It is that time of year again. Even in a year like no other, there's familiarity at least to be found in the passage of time. The Solstice arrives at the mid-point in the year. Its arrival tends to prompt a particular response in me. I find myself reflecting and thinking ahead. What do I … Continue reading Where Do We Go From Here?
A couple of weeks ago, I moved to an island. I got to name the island, so I decided to call it Chillaxia. I arrived at Chillaxia airport, located on the South coast, in a flying boat piloted by a dodo called Wilbur. I thanked him and made my way inland, where I met a … Continue reading New Horizons
I watched a programme on BBC 2 over Christmas called 'Pilgrimage, The Road to Rome'. It was about a bunch of celebrities walking an old pilgrimage route to Rome to meet the pope. One of the celebrities, Stephen K Amos, had a personal agenda; he was determined to challenge the Catholic Church’s apparent traditionally disapproving … Continue reading Adjectives Are Meaningless
I can't remember the last time I made a New Year's resolution. I don't have any intention of making one this year. But I will have hopes for the year ahead. I'll also be thinking about the implications of what I'm hoping for. What I hope for from what I hope for will be in … Continue reading New Year’s Hopes
I caught a bit of a tv show, in which artists were competing to produce the portrait that would delight the judges most when the allotted time for their painting activity was up, although it was clear that taking part was rewarding for all involved anyway, no matter who actually 'won'. One of the contestants … Continue reading Painting
There's this popular idea that 1 in 4 people suffer with 'mental health problems', which has led to the instinct to try to identify which amongst us is that 1, so that we might help them. Looking for signs of 'mental health problems', then, has become the go to starting point in 'mental health awareness', and 'mental … Continue reading 1 in 4 (All You Need Is Love)
"Look into your mind’s eye see what you can see, there's hundreds of people like you and me" (Hawkwind; 'Hurry On Sundown') The town I grew up in was renowned for its Friday night street brawls, conspicuous uneven distribution of wealth and availability of illegal drugs. It was once described in a national newspaper, albeit … Continue reading Look Into Your Mind’s Eye
I recently learnt that the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) discourage counsellors from working with people experiencing psychosis unless they are working in a specialist setting, and have specific supervision and experience of working with this 'client group'. This is described by them as ‘working within our competence’. This intrigues me. I'm not … Continue reading A Red Herring
One day I was feeling grumpy as I left the house, then I noticed birdsong and felt ok again. Now I make a point of listening out for it everywhere I go and as a result the world is full of birdsong. One evening I was walking home from work. It was dark, misty and … Continue reading Birdsong
Wednesday October 10th is World Mental Health Day. The theme for this year is ‘Young People and Mental Health In A Changing World’. What we regard as poor mental health in an individual is often their expression of the emotional impact of struggling to thrive in the face of difficult circumstances. Yesterday I attended a … Continue reading Making A Difference
Keep Calm and Solution Focused 