In Theory

It’s strange being back at college. Going out in the night-time to fluorescent lights and cafeteria coffee is a concept after a couple of years of lockdown . The nerves dissipate in the classroom, when the familiar from school and in later years college, comes alive.

Since the term began, we’ve been focusing on psychodynamic traditions. The folk whose ideas form an intrinsic part of our vocation history. As we learn in Lang Toon in our heads we’re in Vienna with Sigmund Freud and Switzerland with Carl Jung.

I sometimes wonder how our clients view a counselling session. Does it conjure up the images of a chaise long couch with an older, stern man looking at them over half-moon glasses and writing notes? It's an image, albeit historical, that came up for me before I come to counselling as a student.

As a counselling agency we recently completed the initial training for our new student placements and we look forward to welcoming the new team members to their outreach teams in the next few weeks. In the classroom and on the front line, our learning continues.

And while theory sits in the background and we as students acknowledge what has come before us, it's the present-day evolution that starts with our clients.

Sigmund Freud tells us our dreams share the story of our subconscious and according to pop culture it’s all our mother’s fault. Carl Jung encourages us to celebrate our unconsciousness and dance into the mystic, years before Van Morrison coined the melody.

However, the fact remains, as we much as we rest in the comfort of words and knowledge - we don’t live in a book.

Walking through the week can be challenging for some and as we witness the authenticity of our clients, we learn being mindful works, using a drinks diary works, and putting yourself and your recovery first, for what may be the first time in your life, brings hope and choices.

And whilst we acknowledge the counselling founding fathers and geek out on their theories this is the kind of theory I Iike.