I have some exciting news for you. As many of you know, for the last year I’ve been writing a book about stress and wellbeing in the aid sector. It is entitled The Vulnerable Humanitarian: Ending Burnout Culture in the Aid Sector. It is a personal, emotional account – as well as a research piece … Read more
Back in December 2020 when I wrote my last blog piece, we were ending the year with less of a bang and more of a whimper as we went into another lockdown in the UK. We are only just emerging from it now, and like many others on this planet we remain unsure of what … Read more
I’m sure I am not alone in feeling a lot of emotion in these last days of 2020. Everyone on this planet has faced huge upheaval, sorrow and uncertainty, and we have all felt it in different ways. In the last week, those of us in the UK who celebrate Christmas have been unable to … Read more
Since June, when I last posted here – a response to the Black Lives Matter protests – I have hesitated to write anything publicly. Each time I’ve considered writing something, I’ve wondered if all I’m doing is simply adding my voice to a sea of woke white people and white-led organisations offering statements of solidarity … Read more
A few years ago I attended an intensive, 6 day course with around 70 people from the UK and other European countries, examining world issues together using process-oriented psychology methods. In a series of group exercises we embodied the different roles that we feel within ourselves and that are present in our societies; spoke and … Read more
In this time of Covid-19 and lockdown, our mental and emotional health may be suffering acutely. For some, there are specific reasons for this, as many are grieving the premature deaths of loved ones or are exposed to the pain of people affected by the virus. For others, the realities of lockdown may have unleashed … Read more
This week I’ve been sensing increased uneasiness and despair among the British population, due in part to the uncertainty of when lockdown will end and when we’ll ever be able to fully enjoy the sunshine or give our loved ones a hug. Meanwhile, the endless stream of upsetting news continues, with constant reminders not only … Read more
It has taken me a long time to sit at my desk as I am doing now, and write. Like everyone at the moment, I am faced with an avalanche of information, expectations and emotions each day and this can be paralysing. But in the last few weeks I have learned a few things which … Read more
In the last 24 hours two aid agencies – both highly resourced, with considerable global influence – have come under fire for failing to act on staff claims of harassment and abuse. UNAids was found by the International Labour Organisation to have failed in its duty of care towards a senior member of staff who … Read more
In the last week I’ve been following, when I can, the online Embodied Trauma conference. This was an essential, ground-breaking initiative that challenges the purely psychotherapeutic model for treating trauma, by delving into the body’s capacity to heal through awareness and experiencing that surpasses mere cognitive or verbal cues and explanations. It this respect it … Read more