Looking after your mental health

Written by: Dr Morwenna Opie
Published:
Edited by: Emma McLeod

Dr Morwenna Opie has worked with patients with a variety of mental health conditions for many years, including anxiety, trauma, OCD and those with mental health issues that arise from physical health challenges. Here she explains the link between physical and mental wellbeing, as well as providing professional advice that you can try when caring for your mental health.

A man looking into the camera with a wide smile

Can physical health conditions affect mental health?

Yes, physical health conditions can absolutely have an impact on mental health. Going through daily life can be hard work at times. This happens particularly for those who have physical or mental health conditions, which applies to 30% of people in the UK. The extra hurdles these conditions entail can make sufferers feel like their lives have become disrupted and not what they had hoped for.

 

Despite us realising that emotional hurdles often come with physical ones, we often forget this during our personal times of illness. When we’re unwell or very limited in how much we can achieve our usual daily activities, we can overlook that it’s ok to feel emotions such as frustration, stress and anxiety.

 

What is your key advice?

Everyone can benefit from the following:

  • Mindfulness: This means being aware of what’s happening in the present and focusing less on worries and criticism about past, present and future events. This can be practised through mediation and yoga, for example.
  • Exercise: Exercise releases endorphins and these chemicals relieve feelings of pain and stress. You may have heard of endorphins being referred to as “happy hormones” before. Exercise gets you out in the fresh air and interacting with people: it’s beneficial in several ways.
  • Authenticity: It’s important to feel like you know your true self. By taking a look at core values that matter to us as opposed to what we think should matter, we can live a lifestyle that matches our true values.

 

Does mindfulness work?

Everyone can benefit from mindfulness. I highly recommend trying it, even if you doubt its ability to help you. Everyone has moments of self-judgment and criticism and what mindfulness does is that it allows a person to control and combat those negative thoughts.

 

There are several techniques, so don’t be disheartened if mindfulness initially doesn’t work for you. Mindfulness is like exercise for the mind: you become more flexible mentally and more resilient against negative emotions.

 

What is a therapy session with you like?

First and foremost, I get to know the person I’m helping. If you visit me for a therapy session, together you and I will evaluate what goals you want to achieve and determine the best therapeutic methods that will lead to you accomplishing these goals. I’m passionate about patients feeling understood in their sessions and I’m committed to making sure each and every patient feels heard, hopeful and able to care for their mental health.

 

I’ve had patients from London and overseas visit the clinic (at the Duchy Hospital in Cornwall) and stay on wellness retreats. These retreats offer transformational intensive therapy in the beautiful environment of Cornwall. Locals can also experience this transformation with 6-8 weekly sessions at the hospital clinic.

 

Above all, patients are helped to make adjustments that promote lasting changes to their mental wellbeing.

 

Don’t delay in caring for your mental health. Learn more and get in touch with Dr Opie by clicking here.

By Dr Morwenna Opie
Psychology

Dr Morwenna Opie is an expert clinical health psychologist based at the Duchy Hospital in Truro, Cornwall. In this setting she has a specialty with syncope, PoTS and managing health-related anxieties, however she continues to provide support to patients with all manner of physical health conditions from many settings including rheumatology (e.g. RA, Sjogren’s, APS, Lupus, FM), neurology (migraine, unexplained symptoms) and pain and fertility services. Dr Opie is qualified in providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as mindfulness therapies which are proven to optimise mental health, and are highly effective for anxiety, depression and OCD, as well as associated difficulties including sleep issues, panic attacks, grief, adjustment, fatigue and relationship difficulties. Dr Opie recognises we can sometimes feel overwhelmed with advice and demands to change, our worlds can shrink and we can lose a sense of purpose and direction.  At these times it is critical to reconnect with our identity and values, define priorities, make plans, and regain hope and self-worth.

Dr Opie completed her undergraduate degree at Cambridge University where she won subject and college prizes. She obtained her PhD in clinical health and psychology at UCL and completed her studies in New Zealand where she specialised in anxiety, neurophysiology and clinical health psychology. Dr Opie is currently an honorary clinical psychologist at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in rheumatology, reflecting her commitment to integrating psychological health routinely into physical healthcare settings, and working collaboratively with healthcare specialists to ensure coordinated quality care.

Dr Opie's patient-centred approach in a clinical setting is mirrored in her research interests which include investigating and validating individual therapeutic and group interventions for complex physical health conditions. She is also committed to producing informative literature about health and treatment for patient use and advocating for psychological support in healthcare that is informed by a recognition that mind and body are inseparable. This patient-centric approach is visible in the relaxed, safe, warm and genuine relationships she forms with her patients, helping them step back into a full and rewarding life.

View Profile

Overall assessment of their patients


  • Related procedures
  • Psychological treatments
    Relationship counselling
    Paediatric psychology
    Neuropsychology
    Mental health assessment
    Toxic Addiction (alcoholism)
    Psychotic disorders
    Eating disorders
    Psychopharmacology
    Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
    This website uses our own and third-party Cookies to compile information with the aim of improving our services, to show you advertising related to your preferences as well analysing your browsing habits. You can change your settings HERE.