iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

It’s been a while so though I’d say hi 👋

Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Supporting other human beings changes us. Sometimes in beautiful ways. Sometimes in difficult ways. Often in both. I’m an accredited counsellor & psychotherapist in the UK, exploring the impact of supporting others through therapy, writing, training & research. People who support others matter too.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Maybe it isn’t about getting “there.” Maybe there isn’t a “there.” Just us… learning, unlearning, becoming. 💚 #TherapyCanBe

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde. Maybe therapy is where we get to show up as we are, no pretending? It could be about learning to embrace ourselves, without fear. What might it look like to be unapologetically ourselves? 💚 #TherapyIs #MentalHealthAwareness

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Back in the training saddle! We’ve had two brilliant days with social work managers—laughing, learning, and exploring the risks, remedies & rewards of leading in trauma-exposed roles. Supporting the supporters matters. #SelfCarePsychology #SocialWorkLeadership #TheFivePillarsOfProtection

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Okay, I admit it—I love sweets, and this personalised ‘Tangsasstic’ bag made me smile! 🍬 It got me thinking: therapy’s like this too—each session, like each flavour, is different. Embrace the uniqueness of your journey. 💚 #TherapyIs #TherapistsConnect #PersonCentred #Healing

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Therapy doesn’t ask us to be fully open from day one. It offers space to notice the parts of ourselves we might have hidden—without even realising it. And when we do? That’s where the real work happens. #TherapyIs #MentalHealthMatters

Therapy is where I try to bring my ful self

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

We don’t always realise what we hold back until we’re in a space safe enough to explore it. Therapy isn’t about rushing that process—it’s about noticing, making space, and allowing more of ourselves to show up in time. #TherapyIs #Authenticity #therapistsconnect

Therapy is where I try to bring my full self

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

"Boundaries with ourselves, those we support, and our colleagues aren’t selfish. They make care sustainable." #CompassionFatigue #HelpingProfessionals #Boundaries

Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Left in the dark, a potato will still grow towards the tiniest of light. Rogers saw this as a perfect metaphor for how humans move towards growth, no matter the circumstances. #KeepingRogersRelevant

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

💡 Vicarious trauma isn’t a personal failing. It’s a natural response to exposure to others’ trauma. Understanding it is key to protecting ourselves & sustaining this work. #VicariousTrauma #HelpingProfessionals #SelfCarePsychology

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. You’re not a textbook case—so why should therapy follow a formula? The relationship between therapist and client is what truly matters. Therapy should shape around you, not the other way around. #TherapyIs #PersonCentred #TherapistsConnect

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

The ‘cost of caring’ doesn’t have to drain you. Compassion fatigue is real, but it’s not inevitable. 💛🌿 #CompassionFatigue #CharlesFigley

Compassion fatigue is the cost of caring

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Sometimes, when we’re in the heavy bits, a glimpse of lighter skies can be enough to keep going. Therapy can be like that—a space to hold the tough stuff while also holding onto hope. 💛 (Also, my granddaughter calls this railway bridge a cave, so it makes me laugh too!) #TherapyIs #Hope

Looking through a railway bridge to a lighter sky

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

The best resource helping professionals have? Each other. Connection is one of the strongest buffers against burnout, but peer support doesn’t just happen—it needs space to grow. Who’s in your support network? #PeerSupportMatters #WorkplaceWellbeing #BurnoutPrevention

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

🌱 Therapy is about hearing the heart, not just the words. It’s about tuning in—not just to what’s said, but what isn’t. A space to be heard, fully. #TherapyIs #Counselling #MentalHealth #TherapistsConnect #PersonCentred

Therapy is a lot heating the heart not just the words

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Compassion fatigue can hit suddenly, leaving us drained, cynical, and questioning our ability to care. It’s not burnout, but it is real—and protecting ourselves matters. Our Five Pillars of Protection help buffer the impact. Let’s talk about it. #CompassionFatigue #HelpingProfessionals

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

Training as a therapist isn’t just about learning theory and practice. It’s about self-awareness, reflection, and doing our own work. If we want to sit with others, we need to be willing to sit with ourselves first. #TherapyIs #CounsellingTraining #BecomingATherapist #TherapistsConnect

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

💡 Burnout prevention isn’t just an indulgence. It’s an ethical imperative. 🛑 If helping professionals are exhausted, who benefits? 💬 Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s the foundation of ethical practice.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

I’m so proud of SVP! 💬 1,000 followers?! On instagram We’re not social media pros, but if this means more real talk about professional trauma and fatigue, we’re all in.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

