Safely on board? The boat has left the harbour.
This weekend, I have been learning more about being a play therapist. In an exhausting and exhilarating three days, I have been letting my unconscious do its work through sand play and been astounded (again) by the power of creative media to channel our natural inclination towards healing.
So it is not until now that I have realised that the shore is behind me. I am now on an ocean of adventure.
Transitions are a universal experience - nothing stays the same, change is inevitable. But what do we take with us on our journeys? What do our lifejackets look like?
I have been through transitions before - leaving jobs, moving home. I know through experience that I survive these things and yet they are still scary.
Imagine how it is for a child who has not had the repeated experience of endings and beginnings. How do they know that they can survive? How anxious might they be?
We all need to know that there is a life jacket stowed under our seats. For some children, this might be a transitional object they carry to remind them of their secure base. For others, a routine or ritual will help them maintain a sense of safety, until they are familiar with newness.
Let's not underestimate the fear of the unknown.
I am taking a little time to orientate myself in this new landscape and find my compass. In a week or so I will be back, ready to work and connect.