My incredible wife @aileen__jones inspires me - and I know many others - every day with her integrity, compassion, commitment to support, nurture and mentor people from all backgrounds, and her calm, thoughtful, emotionally-intelligent leadership. Our wonderful daughter is in safe hands. Happy IWD!
…..and manipulative partners/colleagues, powerful and abusive boys and men, societal structures stacked against them, and so much more. If I hear anyone say we don’t need International Women’s Day (tomorrow), I will be giving out yards. Yards. 2/2
Saturday running reflection after an incredibly challenging week, with hugely moving sessions with clients: like all my weeks, I’ve witnessed unimaginable courage from the women I work with, who face rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, misogyny, discrimination, controlling…1/2
......I am choosing to look at the daffodils near my counselling room and feel hopeful about the next few days and weeks. It’s hard, but I am choosing hope. 3/3
.......which I know can be v difficult when events in the world feel so hopeless. These last two days of sunshine (here in Southport) have made a difference to my mood, especially in the face of events in the Middle East, which feel so terrible it is hard to find enough words....2/3
Spring is often a time for hope, optimism and renewal. Many clients reflect on how the weather and the light affects their mood - both positively (when spring arrives) and negatively (through the winter days). I believe passionately in the need for hope and joy to support our mental health...1/3
...Lives are being damaged as a result. A social media ban for under 16s is essential. Of course a ban won’t “work” for everyone - just like laws on smoking/drink-driving don’t stop all of it - but this is a public health emergency and such a ban/other restrictions would send a powerful message. 3/3
.....The benefits of social media for children are massively outweighed by their damage. Social media is poisoning young people in so many ways, including feeding them a constant stream of harmful content and pushing an unhealthy focus on comparison, fuelling feelings of “I’m not good enough”....2/3
Today, the UK government formally opened its consultation on social media, AI chatbots and gaming platforms. I am making my way through the consultation document and will be making a formal submission.
There are few mental health issues I feel more strongly about...1/3
www.gov.uk/government/c...
……needs and preferences is the road to distress. Honesty. Authenticity. Openness. These are values I try to live by - I learnt through my breakdown that following others’ needs and expectations ends very badly. 2/2
Saturday running reflection: honesty is the best policy. I try to meet the world as it is, not how I would like it to be. That means being honest about my needs and not denying them to fit in with others needs and/or expectations. People-pleasing and denying our own feelings…..1/2
.......brings many downsides. To be clear - this is an attempt to stop the social media ban - not to focus on the needs of children and young people. Removing the self-harm content and stopping under 16s accessing it should be the priority, not this window-dressing action. 2/2
This is complicated stuff. My extensive experience of self-harm - especially with children - is that it is mostly misunderstood and mishandled by schools and parents/carers. Their response often makes it worse. We need much greater education and support on self-harm and this measure by Meta....1/2
......It take a village to help someone out of the darkness of an eating disorder(s) with hope and belief in them and the future being hugely important. I work hard with my clients on building hope and the message that recovery is always possible. 2/2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=shSY...
This is a v moving video from Beat, timed for Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I work with so many clients who talk with me about the pain they feel at not being seen and heard, often by loved ones, who understandably are lost and terrified themselves....1/2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=shSY...
......I believe passionately in the need for hope - to be hopeful with my clients that recovery is always possible and to nurture that hope in every session. Recovery doesn’t come from lectures and judgement - it comes from compassion, trust and hope. 2/2
www.amjcounselling.com/amj-blog/eat...
As Eating Disorder Awareness Week starts today, I am resharing a blog I wrote a little while ago in which I reflect on my experience of working with many, many clients with eating disorder(s) and some of my thoughts on the best routes to recovery....1/2
www.amjcounselling.com/amj-blog/eat...
......As usual, I also share some thoughts and resources, including recommendations on poetry, books and TV.
You can read it by clicking on the link below and can subscribe on my website. 2/2
shorturl.at/8DdNG
Today, I published the twelfth edition of my AMJ Counselling newsletter, in which I reflect on the much-under discussed of our psychological responses: fawn (the forgotten cousin of fight, flight and freeze) and look ahead to Eating Disorder Awareness Week, which starts tomorrow.....1/2
…..I believe that small gestures of kindness and calling out bad behaviour/injustices, whether by prince or pauper, is always worthwhile. As they say in The West Wing: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Because it’s the only thing that ever has”.
Saturday runs always offer a chance to reflect on the week and process it - and there was a lot to process this week. Key reflection: unchecked power and deference damages people and democracies. I reject the idea that there’s nothing we can do as individuals to change the world….1/2
....in fear of the reaction to their nationality and their ethnicity - for just existing. I hoped I conveyed our abhorrence of anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiment, which disgusts and saddens me in equal measure. I hope they have a great trip - and visit Ireland soon to taste real scones. 5/5
......They are appallingly held to account/blamed/labeled for the actions of a government with whom they have no control and often no relationship as citizens of other places.
I found the whole conversation deeply moving and incredibly sad. Two people....4/5
.......I have (and it turned out they also have) with the Prime Minister of Israel does not reflect at all on the people of Israel. My heart will always be the people of Israel - and Jews all around the world - as they continue to experience the horror of anti-semitism and other hate....3/5
.......They were visiting London for a few days and I asked her where from. She became visibly nervous and said “a controversial place”. Israel.
Her discomfort (and I sensed fear) were visible and I expressed in the clearest terms how lovely it was to meet them both and that any problem....2/5
A telling story from yesterday. Dr J and I were having tea in Liberty. We got chatting to a woman and her teenage daughter on the next table - about the important topic of scones. Specifically how much better (and bigger) Irish scones are than their UK counterparts.....1/5
…….This mind shift change and refocusing has totally transformed these days for me. I’m feeling v grateful today. 3/3
……I’m now able to be present; calm; focusing on enjoying moments in the day by savouring the time together and planning some time and activities that meets my needs: reading, journaling, listening to R4, walking, book shopping, drinking tea in great venues and more besides.….2/3
Spent the day in London with my favourite people: Dr J and Miss J (visiting our favourite shops). These trips previously brought up great anxiety and tension for me, unsettled by being out of routine and away from home (albeit just for the day)….1/3
100%. Thank you.