🔹 A full day of training with frontline staff across social care & education—exploring the risks, remedies, and rewards of front line helping professions. A challenging but energising day, filled with insight, connection & real talk. #SelfCarePsychology #HelpingProfessionals

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Coffee won’t fix moral distress. Neither will sweets (sadly). Moral distress isn’t a personal failing—it’s the cost of working in systems that don’t align with your values. Self-care alone won’t erase it, but collective care might. #SelfCarePsychology #MoralDistress #CollectiveCare

Another coffee isn’t going to fix kot distress

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

✨ Being truly heard can change everything. Maybe therapy isn’t about fixing things—maybe it’s about feeling heard enough to figure them out for yourself. #TherapyIs #PersonCentred #TherapistsConnect #MentalHealthMatters

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Helping professionals face more than just burnout. That’s why created a term, Professional Trauma and Fatigue—to capture the impact of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, vicarious trauma, moral distress & more. Recognising it is the first step. #SelfCarePsychology #TraumaAwareness

Definition of professional trauma and fatigue

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

🛑 Therapy isn’t about being given all the answers. One of the first things I say to clients? I don’t have a magic wand. ✨ Therapy isn’t about fixing you—it’s about having the space to untangle what’s been feeling stuck and figure out what fits for you. #TherapyIs #SelfDiscovery #MentalHealthMatters

Therapy isn’t about having all of the answers it’s about having the space to explore the questions

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Feeling overwhelmed by training? You’re not alone in this. Take a moment to revisit who’s in your corner—peers, tutors, supervisors. Support is there. You don’t have to do it all alone. 🌿 #HoldingSpaceForStudents #FutureHelpers #YouAreNotAlone

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.’ – Audre Lorde Self-care isn’t about candles and bubble baths. It’s about resilience, sustainability, and being able to keep going. Let’s shift the conversation. #SelfCarePsychology #SelfCareIsPolitical #BeyondBubbleBaths

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Great to dust off the Five Pillars of Protection for today's 'Secondary Trauma: Supporting Managers to Support Staff' with Staffs CC. A helpful model for spotting where support is needed to buffer professional trauma & fatigue. Thanks for having us! #SecondaryTrauma #WorkplaceWellbeing

Professional trauma and fatigue model 5 pillars of protection

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

A fabulous, thought-provoking morning delivering 'Secondary Trauma: Supporting Managers to Support Staff' with Staffordshire CC. Huge thanks for having us! #SelfCarePsychology #SecondaryTrauma #SupportingManagers #HelpingProfessionals #WorkplaceWellbeing

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Caz Binstead BA MA AdvDip PGDip @cazbinny.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Hello friends 😊 , JKP books asked me to share this with my network. They are especially aiming to reach out to people who haven’t been published before and who identify as being from an underrepresented group. events.teams.microsoft.com/event/83ae23... #TherapistsConnect #BlueskyTherapists

From Proposal to Publication: A Webinar on Mental Health Publishing for Jessica Kingsley Publishers Underrepresented Voices

05th February 2025, 7pm - 8pm
(Online)

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

🏃‍♂️👟 These aren’t my running shoes. They belong to family who seem to have cracked something I haven’t. I know exercise is good for me. But doing it? That’s another story. Knowing and doing aren’t the same. Maybe self-compassion is the place to start. Is it just me 🙈 #TherapyIs #SelfCompassion

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

🌿 Therapy is about relationships, not resolutions. Carl Rogers said it best: “How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for their own personal growth?” #TherapyIs #MentalHealthMatters #Authenticity

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

You can’t podcast your way out of vicarious trauma—but tuning out for a while might give you space to recharge. Helping others is heavy work. Let’s keep the conversation going about what real support looks like. 💙 Self-care helps, but it’s not the whole answer. #SelfCareTruth #SecondaryTrauma

Graphic saying you can’t podcast your way out of vicarious trauma

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

🌱 Therapy is a relationship where you can feel free to be yourself. No pressure, no perfect words. Just a space to explore who you are—and who you’re becoming. #TherapyIs #MentalHealthMatters #Authenticity

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Winter reminder: Slow down and find your pause. 🔥 For me, it’s the log burner and a moment of stillness. Therapy works the same way—offering a space to reflect and reconnect with what matters. What’s your favourite winter ritual? 🌱 #Blueskytherapists #TherapyIs #therapistsconnect

Log burner burning away with some logs next to it

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

In therapy, relationships are everything. It’s not about fixing; it’s about creating a space where someone feels seen, heard, and accepted just as they are. That’s where growth begins. What relationships in your life feel healing and real? #TherapyIs #PersonCentred #MentalHealthMatters

