October is Black History Month in the UK, an event that has been celebrated nationwide for more than 30 years. I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t know about it until I was at university when I was 19.
Category Archives: Articles
Ethical Considerations: Bereavement as a Therapist
As a counselling student, about to start my first placement hours, I am unexpectedly having to deal with the very real and painful loss of my grandmother.
World Mental Health Day
Today is World Mental Health Day. I suppose it’s natural for me to want to put out a post about it – I’m a trainee therapist with lived experiences of mental illness. I don’t think that mental health is something we should only speak about on one day of the year, but I do thinkContinue reading “World Mental Health Day”
BACP and the Misguided Therapy Today
In August, the Psychologist (which is the British Psychological Societies member magazine) published a misguided open letter by Dr Kirsty Miller. Her article created a twitterstorm (and comments on their website showed equal amounts of shock and dismay). I managed to engage with Dr Miller somewhat about the article and her views. The Psychologist proactively responded to many of the comments, the editor took responsibility, listened and then removed the article in question. They have actively continued to engage with their readership and the general public on the topic.
Suicide and Suicidal Ideation
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day – an internationally recognised day to prevent suicide. I don’t like days like this, because it suggests that we should only focus on it for one day – but nonetheless, it is important to do so. I have personal experience with suicide and suicidal ideation. I will only discuss my own story in this post, out of respect of the survivors that I know and their right to privacy.
D&D, LARP and RPGs
Have you ever wanted to escape from the world? Ever found yourself fantasizing “what if”? Ever wondered what it’s like not to suppress certain characteristics or qualities? Table Top and Live Action Role Play are just some ways that we can achieve that.
Trusting in a Therapist: Disclosure of a Sensitive Subject
My therapist suggested that I try to draw or write about what my condition looks like to me.
Taboo: Self Harm and Self Injury
Content/Trigger Warning: Self-Harm/Injury
SCoPEd: Upcoming Q and A
Tomorrow marks the first Q&A session that the BACP will be running on the latest iteration of the SCoPEd project. I’m disappointed as I’m unable to attend it. It’s taken until the past couple of days for spokespeople of the BACP to explain where they will be getting the questions from.
A Reply to Dr Kirsty Miller
I have written a couple of posts in regards to Dr Kirsty Miller, a practicing psychologist, who wrote publicly of her decision to leave the British Psychological Society. She has taken it upon herself to reply to my articles (which I appreciate), and whilst I don’t have much further to add to my original points, I would like to clarify a few points.