julien-robert

Accommodation, Part 1

Self-reflection|

In my writing group recently, I mentioned that I wanted to write about accommodation. One of our members asked what I meant, so I figured it would be a good idea to define the term I am using. According to Merriam Webster, accommodation is “the act of accommodating someone or something; the state of being accommodated; adaptation, adjustment,” which includes a sense of negotiation or compromise. It is often related to being considerate and/or agreeable, perhaps fed by generosity or fear of being rejected (or both). There is a fine line between accommodating to be agreeable and being a container [...]

Emerging from confinement

Self-reflection|

But getting back to the release from confinement: how do we take these first steps? For some, it’s simply a matter of dropping these newly acquired habits (but don’t dump that mask just yet and don’t ever give up washing your hands, although that hand-sanitizer smells awful!). For others, it is relearning even the smallest things.

The River

Change of mindset|

I share with you a poem I wrote as an exercise for my spiritual group in which we were asked to express a challenge that we faced, represented by a valley, and how we overcame the obstacles. My valley became a river in a valley. How would you express a challenge you have overcome, starting with a valley?

The “What” and “How” of Loving Kindness

Change of mindset|

We hear a lot about self-care and loving-kindness, often used interchangeably, these days. Self-care has become big business as we are guided (or pushed) to purchase products and services that will offer us this nirvana of, dare I say it?, self-realisation. But is that what loving-kindness looks like when we direct it toward ourselves? I think not!

Reflecting Change Talk

Improving our practice|

Key elements to successfully practicing Motivational Interviewing (MI) are being able to judge what change talk intensity to use with your clients, to further their commitment for change. Forward-moving reflections can also be helpful to guide your client towards change talk, when they are generating mostly sustain talk.

Right Effort

Improving our practice|

Buddhists speak of “right effort” in their Noble Eight-fold path; the Western work ethic seems to go in a different direction. Which one brings more happiness? What is the “Right effort” in your practice?

To encourage change, try reflections instead of questions

Improving our practice|

I think about being efficient and effective in my therapeutic relationship, knowing that the client benefits greatly from a solid therapeutic relationship, and it is my job as a practitioner to build it. When someone is talking to me about their issues, I use “reflections”, usually complex ones, instead of questions. They are much more effective at building a strong therapeutic relationship and therefore, encouraging change.

This Burden

Change of mindset|

This is another poem I wrote about the weight and fatigue of surviving life’s difficulties, and how just holding someone’s burden for a moment can make a huge difference to them.

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