Deep Release E-Newsletter September 2011

Dear Friends

September!  How did that happen!  What a shame August was so cold and wet, although we had lovely sunshine for the graduation lunch for the latest group of students who completed their Level 5 Diploma in Supervision.  Interestingly, it has always been sunny for that celebration day, and as it's held at our home we are extremely thankful!  We've been working hard on the garden and it was looking so pretty, with lots of colourful flowers in it.  One of my friends wrote something to me recently which I thought I'd share with you.

Last weekend I was gardening in my new house.  It has been neglected over many years, and weeds were strangling the flowers.  As I cut them back the beauty that lay behind the weeds and undergrowth took my breath away.  Every time I thought I had released all the plants and flowers, I found more.  It was extremely hard work and felt never-ending, but so exciting.  I got totally lost in the process - I was on a mission!  I suddenly thought, this is like personal therapy!  By the end of the day I was exhausted and covered in cuts and scratches.  I am tearful as I write this and I wonder why?  Maybe I'm weeping at the sheer hard work of it all - and not just the gardening!  I am proud of where I am and how I got here, but maybe it's time to slow down a bit now and 'smell the roses'.

I was moved by this, and found myself wanting to pay tribute again to those of you who are finding it tough going as you work through your 'stuff'.   Someone once said, 'Life is what happens when you're planning something else', and it's not just past pain that some of you are dealing with but the thorns and briars that have sprung up recently, in the here and now, which are proving so hard to get through.  I pray you will find strength and courage to go on and that you will pace yourselves, and find time to rest as well as push on. 

I have never had so many responses to a newsletter as last time.  I want to thank with all my heart so many of you who responded to Jamie's story.  Many of you saw the reports in the national newspapers.  My sister said the funeral was just amazing, with hundreds of people there and despite everything Avril and Jim are able to acknowledge the presence of God in all that happened in Nairobi.  They have set up a fund in Jamie's memory which has already raised over £11,000 for Kasiisi Hospital in Uganda - you can see pictures of Jamie and read the full story there, if you would like to. 

It was good having a break in August, but courses are kicking off now and we encourage you to come and join us.  There's still time to book in for Childhood Sexual Abuse and its Effects in to Adulthood on Tuesday 13th September.  This is such an important subject for all counsellors, and may also be appropriate for some clients.

We also still have a couple of spaces on the Principles and Practice of Deep Release Level 1 course, 16-18 September, which is an opportunity to find out more about who we are, what we do, and how you train to be a Deep Release counsellor.  This is a weekend course, as is the Creative Counselling course, 30th September - 2nd October - which is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to use creative tools in your counselling practice, and also to explore more about your own creativity (you don't have to be artistic!), which can be very releasing and encouraging.  If you haven't done this course before, or want to do it again, do come and join us!  As with all our courses, Bursary help is available.

I mentioned at the start of the newsletter that another group of students on the Supervision Diploma graduated in August.  Barnabas Counselling Training, our sister company, is very excited to be running this really great course next year in Hemel Hempstead, Ipswich (for Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk), Cheddar and Southampton.  If you would like a brochure, giving full details and costs, please contact the office.  Pressure is on increasingly for supervisors to have proper qualifications, and this is a great opportunity for you to enjoy Deep Release style training to get your Diploma. 

Well, on we go... I hit the dreaded 6-0 soon - and would you believe that Chris is 70 next year!  I don't like getting older, but am thankful that this is a time of great fruitfulness for us both, and we continue to plant seeds and hopefully help grow fruit and beautiful flowers for God's Kingdom.  

With love

Chris and Pauline