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I've not written for madreality in several weeks, as my attention has been fully caught up in two projects behind the scenes.
The first of these involves my worklife. As explained in my last post, I have embarked on a new chapter in which I concentrate on developing my coaching practice.
Who is my ideal client? Here is a blurb from my website to explain:
I work with people who identify as mad, or who befriend or care for someone who identifies as mad. They have lived experience or carer’s experience of mental health crisis, breakdown, and/or psychiatric services, which may include periods of hospitalisation, medication and one or more diagnostic labels. They are trying to integrate this experience into their life in a meaningful way.
The life coaching industry is overflowing with coaches who promise to help you 'live your best life' but this often follows a blueprint of the sanist status quo when picturing what a best life looks like: shiny happy people with thriving, fulfilling careers and thriving, fulfilling personal lives. My practice, on the other hand, makes room for all types of experience (including madness) and acknowledges that life is complex, contextual and a creative work in progress. It isn’t always shiny and happy, but it is always full of value and worth honouring. I love holding a space for these explorations and walking alongside my clients as they evaluate their experiences, make decisions, set goals and celebrate wins.
In the coming months I will be pursuing some CPD (continuing professional development) to support my practice: courses in Group Coaching as well as Coaching and Trauma. I'll also be putting together new coaching programmes in addition to my one-to-one coaching practice. Please do watch this space for further developments.
The second project I've been focusing on recently involves Mad Insight, which evolved out of the mad meetups held by myself and my friends on the MSc Mad Studies course. We've been creating a new website as a platform for our mad activitism, in order to share knowledge, invite dialogue, widen participation and inspire change. We hope that this online space will serve as a home for mad scholars, activitists and pioneers who seek new ways of valuing and responding to madness. We're still working on completing the site content, but in any case we hope it will serve as a springboard for engagement and activism.
You can find out more about these respective projects by following these links:
And I’ll be posting more here now that the workload has shifted. Lots to share!