Today is A-level results day. As a counsellor who works with teenagers, I see what really happens beneath the surface of this day: grades quietly fusing with self-worth, results-day comparison on social media, and reactions that range from relief to a genuine sense of loss. This piece looks at A-level results day anxiety from a counsellor's perspective, and what actually helps teenagers and their families through today and the days that follow.

England has just had one of its driest spells in years — heat, water shortages, wildfires, and it's happening elsewhere too. If that's left you with a low, unsettled dread, there's a name for it: eco-anxiety. Research since 2007 treats it as a rational response, not a disorder, and studies suggest coping with eco-anxiety works best by facing the feeling rather than pushing it away — connecting with others, taking small consistent action, and knowing when to ask for support.