HG Newsletter - November 2020

In this issue:

• Giving hope
• Passing the baton – new Diploma tutors
• Using HG to tackle bullying
• PTSD Resolution's new impact report
• Anti-depressant withdrawal
• The Big Give Christmas challenge
• Join our expert tutors live online
• Food for thought
   

 

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Giving hope

In the midst of this pandemic it is easy, by default, to feel a sense of hopelessness.  Our media spreads fear and uncertainty, our politicians seem unable to come together in a sense of common purpose and as social cohesion seems to fall apart we sense that while some of us will adhere to new guidelines, others will flout them.  Good news seems a rare commodity at times when black-and-white, emotional thinking overwhelms us and we lose our ability to think clearly and glimpse hope on the horizon.

In Human Givens practice we know that the information we can give to clients can often help them enormously, for example, explaining the cycle of depression or why we dream.

I’ve recently listened to a compelling interview with Steven Taylor, Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of The Psychology of Pandemics, which interestingly was published at the beginning of December last year, when the pandemic which scientists knew would come along some time was already emerging… [read full article]

 

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Passing the baton

At the beginning of every Part 2 Human Givens Diploma course, my colleague Sue Saunders would tell the students that as much as anything it is a self development course. Since taking over the teaching of Part 2 in January 2017, Sue and I have taught 10 diplomas which I think we both agree have contributed to our own self development!  We have loved working with students, watching them grow as they absorb and work with the Human Givens ideas in practice.  

Our own understanding has deepened also – the more we taught and practised, the more we recognised the richness of the ideas. We were instrumental in developing and delivering the new Part 3 Practitioner assessment when again we were able to work with many of our Part 2 students. I have to say I’ve felt proud of them as they gain practitioner status and become full members of the HGI.  

So it was with some sadness that Sue and I decided the time had come to hand over to the next generation of tutors: but we celebrated the fact that we could step back with confidence. Gareth Hughes and Jo Baker make a great team to take on delivery of the Diploma, bringing with them a wealth of psychotherapeutic and teaching experience.  Having worked with both of them during the summer, we know they will do a very good job and continue to develop the excellent training which is Human Givens. We wish Gareth and Jo all the very best.

Mark Thomas, who many will know as HG College’s Registrar, is also moving on to pastures new and we thank him for his hard work and enthusiasm in promoting HG over the years. Fiona Heffernan is taking over his role of supporting our students – so please get in touch with her via [email protected] or on +44 (0)1323 811690 if you have any questions at all about the Diploma or other HG courses.

 

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Using HG to tackle bullying

This week is Anti-Bullying Week in the UK.  Bullying can happen to anyone at any time – and its impact on an individual’s mental health can be devastating.

We partnered up with Pat Capel, a highly experienced teacher and HG therapist - to bring you a new free audio collection as part of our Anti-bullying support resources – you can find out more here.

 

 

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PTSD Resolution's 10-year impact report

PTSD Resolution, was set up in 2009, with seed money from the Human Givens Foundation.  Since then, the charity's network of 200 HG therapists across the UK has treated 2,700 veterans, providing therapy that is free, local, prompt, brief and effective, specifically to address the issue of persistent trauma.  

But PTSD Resolution is concerned that many Veterans suffering from PTSD symptoms are still unaware that they can get help to get better - that there is a service available to help relieve the problems of post-traumatic stress. 

It is for this reason that they have published their 10-year impact report - which includes testimonials, stories about fundraisers and information about how donors can support the charity in its mission to relieve the impact of trauma for Forces' Veterans, Reservists and their families nationwide.  

 

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Anti-depressant withdrawal

As many readers may remember, Marion Brown became very concerned through her work as a human givens therapist about the many difficult experiences she could see people were having with antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and sedatives taken as prescribed – often with difficult side effects and withdrawal problems.

Marion now works tirelessly to raise awareness of the suffering that anti-depressant withdrawal can bring – readily sharing what she has learnt to help therapists and sufferers and campaigning for better information to be made available and for the symptoms of withdrawal to be properly acknowledged and effectively treated.

In the last few weeks, Marion has been published in the BMJ and co-authored the research article, The ‘Patient Voice’: patients who experience antidepressant withdrawal symptoms are often dismissed, or misdiagnosed with relapse, or a new medical condition, published in the journal, Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.  The Daily Telegraph featured this research in their article ‘All hell broke loose’: The truth about coming off of anti-depressants. 

If you haven’t already listened to it, you can find Marion’s informative podcast on anti-depressants here. 

 

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The Big Give Christmas challenge

“It was as if a blanket had been lifted off me and it was okay to live life and enjoy it, to love the ones around me and not feel guilty all the time."

DL: Northern Ireland, Algeria, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan Veteran

The charity PTSD Resolution, which uses the donations it receives to fund HG therapy for veterans, reservists and their families to help them through difficult times and to rebuild their lives – have also announced their upcoming annual fundraising campaign through The Big Give Christmas challenge.

Donations to this project will be matched from 12pm on 1st December until 12pm on 8th December 2020, which will make a huge difference to the charity’s ability to help more people.

You can find out how to get involved here

 

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Join our expert tutors live online – and in person

HG College is able to run its attended courses throughout the second UK lockdown and is carefully adhering to all government guidelines to make the experience as safe and enjoyable for delegates as possible.

It’s not too late to join us – there are a few spaces available on our Guided Imagery & Fast Trauma & Phobia Cure workshops with Denise Winn and Effective Pain Management workshop with Dr Grahame Brown in London next week.

The College is also continuing with its live-online workshops – the next ones are: How to help children thrive with Miriam Chachamu on Tues 24th November and Couples Therapy with Jennifer Broadley on Tuesday 1st December – some new courses are also being developed.

 

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Food for thought

The opposite of life is not death.
The opposite of life is habit.

One who moves from cradle to grave
in the flip book illusion we call time
without deeply attending to this cavalcade of miracles
is one who never lived.

Lifeless are they who live by habit,
who walk by habit,
who sit by habit,
who see by habit,
who think by habit,
who feel by habit.
Lifeless are they who drift through on dead patterns
instead of giving the omnipresent Holiness its due reverence.

The alive ones meet each moment
like a dog greets its master at the door after work.
They do not think: they wonder.
They do not watch: they marvel.
They do not walk: they adventure.
They do not sit: they engage.
They do not wait: they worship.

Awe was never meant to be exceptional.
Awe is the only sane response to this mess.
The alive ones know this.
The alive ones live this.
The mundane does not exist for them.
The ordinary is a fairy tale told by the lifeless
to which the alive listen with rapt fasciation.

They take in breath with the passion of a lover in bed.
They entertain light in their retinas like a beloved guest.
They merrily lose every war with the world.
They dance without music in the frozen food aisle.
They go out into the rain with bare feet and empty wine glasses.
They greet every experience with exuberant curiosity,
and as death approaches it receives that same greeting.

And when they are gone those they leave behind
will be saddened but fulfilled,
and so very grateful,
to have known one who truly showed up here.

 

Reproduced courtesy of Caitlin Johnstone - caitlinjohnstone.com
 

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