No Resolutions but Reflections: January Reflections
I'm not a fan of new years resolutions for a few reasons.
I've worked a lot of my life to an academic calendar, so September is the time for new stationery and making change, it's a cold dark month to go to the gym or deny yourself comfort food, it feels uncomfortable to be reaching for some form of perfection and often setting yourself up for failure. So I don't do one, but I do think of an idea to hold in mind. This year it is to include more non-fiction work books into my beloved fiction pile. No numbers, no measure of success, just an idea to hold in mind.
I have began well and it's definitely encouraged me to continue.
Before Christmas I purchased Helen Kewell’s book's ‘Living Well and Dying Well: tales of counselling older people’ and ‘Midlife: Stories of crisis and growth from the counselling room’. A measure of a good non fiction book to me is many sticky tabs, which I did here!
I work with all ages but predominantly young adults. I was drawn to these books because I've seen a similarity in work with teens and those who were retiring or entering into the elderly phase; a search for identity and meaning, a pulling away from social expectations, a changing body and a tangible shift into something new.
However I think it was more personal than that, I have tipped into the middle age category myself, and I have a couple of relatives who are exploring their closing chapters of life.
Both of these expectations were fulfilled, but what I hadn't expected was a reflective space to consider my own views and also my own therapeutic practice. Helen doesn't deliver her book as a textbook authority but as a knowledgeable companion. Something that I aim for in my writing. Because of this you get to join her in her own imperfect spaces and without pressure or judgement reflect on your own imperfect journey. Regardless of the age group you work, if you work in a therapeutic way I recommend Kewell’s books.
Themes to explore
If my clients could share my most used words this last year, they’d likely say: narratives, boundaries, and parts. These themes have shaped much of my therapeutic approach recently, and I don’t see them fading any time soon. In fact, I’m keen to dive deeper into narrative therapy this year.
If you know of any excellent (and reasonably priced) courses, webinars, or books on the topic, please let me know—I’d love to hear your recommendations.
Things to Read
Helen Kewell’s Books. Living Well and Dying Well and Midlife: Stories of Crisis and Growth are excellent reads for anyone working therapeutically. They’re reflective, insightful, and grounded in the messy, imperfect realities of life.
Upworthy Good People ; Stories from the best of humanity. We all need a little boost now and again and these stories warm the soul.
Tools to Try
Dixit Cards. Dixit cards come originally from a story telling game, and it is a good game but I have 4 expansion packs now which I use in a different way. These beautifully illustrated cards can be a great therapeutic tool for exploring emotions, relationships, or narratives. They’re a great alternative what can be messy and intimidating art work. They are versatile and particularly engaging for clients who respond well to metaphor and creativity. I am happy to share more about working with cards if it is useful.
Ideas to Consider
The Role of Imperfection. Helen Kewell’s books reminded me of the value of embracing imperfection in both life and therapy. How can we model this for our clients, creating spaces where they feel safe to explore their own imperfect stories?
Resources and CPD to Explore
Internal Family Systems Webinars - Check out Pesi’s offerings. They’re reasonably priced (only buy when a regular sale appears) and offer excellent insights into IFS. Be aware that though Pesi offer some good content it comes with daily sales pitch emails, unsubscribe if you don’t want the barrage!
NSPCC weekly update - If you work with young people please consider subscribing to the NSPCC’s weekly update, known as: Current awareness for policy, practice and research (CASPAR). With details of recent research, policy updates and current statistics all focused around safeguarding and wellbeing if is a valuable resource.
What’s Coming Up?
This past year has been full of behind-the-scenes work, and I’m thrilled to share that a new resource for working therapeutically with teenagers and young adults will be launching in a few months. It’s been a labor of love, and I hope it will be valuable to those in the field.
If you have colleagues or friends who might benefit from this resource, please share this newsletter with them so they can stay in the loop!
Closing Thought
As we step into this new year, I encourage you to hold a gentle intention rather than a resolution. What idea could you keep in mind—not as a goal to achieve, but as a thread to weave into your days?
Lovely to share a moment with you,
Helen