Month: May 2019

Two years ago today I started this little business. I named it Liberation Therapy for a multitude of reasons. The obvious one is the freedom that therapy brings you from your pain and challenges, but the less obvious one is a bit more personal.

I am originally from a tiny island in the English Channel called Jersey. The 9th of May is Liberation day there. It celebrates the liberation of the Channel Islands from German occupation at the end of World War Two. I have relatives that lived through that occupation, who fought against the oppression and fear such circumstances can bring.

They were under hideous rationing, weren’t allowed radios (after the first two years of occupation), were under strict curfew, moved to European time, forced to drive on the other side of the road, and terrified of their neighbours reporting them for minor infractions that could have resulted in death.

Amidst all this horror, people still managed to find joy, they still worked, went to the cinema, (although they were warned not to protest under any circumstances) and put on theatre performances.

And the scars of occupation are still present throughout the islands. There are towers, tunnels, and all sorts of remnants, but they’ve been absorbed into island life and those scars are now celebrated as signs of survival rather than pain.

So I called the business Liberation Therapy in part for that strength and resilience in the face of extreme adversity. For the knowledge that scars mean survival and that even in pain we can find joy. And whilst we are immersed in our pain, where it may be impossible to see the way out, if we keep going, keep searching for grains of joy; there will be a day that the scars from our suffering become the signs of our survival.

Happy Liberation Day to Jersey. Thank you for the inspiration. ❤️

I’ve got a new go to mindfulnesss/self care thing.

It helps me disconnect from my phone, the outside world, and gives me focus, a sense of accomplishment, and distraction, and at the end of it, I’ve got something to show for it.

Lego!

It’s amazing how much it absorbs me. I particularly like it when I go wrong (which I do often!!) and have to solve the problem.

What surprising mindfulness activities do you have?

Mindfulness isn’t just about meditation, or lying quietly or breathing; it’s about bringing self right into the moment and focusing your mind to give it space to process.

Some people don’t like traditional mindfulness, (typically very busy people) because it’s uncomfortable to be so still. So something like colouring, puzzles or Lego is perfect as a form of mindfulness.

Sometimes when someone has suffered severe or prolonged trauma/abuse, the meditative form of mindfulness can actually be very damaging, and dangerous. It makes the practitioner vulnerable to re traumatising themselves as they may be unable to control the images, thoughts and physiological responses they have.

So active mindfulness (as I’ve decided to call it!!) is perfect for those people who need to stop but not to be still.

It doesn’t matter how you practice mindfulness, it’s totally personal, and finding your own way to reconnect with self will make it far more effective, and will empower you too.

So. I’m off to buy some Lego!

Have a great evening 🙂