James Drysdale Stewart

So, on the 14th of February, I received the news that my father had passed away. Now, before I start, please be aware that although he was my father, we were not close. He left our family when my brother and I were very young, and while we did go and stay with him and his new wife for a…
Femininity

Femininity

Like last weeks word, I have to admit that I have had thoughts about this keyword. I couldn't really not think about it, with femininity being the polar opposite of masculinity. There are elements to this piece that have been going around in my head for a while, but this is the first time I've published these ideas on my…

What does it for me?

The fear of turning out like my dad.— Iain Douglas Stewart 😙👌 (@Iain_D_Stewart) August 12, 2018 Inspired by this tweet, and powered by a love of self-discovery, I'm going to answer this question honestly and fully, to the best of my ability. It took me a while to get around to it, but as you can see, what fuels me…

2014 in review

I'm just making little summaries of the posts as I transfer them across to this blog from my old one, paying attention to key moments and looking out for the overarching themes. I knew something had to give. The first few posts of 2014 concerned the targets I was setting for myself. This one was interesting: For too long I…
L2CiCS: Learning Log – 9th May 2018

L2CiCS: Learning Log – 9th May 2018

This week we talked about Confidentiality. Confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of counselling. It helps build a trusting relationship between client and counsellor, and this trusting relationship underpins the whole therapeutic process. The fact that everything said in that room stays between the counsellor and the client really allows the client to be honest; both with themselves and with the…
L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 10th January 2018

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 10th January 2018

Today we explored personal blocks to listening, which are external or internal factors that interfere with a counsellor’s ability to be present in the room and utilise active listening. One internal block to listening that I feel could be pertinent to me, especially at this early stage of my counselling journey, is me wanting to give advice. So often in…
L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 13th December 2017

L2CiCS: Reflective Diary – 13th December 2017

This week Sally did a presentation on the rising level of anxiety in kids. She explained that although the level still was quite low, it was more widespread and nearly all children she came into contact with displayed anxious traits. Like Gloria’s talk last week, it was very eye-opening with respects to the level of support there is nowadays for…