“I wish I could separate trauma from politics, but as long as we continue to live in denial and treat only trauma while ignoring its origins, we are bound to fail” Bessel van der Kolk, 2015:350
What does it mean to be well in the twenty-first century? Dysfunction of regulatory systems – both individual and social – is prevalent with major impacts for health: “Not only physicians and traumatologists but sociologists are pointing out parallels between growing rates of individual and societal trauma” (Karr-Morse, 2012: xiii) As Judith Herman said over two decades ago (1997: 33), trauma is extraordinary not because it is rare but because it overwhelms our ability to cope.
I am interested in well-being in all its facets and my trauma-informed approach applies to all my activities. Social, cultural, and economic contexts promote and impede psychological health. Distress has personal dimensions while the personal is also political. The kind of person we are – and how kind we are in the sense of empathy, generosity, and recognition of our interdependence – is shaped by the values and behaviours which are incentivized, or conversely discouraged, by the society in which we live.
I offer consultation (both individual and group), commentary, clinical supervision, trainings and seminars. Details of my qualifications are here and inquiries are welcome.