In this issue
Features
Bringing the 鈥榮elf鈥� into聽self-harm (free article)
Andrew Reeves outlines聽why we need to understand聽our own process, in order to聽make sense of our client鈥檚
Counsellor in court
Peter Jenkins interviews聽Aileen Ross about her聽experience
The antidepressant聽generation
Why the medicalisation of聽developmental difficulties is聽a concern for Doris Iarovici
Hard work miracle
How a therapeutic men鈥檚聽group was founded.聽By Rob Sharp and Dan Pitt
It鈥檚 not what we say but聽how we say it
The relationship between聽attachment styles and聽communication technology聽is explored by Linda Cundy
When the worst happens (free article)
Managing the aftermath聽of student suicide
Regulars
Q&A
Pat Hunt, Head of the聽University Counselling聽Service at the University聽of Nottingham
Divisional news
Notes from HUCS
Eileen Smith reflects on聽her professional life
Notes from the Staff聽Counselling special聽interest group
Eamonn O鈥橫ahony and members of the聽Staff Counselling SIG committee outline聽the benefits of joining the group
Notes from the chair
Notes from the FE聽special interest group
Not all articles from this issue are available online. Members and subscribers can download the pdf from the University and College Counselling archive.
From the editor
The theme of this issue of聽the U&CC journal is 鈥楧ifficult聽conversations鈥�. So much of the聽work we do is about enabling clients to聽find a way to say what has previously聽been inexpressible for them. Some聽words are harder to find than others聽though. There are other areas of聽difficult conversation too 鈥� not written聽about in this issue 鈥� relating to聽counselling services being reduced聽and/or staff numbers being cut,聽particularly in further education.
Perhaps there is a parallel process聽going on here, for I am finding it hard to聽express what I want to, about this issue.聽It feels important to give credit to those聽writers who have shared something of聽themselves and their internal dialogue聽鈥� their own 鈥榙ifficult conversations鈥�.
In particular Andrew Reeves, in聽his article 鈥楶utting the 鈥渟elf鈥� into聽self-harm鈥�, encourages us to look and聽question within, as well as outside,聽ourselves. I found his assertion that,聽鈥楴o matter how settled and safe our聽lives might be, we are all just one聽heartbeat away from a crisis鈥�, both聽moving and strangely reassuring.聽A sort of, 鈥業t鈥檚 not just me, then?鈥櫬燗 permission to carry on wrestling聽with the awkward truths of life.
Perhaps the most painful truths聽in the issue, though, are those shared聽by the author whose college suffered聽two student suicides. After the initial,聽reeling numbness she talks about the聽college鈥檚 need for a 鈥榳ell-thought-out聽plan鈥� 鈥� but this is coupled with a fear聽that 鈥榯alking about it鈥� might, in some聽way, make such actions contagious.聽As she explains, 鈥榃hat a difference聽one phone call can make, when you聽are speaking to an expert in their聽field. 鈥淭alk about it,鈥� they said鈥� If we聽are confident in talking about suicide,聽then maybe our students will be too.鈥�
I hope that in some way this issue聽opens the door to 鈥榯alking about it鈥� 鈥撀爓hatever and however difficult 鈥榠t鈥櫬爉ight be.
Toni Rodgers
Editor
ucceditorial@bacp.co.uk