This time we’re chatting with psychotherapist Tina Wright. 

Hi, Tina! If you could recommend One Good Thing we can all do to benefit our mental health, what would it be?

Creating a personal timeline of stressful events can be a powerful exercise to foster self-compassion, helping you understand your experiences more kindly and holistically. 

Interesting… why?

This personal timeline exercise is invaluable because it bridges the gap between self-reflection and compassion. By mapping out your history with objectivity, you’re able to see patterns, such as how stress has influenced both your mental and physical wellbeing. It’s not about ruminating on the past but instead recognising the resilience you’ve shown – and giving yourself credit for it. This practice encourages a kinder, more accepting view of yourself.

How do we do this exercise?

The exercise works by guiding you to note major stress points across your life. With each event, record your age, a brief description and any physical or emotional responses you experienced. This timeline gives you a clear, visual structure, which helps make connections you may not have previously considered. By looking back through this lens, you journal your reflections, then take an empathetic view by imagining a young person – like a child in your life – going through similar experiences. This can naturally bring compassion to your story, allowing you to see your strength and patience over time.

And how can doing this benefit our mental wellbeing?

Creating a personal timeline can bring several benefits:

• Enhanced self-compassion: seeing your own story objectively can soften self-criticism and cultivate kindness
• Pattern recognition: noting when physical symptoms or emotional distress occurred relative to life events can help link mind-body responses and make sense of ongoing symptoms.
• Resilience validation: revisiting how you handled past stressors helps reinforce your inherent strength and resilience.
• Acceptance of your story: this exercise often helps you accept aspects of your past with more clarity, reducing the emotional hold these events may have.

Are there any common pitfalls of your one good thing? How can we avoid them?

Some people may find themselves reliving events rather than observing them objectively, which can lead to feeling overwhelmed. To avoid this:

• Take your time creating the timeline. Pace yourself so you’re not writing down too much at once
• Keep a grounding activity, such as a breathing exercise, on hand for when emotions get strong
• Remind yourself you’re here to observe, not relive, each event
• Reach out for professional help if you recognise the need

How do you personally do your One Good Thing?

At first, it was challenging to write down each stressful event without self-criticism, and I often viewed these moments as personal failings. But with practice, it became easier, and I found myself returning to the list periodically. Revisiting it sometimes brought to mind previously forgotten episodes that I then added in, learning new insights from each one. This ongoing practice became a source of self-growth, allowing me to see each event with increasing compassion and understanding.

How has doing this changed your life?

Creating a timeline led to revelations about my physical health, showing me how flare-ups of chronic conditions often coincided with, or closely followed, stressful life events. By revisiting each moment and connecting it to my younger self, I naturally developed a compassionate stance toward my experiences. Rather than viewing challenges as weaknesses, I saw the strength in each survival story, especially when imagining how I’d feel if a loved one were going through the same.

This exercise has been transformative for my self-compassion and understanding of mind-body links. Recognising the courage it took to face these challenges changed how I viewed myself and eased long-standing self-judgment. It also allowed me to better manage symptoms by understanding their origins, which positively impacted both my mental and physical health. Now, I approach similar stressors with more grace and compassion, knowing I’ve endured and grown through every challenge.

Frame Of Mind is Stylist’s home for all things mental health and the mind. From expert advice on the small changes you can make to improve your wellbeing to first-person essays and features on topics ranging from autism to antidepressants, we’ll be exploring mental health in all its forms. You can check out the series homepage to get started.

Images: Adobe