I have not written a blog piece for a long while. Like many of us in these times, I have been struggling with overwhelm. I have been spinning many plates: a house move, putting in long term care arrangements for my ailing father, conferences and workshops on wellbeing and on my book’s main messages, chasing … Read more
The end of 2021 finds me in a soft, delicate, reflective state. It is a time of year that is difficult for many of us, and in these extraordinary, polarised and uncertain times – when many of us have suffered loss and illness – it is particularly challenging. I have found myself swinging between moments … Read more
I’m so excited to share with you that my first book, The Vulnerable Humanitarian: Ending Burnout Culture in the Aid Sector, was officially published by Routledge yesterday! After these many years of researching stress and burnout, and the working cultures of the aid sector, I’m really proud that my work is finally out there. It … 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
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
Trigger warning: I will be addressing the delicate issue of trauma, and how it has shown up in my life – and how it is helping me to understand more fully how we humans suffer, and heal. Last week I marked the three year anniversary of my mother’s death. On 21 January 2017, I woke … Read more
Many of us are aware of the Audre Lorde quote: ‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.’ What does this mean, in principle and practice? This question, expressed in multiple ways, was being explored at this year’s online Healing Solidarity Conference, hosted by Mary Ann … Read more
There have been some new and exciting developments with my work in recent weeks, and I’m thrilled to share some updates with you – on my new website, a self-care and resilience workshop I ran for mental health volunteers, and another workshop I co-facilitated at AidEx in Brussels, on compassionate and inclusive leadership. Firstly, if … Read more