Irvin Yalom quote. It is the relationship that heals. The relationship the relationship the relationship

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Caz Binstead BA MA AdvDip PGDip @cazbinny.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

It’s #TherapistsConnect ‘s 5th birthday 🎂, & I’m happy to be the guest on our podcast in my own right 😊 . Lovely to chat to Dr Peter Blundell, & discuss my extensive work in private practice, & the book! therapistsconnect.buzzsprout.com/1091903/epis... Book: amzn.eu/d/jeh2nWq #Therapistsky

#TherapistsConnect Podcast Interview (a podcast for connecting therapists). Dr Peter Blundell interviews Caz Binstead about their work supporting therapists in private practice, and co-authoring the book ‘Relational Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counselling Private Practice’.

Poster also shows photos of Caz and Peter.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

🌱 New Year, NO NEED for a New You! 🙏 Instead of chasing resolutions, what if the new year became a time to reconnect with who you already are? Therapy is about exploring the real you—not reinventing, but reflecting. #TherapyIs #MentalHealthMatters #PersonCentred

Therapy is a space to reflect on who we are not who we think we should be

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Penny Sturt @supervisionmatters.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Welcome, noticed I have acquired many new contacts while I have had an extended break. Also returned to the good news that my publisher has a special offer on ebooks including mine - if interested in #Supervision in schools please use the link pavpub.com/educational-...

pavpub.com

Using Supervision in Schools: A Guide to Building Safe Cultures and Providing Emotional Support in a Range of Education Settings, 2nd Edition

Packed with up-to-date examples from real-life schools, this is an invaluable guide to how supervision can help teachers and other staff to feel safe, happy and challenged in their work, and to more e...

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

🎄 “Nobody is perfect.” (Because there’s no such thing!) The holidays don’t need perfect meals, perfect gifts, or perfect people. Therapy isn’t about being a perfect client either—it’s about showing up as you are. 💚 #TherapyIs #HolidayWellness #SelfAcceptance

Square saying ‘nobody is perfect because there’s no such thing

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

🌱 Therapy is a place where we are heard, even when we struggle to find the words. Sometimes, having someone truly listen helps us untangle feelings we didn’t even realise we had. #TherapyIs #TherapistsConnect

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

🌱 Juggling my houseplants to make room for Christmas decorations. I’m reminded of Carl Rogers' potato plant analogy: even in darkness, a potato will grow toward any available light. A hopeful reminder, with the right conditions, we can all grow and thrive? #Therapistsconnect

A picture of my mantelpiece covered with houseplants

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Healthy Minds and Bodies @healingminds.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

"Breathing is directly connected to our nervous system."⁠ Life is stressful, especially when coping with illness, grief, anxiety, or depression. Meditation may help health, as well as better sleep and lifting your mood. #breathe #mindset #breathwork #meditation #mentalhealth #calm #mindfulness

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Reposted by Sass Boucher MSc

Caz Binstead BA MA AdvDip PGDip @cazbinny.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Is #FollowFriday still a thing?! Hello Bluesky 👋 😊 … I’m Caz an author, therapist & relational activist (consulting room view). Sending out good vibes to folk on this platform - happy to follow/follow back those who cares about this planet, the world, humanity&kindness (in its fullest meaning) ✊🩵🙏

Photo of Caz’ consulting room - items shown are a brown chair, a patterned rug, a tree, a lamp, 2 Buddha statues, a picture of the ‘Eastern Hemisphere’, a bag with Bloomsbury set pictures on, a stack of tables and a table with a clock, tissues, statue and hand-gel.

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Pleased to report I’ve made it onto campus by car! Next step is all about making it into the school of medicine by foot! 🙈 #KeeleUniversity #TherapistsConnect

A picture of a snowy keele campus. The school of medicine building

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Prof Jane Monckton Smith @jmoncktonsmith.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

A great podcast from the BBC about the 8 Stages to Intimate Partner Homicide www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

bbc.co.uk

BBC Sounds - Assume Nothing - Available Episodes

Listen to the latest episodes of Assume Nothing on BBC Sounds.

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Reposted by Sass Boucher MSc

Ruth Naughton-Doe @ruthndwrites.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

I’ve started doing this for perinatal mental health research ❤️ go.bsky.app/9oEsdih

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Sass Boucher MSc @sassboucher.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Really proud to have ben a part of conversations and the interest in Professional Trauma & Fatigue on this of us who support others. We can’t prevent burnout with a bath bomb, or the impact of trauma with a candle, but we can be aware of the pillars that can support and mitigate them 🥰

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