Whilst working with my clients, I have found time and time again that the 鈥� wherein change happens as you accept who you are, as opposed to forcing change to be someone else 鈥� to be foundational in my work. I was introduced to this concept early on in the course, but the adventures of a little blue cartoon heeler dog and her family helped me crystallise this concept.

is an Australian cartoon aimed ostensibly at pre-school and school-aged children, whilst being useful for parents. It was created by Joe Brumm, who took inspiration from imaginative play with his children. Episodes are around seven-minutes long 鈥� perfect for a graduate student who appreciated a little break or noise in the background whilst studying. Two episodes in particular, however, grabbed my attention. [spoilers below]聽

The episode starts with Bluey and her friend Chloe playing a game with Bluey鈥檚 dad, Bandit, pretending to be the octopus, with the kids (puppies) using their imagination to trick him so they can get his 鈥渢reasure鈥� (a hairbrush). Chloe for instance, points and exclaims, 鈥渁 cockatoo!鈥�, to distract Bandit. Chloe returns home and tries to play the same game with her father, Frank, but unfortunately, loses heart as Frank finds it difficult to match Chloe鈥檚 playfulness and unrealistic scenarios (how would an octopus see a cockatoo from underneath the water, after all). After a defeated Chloe mutters that 鈥淏luey鈥檚 dad is more fun than you鈥�, Frank leaves the game similarly dejected and returns to his computer. Instead of giving up, however, Frank starts researching octopi, discovering more facts about them to allow him to play 鈥榖etter鈥� with his daughter; introducing electric eels and octopi shooting ink allow the pair to improve their game. Frank did not change to become more like Bandit (even if, as he admits, 鈥渉e probably is [more fun]鈥�), but leaned on his strengths and his own areas of expertise to improve play with his daughter. 聽

In the episode , Bluey, sister Bingo, and cousin Muffin dress up like 鈥済rannies鈥� during neighbour Doreen鈥檚 garage sale, with Muffin being a 鈥淕rouchy Granny鈥� 鈥� somewhat matching her actual character in the show (much as you can say 鈥榞rouchy鈥� about a toddler learning the ways of the world). Whilst Muffin鈥檚 abrasive behaviour sometimes presents challenges for her family in the series, this stubbornness becomes unshakeable determination when encountering an equally-grouchy granny taking advantage of Doreen鈥檚 reluctance to charge a fair price for her items. Standing her ground (her accepted playtime role mirroring her true self), Muffin ends up negotiating a better-than-fair price for the titular 鈥済ranny mobile鈥� with the buyer, to everyone鈥檚 delight. Muffin stayed true to herself, was in a situation where she would be appreciated, and was rewarded for it. As Doreen delightfully thanks Muffin, 鈥測ou are one in a million.鈥澛�

I look forward to being myself as a humanistic counsellor 鈥渇or real life鈥� as Bluey might say, and staying true to myself as Frank and Muffin have. 聽

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