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The Stories of Zach Bryan, Michael Marcagi, and Keith Whitley: A Reflection on Men's Mental Health and Suicide
A Reflection on Men's Mental Health and Suicide
Dr Joanna Naxton. PhD
Mar 264 min read
21 views
0 comments


The Habits of a Confident Woman: Embracing Radical Acceptance and Personal Growth
The Habits of a Confident Woman: Embracing Radical Acceptance and Personal Growth
Dr Joanna Naxton. PhD
Mar 203 min read
56 views
0 comments


Cracking Open the Self: The Symbolism of the Egg
In therapy, certain symbols emerge with profound significance, often carrying messages from the unconscious that words cannot yet...
joannahall8053
Mar 124 min read
17 views
0 comments


The Bomb, the Shadow, and Self-Actualisation
A Jungian, SandPlay, and Rogers Perspective on Our Transforming World: In a world fraught with existential threats, the symbol of the...
joannahall8053
Mar 55 min read
34 views
0 comments


The Weight of Autonomy: Reflections of a Student Counsellor Contemplating Private Practice
This autoethnographic article explores my personal reflections when I was a newly qualified counsellor contemplating the prospect of...
joannahall8053
Jan 44 min read
46 views
0 comments


Strings of the Soul: Exploring the Puppet.
I often think back to the day I introduced puppets into my practice. It wasn’t planned; it was more of an instinct. A child, lost in the...
joannahall8053
Jan 43 min read
8 views
0 comments


Ezra's 'Pearls of Vulnerability': A Reflection on the Oyster.
Ezra sits at a dimly lit oyster bar, staring at the glistening shellfish. Each one is a world unto itself — the jagged, weathered shell...
joannahall8053
Nov 20, 20247 min read
25 views
0 comments


The Mouse: An Autoethnographic Subjective Immersive Analysis
I am the mouse—small, quiet, unseen, yet filled with the essence of an ancient energy. I move in the corners of the room, in the hidden,...
joannahall8053
Nov 9, 20245 min read
10 views
0 comments


The Cat, the Self, and the Sand: Unravelling Symbols in Sandplay and Jungian Thought
I found myself staring at a simple black, glass, figurine of a cat during a recent Sandplay session. It had an undeniable presence in the...
joannahall8053
Oct 25, 20245 min read
48 views
0 comments


The Yacht and the Dinghy: Navigating the Waters of Myth and Psychology
Yachts and dinghies—though both vessels for navigating water—carry vastly different symbolic meanings, both in psychology and mythology....
joannahall8053
Oct 22, 20245 min read
5 views
0 comments


The String of White Beads: A Subjective Immersive Analysis
The string of white beads rests gently in my hand, cool and smooth against my skin. There is something calming in their uniformity, each...
joannahall8053
Oct 20, 20245 min read
18 views
0 comments


The Bottle Top: A Subjective Immersive Experience in Symbolism
The bottle top sits small, forgotten on the edge of the counter. A tiny thing, seemingly insignificant. Yet, when I pick it up, it is...
joannahall8053
Oct 20, 20243 min read
11 views
0 comments


The Bell: A Subjective Immersive Experience in Symbolism
The bell waits. Silent and cold, it sits on the shelf, a humble object, often overlooked. Yet, its potential is vast. It holds a meaning,...
joannahall8053
Oct 20, 20243 min read
15 views
0 comments


The Symbolism of the Mermaid in Carl Jung’s and Barbara Turner’s Theories of Sandplay
The mermaid, a mythical creature that embodies both the allure of the sea and the mystery of the human psyche, has long been a symbol of...
joannahall8053
Oct 17, 20244 min read
55 views
0 comments


The Symbolism of a Spider: Weaving the Threads of Life, Fate, and Creativity.
Within the framework of Carl Jung’s analytical psychology, symbols are vital in helping us navigate the depths of our unconscious. The...
joannahall8053
Oct 4, 20244 min read
457 views
0 comments


Rooting Into the Self: Strength and Transformation Through Sandplay Therapy and the 12 Tray Process
Just as a tree grows from the depths of its roots into a towering presence, so too does the process of Sandplay therapy guide individuals...
joannahall8053
Oct 4, 20243 min read
37 views
0 comments


Unleashing the Rhizome: Deleuze and Guattari Enter the Dialogue
With Freud, Bowlby, Winnicott, Klein, Ogden, Yalom, Becker, and Anna Our exploration into the human psyche has traversed through the...
joannahall8053
Aug 5, 20245 min read
23 views
0 comments


Denying the Inevitable:
Ernest Becker Challenges Yalom and Joins Freud, Bowlby, Winnicott, Klein, Ogden, and Anna The exploration of the human psyche often leads...
joannahall8053
Jul 29, 20245 min read
28 views
0 comments


Embracing the Sun and Shadows
Irvin Yalom Joins Freud, Bowlby, Winnicott, Klein, Ogden, and Anna In the ongoing journey through the depths of the human psyche, each...
joannahall8053
Jul 23, 20245 min read
23 views
1 comment


Finding Purpose: Jordan's Leap from Corporate Stress to Counselling Success
Jordan sat at his kitchen table, laptop open, and a hot cup of tea steaming beside them. He was on the cusp of making a major career...
joannahall8053
Jul 15, 20244 min read
21 views
0 comments


Mistaking People for Hats: Thomas Ogden Joins Freud, Bowlby, Winnicott, Klein, and Anna
The journey through the mind continues, with each pioneer in psychoanalysis offering a unique perspective that deepens our understanding...
joannahall8053
Jul 12, 20245 min read
38 views
0 comments


