“Here today, up and off to somewhere else tomorrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that’s always changing!”
The Wind in the Willows by
In the prison, we begin all therapeutic groups with a check-in. I’ll start.
Hi, I’m Nyamazela, a perpetual student. Not feeling so strong today, but better than yesterday. Pleased to be back in the blogosphere.
We encourage the men to use feeling words that don’t begin with ‘F’. This helps them engage with their emotions and improves their vocabulary. The results usually go something like, “Hi, I’m John, I’m an addict. Feeling good today. Looking forward to the group.”
I love the therapeutic groups I facilitate/co-facilitate on the recovery wing at the prison. They are in equal measures deep and rewarding, brutal and defeating. One-2-one work with my wayward clients can be the same. Working in a forensic setting has widened my outlook on humanity – we are such a complex mix of hope, resilience, defence mechanisms, hurt and destruction.
This evening, I’m writing to you from my poof cushion (beanbag is possibly more PC) in our little rented London flat.
No, we still haven’t bought our house.
The purchase has been on again, off again, on again… we are currently in an ‘on again’ phase with a large dollop of ‘waiting’. Friends and family keep asking us for news. So to avoid repetition and in an attempt to not be old bores, we now answer with, “You’ll know when we know”. this seems to buy us some time and thankfully changes the subject to more pleasant things like the lovely summer weather we’re having.
Actually, a colleague with a sense of humour bought me a (jelly-bean-filled) house for my birthday (see the image above left).
House or no house, life is, as Toad said, full of “change, interest, excitement”.
I am having a rare day at home. I’ve got no assignments looming and as I injured my toe on Saturday, I literally have my feet up (foot) … being iced with frozen peas.
My most recent exciting news (if I haven’t already bored you with this IRL) is that, having gone through the rather stressful application and interview process for the DPsych in Counselling Psychology at City University of London, I have been offered one of 35 places! Starting late September, I’ll begin the last leg of my journey to qualification as a psychologist.
I’m both excited and terrified!
SMALL PRINT:
P.s. Meantime, outside of prison, I’m technically a student on holiday!
Nyamazela 
Hi Nyamazela. Glad to read your post. Keep up all the great work you are doing. Good luck with house negotiations. It will all work out in the end. Lots of love x
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Great to hear from Nyamazela again and congratulations on being accepted for the Dr in Psychology.
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