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Charlotte Grainger | Mental Health & Careers Writer

Thoughtful, research-led content about careers and mental health—topics like burnout, self-worth, freelancing, ambition, and what it means to find fulfilment in work.

Bylines include Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Resume.io, Psychologies, Truity, and MSN.

Published Work

Resume.io •

What to do if You're Fired From a Job

The worst has happened. Your manager called you into their office and said the words you’d been dreading: “We have some difficult news. We’re letting you go.” Your heart sinks and you feel sick. When the shock is over, though, you have to get back on the horse.Applying for jobs after you’ve been fired is no easy feat. Not only will your confidence be at an all-time low, but you may struggle to find the right way to tell new employers. How do you give a reason for leaving your previous role when...
Cosmopolitan •

The Women Who Warn £90k a Year While Travelling

While the 9-5 is still the norm for many of us, there's a new wave of employees changing the job market: digital nomads. Armed with nothing more than a laptop and a strong work ethic, they're giving a new meaning to flexible working hours, travelling the world while making beaches, cafes, and sofas their offices.

With more than 4.8 million Brits now identifying as self employed (via and the surge in companies offering , there's never been a better time to pack in contracted hours in favour of w
Truity •

Are Narcissists Born or Created? What Psychologists Say

When even the Kardashians start throwing around a psychological term, you can bet your bottom dollar that it has become mainstream. That’s right, Kourtney recently slammed her sister, Kim, calling her a word with which we’re all familiar by now — “narcissist.”

We won’t get into the specifics of the reality show drama, but it’s fair to say that the word has become a catch-all for any behavior we deem unlikeable. Frankly, it has almost lost all meaning. Your hairdresser calls to reschedule your a
Truity •

What Exactly is Gaslighting — and How Can You Combat It?

Your outside fence is green — bright green. It always has been green and, until you can be bothered to paint it, it always will be. That’s a cold, hard fact.

However, when your neighbor visited last week, he laughed in your face and told you it was purple. When you tried to correct him, he said you must be losing it and that the fence has always been purple and you’d have to be “insane” to think otherwise. He even went as far as to say that the other people on the street suspected that you were
True You Journal •

What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?

A psychologist was emphatically speaking about it on a reality TV show. No wait, it was in that LinkedIn post from a business leader. Or was it your manager who mentioned it in that team building seminar? It doesn’t matter how the words reached your ears, chances are, you’ve already heard of emotional intelligence. But it’s not just the latest psychology buzz phrase. Almost three-quarters (71%) of employers say they value emotional intelligence or EQ more highly than regular intelligence or IQ w...
The Muse •

Make a New Habit Actually Stick With Habit Stacking

Productivity rules the modern world. The majority of us are desperately looking for ways to “get more stuff done.” In fact, a recent survey found that “be productive” is the most popular self-growth goal among respondents in the U.S., U.K., and Australia—more than “be happy,” “have a healthy body,” “have more money,” or “love and be loved.” But the point, perhaps, is that productivity can help us get our work done more efficiently and ultimately carve out more time for the people and experiences
The Muse •

Are You in “Goblin Mode” in Your Career?

It’s 2 p.m. on a Wednesday and you’re still in your pajamas, your hair uncombed. You’re in your home office (read: at your kitchen table) idly refreshing your work email—clicking the button but not focusing on the screen. The text messages and social media notifications have been stacking up on your phone and no part of your being cares to look at them. Instead, you flip the device over, hiding those irritating red dots. You’re tired of trying to keep up with the endless expectations. If this sc
Men's Health •

Fear of Commitment Is Ruining Your Dating Life

Buzz. You pick up your phone to a new message. “Hey babe, can we talk when you’re free?” Your chest gets tight. Your body goes cold. You realize you should have seen this coming. You've been dating this great woman for a month or two, and now she wants to DTR (translation: Define The Relationship).

If that sounds like you, then you might have a fear of commitment. If you have a sneaking suspicious you're dealing with commitment issues, then you've come to the right place. Psychosexual therapist
Metro •

How Social Media Can Divide Friendships

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a person’s online persona has little to do with their real-life personality.
Sure, we do and say things on social media that we would never dream of doing or saying IRL.
It’s normal. Well, kind of.
However, if your friend’s online persona drives you up the wall, it could impact the way you feel about them. We spoke to two women who struggle with this problem and got some expert advice on how to deal with it.
Sarah*, 31, finds her bestie’s social media o...
Metro.co.uk •

How to Handle Confrontation like an Adult

Scared of having that ‘little chat’? Aren’t we all.

You’re sitting at work when – *ping* – an email drops into your inbox. It’s Sandra from HR asking for a ‘quick chat’. Sounds ominous. You’re sure she’s never liked you and now she’s found some reason to make you really suffer.

Your entire body runs hot. Confrontation is not your strong suit. Actually, if you’re honest, you hate it.

Cate Mackenzie, qualified psychosexual therapist and couples counsellor, tells Metro.co.uk: ‘It’s not what we’r

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