Navigating the Light and Shadow: Independence and the Dance of Solitude
"In the quiet clash of dawn and dusk, A soul dances between joy and husk. A single heart, two paths to roam, In light and shadow, finds...
joannahall8053
Jul 11, 20243 min read
16 views
0 comments

A Controversial Twist: Melanie Klein Joins Freud, Bowlby, Winnicott, and Anna
Episode 4 In psychoanalysis, few figures have stirred as much debate and provoked as many passionate responses as Melanie Klein. Known...
joannahall8053
Jul 5, 20244 min read
15 views
0 comments


Unveiling the emotion paradox: Authentic self-hood and the unspoken dialogue.
While emotions are an undeniable part of our existence, open discussions about specific or general emotions are surprisingly rare. The...
joannahall8053
Jul 4, 20244 min read
18 views
0 comments


Bereavment in the Family
Grief, as defined in the dictionary, is a profound and intense sorrow. When a child experiences emotional bereavement, it can be just as...
joannahall8053
Jul 4, 202420 min read
46 views
0 comments

Louise Bourgeois, Psychoanalysis, and Self-Injury: A Multifaceted Exploration with Chandler and Steggals
Louise Bourgeois' art, with its deep psychoanalytic underpinnings, offers profound insights into the complexities of self-injury. By...
joannahall8053
Jun 29, 20245 min read
19 views
0 comments

Embracing the ‘Good Enough’ Parent: Winnicott Joins Freud, Bowlby, and Anna
Introduction: In the evolving narrative of psychological understanding, each pioneering thinker adds a unique thread to the rich...
joannahall8053
Jun 28, 20244 min read
21 views
0 comments


Navigating the Dilemma: The Role of Student Counsellors in Triad Counselling
The Benefits of Triad Counselling Triad counselling has gained popularity as an effective method for counsellor training and development....
joannahall8053
Jun 25, 20244 min read
168 views
0 comments


The Gravitational Pull of Trauma: An Invisible Portkey to the Past
Imagine trauma as an enchanted, cursed object, like a portkey from the Harry Potter series (Rowling, 2000: 70). Normally, portkeys are...
joannahall8053
Jun 23, 20243 min read
27 views
0 comments

Journey into Attachment: Bowlby Meets Freud's Anna
Introduction: While Freud’s psychoanalysis examined the unconscious and the dynamics of the mind, Bowlby’s attachment theory offers a...
joannahall8053
Jun 21, 20245 min read
168 views
0 comments


Parallel Process in Counselling with Clients Who Self-Injure
Parallel process, a phenomenon observed in counselling and supervision, involves the replication of client-therapist dynamics within the...
joannahall8053
Jun 16, 20244 min read
24 views
0 comments


Exploring the Pros and Cons of Counselling Volunteer Placements.
Counselling volunteer placements offer aspiring counsellors valuable opportunities to gain practical experience, contribute to their...
joannahall8053
Jun 12, 20243 min read
140 views
0 comments


Exploring Erotic Transference: A Journey with Freud
Introduction: In the heart of Vienna, the era of the late 19th century witnessed the blossoming of a field that would forever change the...
joannahall8053
Jun 12, 20244 min read
92 views
0 comments


Mastering Incongruence and Integrity in Counselling: "Do as I Say, But Not as I Do"
In counselling, integrity is often hailed as one of the cornerstones of effective practice (BACP, 2019). We emphasise to our clients the...
joannahall8053
Jun 11, 20242 min read
88 views
0 comments


Understanding Beneficence and Nonmaleficence: Core Ethical Principles in Counselling Training and Practice
In counselling practice, ethical principles guide practitioners in making decisions that best serve their clients. Among these...
joannahall8053
Jun 6, 20242 min read
81 views
0 comments


Addressing Racism in the Counselling Training Classroom
Racism is an insidious issue that permeates many facets of society, including the counselling profession. As future counsellors undergo...
joannahall8053
Jun 6, 20243 min read
26 views
0 comments


The Dangers of Teaching a Subject One Knows Little About
In counselling education, the role of a tutor is paramount. Tutors shape the minds of future counselling generations, imparting not only...
joannahall8053
Jun 5, 20243 min read
31 views
0 comments


The Benefits of Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) for Clients and Young People
Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on improving an individual's capacity to understand the mental...
joannahall8053
May 27, 20246 min read
90 views
0 comments


Understanding the Benefits of Attachment Theory When Working with Children
Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby and further expanded by Mary Ainsworth, is a psychological model that describes the dynamics...
joannahall8053
May 26, 20243 min read
14 views
0 comments


The Dangers of Counselling Children Without Experience or Qualifications: Ethical Considerations
Counselling children is a delicate and critical endeavour, requiring specialised training, experience, and a deep understanding of child...
joannahall8053
May 26, 20244 min read
138 views
0 comments


The complex emotions of abandonment and loneliness: A deep dive.
Fear is a complex and often deeply ingrained emotion with various manifestations that can profoundly affect our lives. In this article I...
joannahall8053
Sep 8, 20238 min read
170 views
0 comments


The Unspoken Emotions: Exploring the Cultural Ideals of Feeling
In the realm of emotions, our inner landscapes are often uncharted territories. Most research delves into the tangible realm of actual...
joannahall8053
Sep 7, 20232 min read
31 views
0 comments


Music - the great equaliser.
Emotions, music, emotional intelligence and us: Do you wonder what it is about a particular song or piece of music that can have the...
joannahall8053
Jun 28, 20234 min read
25 views
0 comments
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