In this issue
Features
Special focus听
On the supportive role of Islam in听working with refugees, asylum seekers听and vulnerable migrants听(free article)
Sushila Dhall describes the spiritual resources听of the clients she works with
Opinion听
Mindfulness and meditation
John Rowan explores the differences听between mindfulness and meditation
Perspectives听
Culture, spirituality, reflexivity, and听funeral rituals
Valda Swinton reflects on the impact of听culture on her life and research
People听
The therapeutic struggles of self healing
Esther SM Cohen looks at the important topic听of self-care for counsellors and therapists
Perspectives听
In search of safety: gods, gold, guns, glamour
Edwin Salter offers his thoughts on how we听seek protection
Research听
Reclaiming the spiritual in reflective听practice groups for clergy
Peter Madsen Gubi describes the benefits听of supportive groupwork for clergy
Regulars
听
A pdf version of this issue is available from the听Thresholds听archive
Welcome from the editor
I find myself writing this editorial the听weekend following the UK general听election and there鈥檚 a sense of shock听in the air. It seems people want听change. I hear the word 鈥榗haos鈥� a听lot in news bulletins. I wonder what will听emerge from these chaotic times. I听studied biochemistry at undergraduate听level, and entropy is often a necessary听prerequisite for creative change. Things听fall apart and then there is the possibility听of new combinations and compounds.听It can be turbulent during periods of听change 鈥� things get shaken up.
A question we might ask our clients is听鈥榃here do you find refuge?鈥� How do we听find places of safety in our lives? If we are听practitioners of certain spiritual traditions,听we might turn to churches, monasteries,听mosques and temples as our refuges.听They may be places where we can retreat听from danger and replenish ourselves, so听we have the strength to return to the听world. An important area where we can听support our clients is to encourage them听to (re)discover places, people, things that听they can turn to in times of distress.
Sushila Dhall writes about her work with听Muslim refugees in Oxford. Her moving听article highlights how a client鈥檚 beliefs听can support and protect them in the most听challenging of circumstances. How can a听community support a vulnerable group of听people trying to start again in a foreign听country? We, as counsellors and therapists,听need to be able to meet our clients and听honour their points of view in order to听offer them as much support as we can.
Mindfulness does seem to be everywhere听these days. I鈥檓 always surprised by the听number of colouring books with the听word mindfulness in their titles, available听in bookshops. Mindfulness is one part听of the Buddhist path. John Rowan offers
a critical article looking at aspects of听mindfulness and comparing the secular听approach with other techniques听encountered elsewhere. He points听out the limitations of this approach.听I struggle with the word 鈥榤indfulness鈥櫶齛nd feel much is lost in translation.听The Chinese/Japanese character for听the word meaning mindfulness shows听a combination of head and heart. I听encounter many people who think that听mindfulness means 鈥榮topping thinking鈥�.
Edwin Salter explores the topic of safety.听What do we turn to in times of crisis? It is听interesting to look at where we find our听sense of security. I must confess I don鈥檛听feel safer when I see heavily armed police听officers standing outside the Ashmolean听Museum in Oxford. We turn to insurance听policies to cover us in every circumstance.
When I was living in Japan, I found the听Japanese approach to death encouraged听me to question my own views about听death and dying. Valda Swinton鈥檚 article,听on her cultural background and how it听has impacted her research, is fascinating.听The way we cope with death often tells听us a lot about our cultures.听
Working as counsellors and therapists听can have its hazards. We often become听very skilful at being compassionate听towards our clients, but many counsellors听and therapists struggle to find the same听compassion towards themselves when听faced with difficulties. Esther Cohen鈥檚听article about self-healing is an honest听exploration of her own struggles to be听kind to herself.
The clergy face particular challenges听in their work and need to find support.听Reflective practice groups for the听clergy are one way of providing safe听spaces for facing difficulties in a听challenging profession. Peter Gubi听reflects on his research with some听touching clinical vignettes.
The Buddhist teacher, Pema Ch枚dr枚n,听offers some words of wisdom: 鈥極ften in听our daily lives we panic. We feel heart听palpitations and stomach rumblings听because we are arguing with someone听or because we had a beautiful plan and听it鈥檚 not working out. How do we walk听into those dramas? How do we deal听with those demons, which are basically听our hopes and fears? How do we stop听struggling against ourselves? The point is听that we can dissolve the sense of dualism听between us and them, between this and听that, between here and there, by moving听toward what we find difficult and wish听to push away.鈥�1
Amanda Anderson, editor听thresholds.editorial@bacp.co.uk
Reference
1. Ch枚dr枚n P. When things fall apart: heart听advice for difficult times. Boston and London:听Shambhala; 1997.