Connecting

What three words location /// crisis.prefer.longer. What three words parking location In the amazing book “lost connections” Johann Hari talks about what he believes are the 9 causes of depression contrary to the idea of chemical imbalance and many medical ideas and definitions. Loss of connections to nature, meaningful work, loss of belonging, disconnection from

The one you don’t forget.

(For all my blue light colleagues) I’m sorry it didn’t turn out how you may have wanted, I’m sorry you can’t carry on living how you thought. We tried our best to save you and at times things got a bit fraught. I know it’s the life I’ve chosen to work, the risk, the joy,

Iceolation and Disconnection

Cold weather, cold times, cold hearts. Warmer weather, warmer times, warmer hearts. 2021 a new beginning!! Yeah right, or we continue into an unknown time of new words and new experiences. Lateral flow, PCR, Astra Zeneca, Oxford vaccine, Biontech, tiers, daily death rate etc. It’s easy in this time to forget what we were about

How does it feel?

Anxiety, depression , stress Three words I never really focussed on until they happened to me back in 2018. I’ve spoken a number of times on this blog about my own mental health and my own coping mechanisms and how we can all help each other but I have been thinking lately on how these

Time and Motion

02/09/1992, that was the day 28 years ago when I walked into Coventry fire station at the start of training school on day one of my fire service life. With a fair wind, some good fortune and staying healthy I will retire on 09/09/2022. That means on the day I release this blog post I

Strength and Trials

Strength is just the ability to care more deeply than anyone else around Tara Coleman “Treadstone” The above is a quote from “Treadstone” a tv programme based on the Jason Bourne movies. I have repeated it here because in June it struck a chord with me when I was watching the programme but the draft

Walking the line.

There’s a thin line between love and hate. The Persuaders There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. Oscar Levant Sometimes you’re the windshield, Sometimes you’re the bug. Mary Chapin Carpenter Why the words above? I’ve been reflecting lately on where I am with my own mental health at present. It’s been a hectic few

From now on

If you have seen The Greatest Showman you will recognise the title of this post. The song appears near the end of the film when Barnum finally realises that all the glory and champagne and success means nothing if you forget who and what means the most to you. Recently in discussions and interactions it’s

I’m sinking here Tommy

The title of this post is a line from the last episode of Peaky Blinders where Arthur Shelby appears to reach out to Tommy Shelby over where he sees his life going and his marriage. Arthur is suffering and doesn’t know how to deal with it but to shout out to his beloved brother. This

Don’t mortgage your future for the present

The title of this post was a discussion I had during my therapy over the last 12 months and is something I have discussed again today nearing the end of a strange week. This week I have had a few deep chats and discussions with people who needed time to talk and think and maybe