Blog post by Claire Plews, EdD Student, School of Education, University of Bristol.
Claire is an EdD student at the School of Education, interested in researching the experiences of counselling students in HE training. She is a HE lecturer for a counselling degree training programme in the UK, has worked in mental health for 20 years and is interested in the use of compassion and mindfulness in therapy.
To be betwixt and between a global pandemic and ‘normal’ life undoubtedly has the potential to greatly impact on daily life and our mental health.
How interesting and difficult it has been to observe the mental health journey of others whilst navigating my own during this last year! Most of us have been coerced into a period of self-reflection on what does and does not help us keep mentally well and coping. It has been the best of times and the worst of times and the end is not in sight just yet.
Here are a few themes that have come out of my observations of working with clients, students and my own research and experiences this year and a suggestion of what we can do to help our mental health during the pandemic. (more…)