Blog

January is a funny month for psychotherapists. They can be manic sometimes, enquiries near enough every day and several new clients can appear in the same week. Sometimes – and this is true of this January for me so far – they can be incredibly quiet. So far this month I have only had one … Read more

As part of the 12 Step programme, people with addiction issues are asked to define someone or something as a ‘higher power’. This could be God (of whichever form or description you choose), or someone you admire like a parent, friend or footballer (I imagine someone, somewhere has David Beckham set as their higher power, … Read more

A client greeted me this morning with a cheery, ‘happy new decade’ as they walked into my office. I was a bit distracted as I was concentrating making their usual coffee as it was said, but it reminded me that we have not just transitioned to a new year, but into ‘the twenties’. As a … Read more

I can’t recall the film, but I am sure I saw something once where there was a monologue that lamented about ‘moments in time’ and how things can change quickly and unexpectedly in life. It is likely the film was very bad as it is a very vague recollection on my part, but whilst I … Read more

Please note this was written on 19th August 2019, but I have only just had time to upload it onto here. I was not expecting to write anything this week, I am on my holibobs and as such thought my mind would be occupied by seagulls stealing chips and avoiding tetanus from old rusting bits … Read more

Grief. Had he not died in January, my Da would have been 80 yesterday. I can remember my family talking about what we would do to celebrate this milestone in his life a few years ago. Before it was obvious he was ill and a good year before we knew he would likely not be … Read more

Parenthood. I had avoided all forms of responsibility during my twenties and had no real interest in developing any actual important responsibility in my personal life during my thirties. After I hit thirty I had managed to stumble into a responsible vocation and that took any and all of the responsibleness available to me during … Read more

Self care. The importance of this is something that is installed into the psyche of all trainee counsellors and therapists. From the first training session, we are rightly told that we must look after ourselves as people and therapists so that we remain healthy enough psychologically and physically, to be in the room with our … Read more

This blog is on a subject I have deliberately avoided in the past. The main reason for that when this subject has been discussed by me, in groups or with another therapist, I often end up feeling like I am in some way sexist, stupid or unethical. It is therefore a bit of a risk … Read more

An excellent piece in the Guardian again today on one of the most insidious practices common in most NHS regions. Patient’s mental health status being manipulated so that a manager sat in an office, likely with no background or direct experience working in mental health, can manipulate their figures and get a bonus/promotion to bolster … Read more