A message from Ruth…
I am a qualified integrative child, adolescent and adult counsellor and trainee psychotherapist too. This weekend I had the pleasure of explaining what it is I do for a job to some curious and discerning children. I find that explaining anything to those under the age of ten, is often a good exercise in getting to the point. And as I am relatively new to the Ochre house team I wondered if it would be helpful to explain here too, especially for anyone thinking about a young person who may need support.
In short, said children were interested to know if it was “on the long sofa” therapy, a Freudian image they had seemingly picked up from somewhere. I explained that it isn’t. And that’s because sometimes or for some people, simply talking to someone about how they are can be tricky. Sometimes we don’t know what we feel, or which feeling to start with, or what our feelings really mean anyway. Sometimes people find their feelings can be quite scary to think about. But when we are creative or playful the stuff that’s inside can be expressed in a different way, and we can use it to explore what someone’s world is really like on the inside. A lot of people don’t get the chance to share that very often, and however messy or ugly or sad it feels in there, I think everyone deserves that.
I’d like to think there’s a little bit more to it, with some neuroscience and academic heavyweights behind it, but my younger counter parts were less interested by the time I got to that bit.
Paper Butterfly in Glass – Shyama Ruffell
This week I am grateful for a particular spot by a particular river that is very special to me. There are some big, big trees there, lots of rustling leaves, dragonflies and insects but not much else. It’s somewhere I have been lucky to visit every now and again over the last ten or eleven years. Each time I do I feel more connected to myself, and this time I was reminded of what beauty really means to me.
This quiet spot by the river helped me to slow down, notice, reflect and connect with something wordless. It reminded me why my work in therapy matters, and why it’s so important to have places, people and moments that allow us to feel held, supported and fully ourselves.
Have a wonderful summer, whatever you’re doing…
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About Ruth Dudman:
Ruth Dudman is a Counsellor and Psychotherapist here at Ochre House, supporting clients through creative, relational, and trauma-informed approaches. She works one to one with children, young people and adults offering a safe, non-judgmental space for healing and growth.
