Begin again: August Reflections
☀️ Reflection and renewal. A couple of weeks ago, perusing Instagram left me full of longing, a touch of jealousy of sandy beaches, blue skies, and the ease of holidays.
Now that I have had my break, I swipe past those posts, pleased people are happy, but that tug to be elsewhere has eased. What I crave now has shifted; I am ready for the next season.
Historically, I took my summer break at the end of August, coming back to work at the beginning of September with the academic new year. Recently, I’ve taken my summer breaks earlier and have realised that this has unintentionally shifted my September new year new start to August. My family is not amused. I find myself keen to clean out cupboards, light tea lights and make soup, because you know... Autumn.🍂
Speaking of Autumn and shiny new pencil cases - I’m running a September workshop for those working with (or hoping to work with) young adults. We’ll be exploring the complex systems they move through and how we can best support them in therapeutic spaces.
🗓️ Join me online: Wednesday 17th September
📘 Writing update:
Lately, I’ve had an explosion of ideas, scrappy thoughts and half-built pieces spread across three different apps and more post-it notes than I care to admit.
Something is coming. I don’t know what shape it’ll take yet, but... watch this space.
📖 Substacks I’ve Loved Recently
Some standout reads from brilliant minds:
High School Cliques: Where Belonging meets Identity - by Rebecca Watson.
Waves: They live with me - by Thomas Smithson
The Pressure to be Palatable - by Ayushi Thakkar
How to f*cking love your life - by Maura McInerney-Rowley and Hello Mortal
📚 Recent reads:
In the last few weeks, I’ve flung myself headfirst into fiction, giving my brain a rest from theory and diving into other people’s worlds.
From darkly comic short stories to twisting thrillers and cosy mysteries, I’ve had a brilliant escape. A few I’d recommend if you’re looking for your next read:
Sticky Fingers by J.T. Lawrence
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies
Each one offered something a little different — and all were enjoyable in their way.
🌀 Tools to Try: The imaginary blog technique
Confession: as a child (please don’t judge), I had an imaginary friend - a Victorian schoolboy, no less. Probably inspired by a class trip to the Beamish Museum.
My favourite game was showing him modern appliances. He was astounded by the toaster. He believed electricity was witchcraft.
It made everyday tasks, like making toast or loading the dishwasher, surprisingly entertaining.
Sometimes, imagining that someone is observing your life helps shift your perspective.
Try narrating your day like a vlog or short story. What would your imaginary reader notice? The rhythm of your day? The lack of breakfast? The need for more colour, joy, or pauses?
Small observations can lead to meaningful shifts.
So, how does your narrated life present? What small adjustments might make a big difference?
💡 Ideas to Consider: Revisiting the tools of our trade
This month, I reflected on something simple but surprisingly impactful: revisiting the therapeutic tools we often recommend to others, but rarely use ourselves.
I recently returned to the “unsent letter” exercise, something I first tried in training, and now often offer to clients.
Writing it again reminded me of the quiet clarity that comes from being on the receiving end of a tool, of remembering what it’s like to be the client, patient, or student.
If you missed it, the post is here: 👉 Don’t Forget to Try Again
Sometimes the simplest tools are the most powerful, especially when we return to them with fresh eyes.
💭 Closing Thought
Maybe it’s because of the work I do, but I’ve never quite let go of the idea that September is the real new year, the one with fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils.
But truthfully, I think we can begin again at any time.
On a Thursday afternoon.
In the middle of a supermarket.
Halfway through a lukewarm cuppa.
The next breath can always be the start of something new.
It’s lovely to share a few quiet moments with you today.
Until next time,
💛🌿 Helen
If you’d like to support my work or are interested in learning more about working therapeutically with young people, you can:
☕ Buy me a virtual toasted teacake or cuppa on Ko-fi 💛