Hello, everyone. I hope the rainy season (in Adelaide) treats you well.
Grief – Contents Warning
Please skip this section if this is not the right time for you to read about grief as it contains some details of my grief.
I had my own personal therapy session this week with an art psychotherapist from the U.K whom I have been seeing since 2013. As I was explaining to him about holidaying in Japan after 4 years and mentioning my mother’s death anniversary coming up in July, he mentioned a ‘memory’ of an island and ‘something to do with the bones’. Then I realised that he was talking about the trip I did with my father right after the funeral to a remote South Island. We wanted to scatter her ashes. However, my father had to crack her bones into ashes as the cremation system in Japan does not leave the body into ashes. This was a hard experience for us. Then we finally went to the island that my mother wanted to visit as this island is famous for the history where many Japanese Christians hid themselves from the then government and later prosecuted by them just because they converted into Christians.
I was stunned and felt held and warm as my therapist remembered about the trip in details. Grief is such a hard thing to deal with and it comes back again and again – sometimes as the pleasant memory or as a hurtful feeling. Mixture of emotions remain in my body. I plan to take my family to my mother’s cemetery. I am so glad that I had an opportunity to process the intensive grief till today in therapy. I know that some people won’t or can’t do the same as I did and it is very hard not to be able to talk about or express about it. I just think if you know someone in that situation, they should be let known that you are there for listening. That would hopefully help the person to some extent.
Leave
As I am writing now, I acknowledge that I am close to burnout now. This year workwise, I experienced new challenges and changes and had to work a lot. Every day when I wake up I notice my body is tired. I will need to recharge my physical and mental state with good food and laughter. Going back home feels like visiting a foreign country at this point. But let’s see how I feel once I arrive on the land of the rising sun. I will be on leave from the 12th of July to 2nd of August 2023. I occasionally check my emails and will get back to you if urgent.
If you are experiencing burnout or to be and would like to know more about it, here is the good resource to read.
Upcoming Events
Move & Connect
Somatic Body Mapping – 6th and & 7th October 2023
I am going to offer one more intensive of this year on the 6th and 7th of October 2023. Please register your interest if you would like to explore your personal journey through movements and artmaking. Details are here.
I continue to offer clinical supervision for creative arts therapists, psychotherapists and other allied health professionals.
I hope you all stay cosy and warm. It would be nice to hear from you too.