I want to start with a book. Donald Kalshed’s Trauma and the Soul. Kalshed is what in the parlance is called a “Jungian.” The book is a respectful exploration of fractured souls. Souls that broke themselves apart when exposed to trauma by way of what he calls, (self) protection. I […]
compassion
15 posts
I came across an inspiring opening to a chapter recently in Erik Jampa Andersson's book "Unseen Beings" (Hay House, 2023) which I wanted to quote in full to kick off this reflection "Nature is not a place. We often speak of it as if it were a kind of stage […]
As facilitators and coaches (and similarly for those in therapeutic practice) we are often charged with, or engaging in, working with the idea of supporting change or developing in individuals. Yet so often we encounter a degree of resistance, even if our clients wish for it. Kagan and Lahey, in […]
A lesser-known element of my career these days is delivering Stress Awareness and Resilience training across the construction industry. Not always the easiest industry to share these types of messages with, but a place where these skills are of incredible importance and very much needed. I have a simple model […]
It’s good to talk. But it is more important to listen. We all need to be heard, period! Whether I am facilitating Equine Facilitated Interactions or training Mental Health First Aiders a constant theme is the power of listening. Creating the space for another to be heard. Providing individuals with […]
Maslow started with the basics – first the physiological foundation, the primitive needs of keeping ourselves fed, watered and sheltered. Without safety our ability to function is compromised, our performance is stilted by low-level stress-reactions that arise from insecurity. Our cognition often fogged. Our creativity dulled. Our brains are very […]
Outside-in or Inside-out is a reflection on how we see ourselves and our minds, and our relationship with what goes on there within. As someone for whom mindfulness serves as a consistent foundation I often express the idea that we are not our thoughts, any more than we are our […]
In German there is a word “Umwelt” which defines the environment around us, however it has been more specifically engaged by ethologists such as Frans de Waal to mean – and as it is defined in the Microsoft online dictionary – “the world as it is experienced by a particular […]
The world can be overwhelming. Period! Each of us has a can only take so much pressure or stimulation. We each have a mental “glass-ceiling”. This limit was recognised over 100 years ago by US psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodgson. Their model followed a classic bell curve. In […]
This is a copy of a Facebook post from my "The Mindful Horse" page during the days of Covid-19. I received so many messages of thanks and gratitude for the share that I decided after deliberation to share it here too. I hope that it is equally appreciated. A FEW […]