Welcome to this new website. My three passions in life have been psychotherapy, teaching and writing, and here I’d like to provide samples of the kinds of things I write, and where you can find details of forthcoming events I am planning.
Words were very fundamental to psychoanalysis from the beginning. “Words are animals, alive with a will of their own,” said C G Jung. So my psychotherapy work fits naturally with my writing interests, because in psychotherapy you find ways to put into words what have formerly been uncomfortable, confused feelings, intuitive or uncontrolled responses, and the like. When you start to engage with that work, you quickly realize that finding the words is critical for recovery. I don't mean you have to be highly educated in a literary way. I do mean that you need to find true, authentic words like "furious", "busting with happiness", "feeling like shit" or "so envious". Quite ordinary feeling words. But without the words it is hard to move on from those experiences that have brought you down in some way – spoiled your feelings about yourself, about your life. And the next best thing to finding the words is sharing the words. And whom you choose to share with is a very important decision.
Psyche of course does not initially speak to us in words, but in certain key ways: through dreams, through artistic and creative inspirations of all kinds, through daydreams and fantasies, through play. These thoughts often come in images – a dream about a dark wood, or a serene landscape perhaps. A doodle on a piece of paper that you can’t quite give up. A tune that goes round and round in your head. I use these inspirations as gifts from the psyche, and write about them, thus translating them into words. They all help with what C. G. Jung called "the individuation process." If you really want to further your own individuation, this is a good place to be.
Some of my writings are purchasable and some are for free. Help yourself, and enjoy!
I also teach and provide workshops on related themes, and you can find these under the Events section.
It’s a hard world and we all carry the scars of it in many different ways. Take some time out for play!