […]

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Masters in Psychology – Tips for your interviews

by Nicky Abdinor

South African universities who offer Masters in Psychology will be inviting successful applicants for interviews as part of their selection process. WITS was one of the first universities to select applicants for interviews which take place early next week. As I always say in my blog posts about Masters, I am not on a selection committee for any […]

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Never mind the plumber, what about the treatment of depression

by Nicky Abdinor

If your geyser bursts, you phone the plumber. If you break your arm, you go to your nearest casualty department. Why then, if you’re feeling depressed, do you not seek help? There are a number of possible reasons. Sometimes we think, “It will get better” or “It’s just a phase.” Sometimes we are scared of […]

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