I have been ‘uncoupled’ now for six years. Over these last six years, I have been on some dates, had a few casual liaisons, but essentially remained ‘uncoupled.’ I am sixty-nine years old and it is the longest I have been single in my adult life. I have been married twice, had two other significant
It’s been an especially tough six weeks ! Apart from the eternally long lockdown situation here in Melbourne exhausting us all, plus a demanding job in mental health in essential services, my normally peaceful home environment has now been disturbed into nightmarish proportions. Not only is noisy construction work going on right outside my bedroom
I love watching tennis. I was even a tennis champion myself in high school days. I am puzzled and disturbed however at the continual tantrums displayed by Nick Kyrgios and the indulgence shown him, despite his outbursts of verbal, emotional and physical abuse. Yes, smashing tennis racquets on the ground is intimidating behaviour and if
I wrote a piece on Face book recently, in response to the terrible murder of 23 year old Celeste Manno, killed in her family home in Melbourne by a man who had been stalking her for months. I expressed that it was high time many more men shouted out loud their protest at male violence
I realised the other day that it has been five years since I separated from a significant intimate relationship and that I have been ‘single’ for that length of time. It also dawned upon me that this was the longest period in my adult life that I had not had a boyfriend of one kind
More women are coming forward for the first time to report family violence, according to new Victorian research that shows Covid -19 lockdowns have worsened the potential for abuse in many homes. The report found that 60% of family violence victim support practitioners said the Covid-19 pandemic had increased the frequency of violence against women.
The birth of this blog came about through a painful relationship break up with a man I believe is a narcissist. I have had some requests from readers of my blog to say more about being in a relationship with a narcissist. Now that my grief is less acute from this shattering experience, I thought
I am still in recovery from the Narcissistic ex-partner! Why does it take so long, sigh! I am working so hard at it, and yet I know that recovering from deep grief, loss and disappointment takes as long as it takes. I feel completely shattered by my experience with him and at the same time, I’m
The birth of this blog came while going through a painful, and complicated relationship break up. I know that what I am experiencing right now is the effects of the shattered dreams; the heartbreak of grief and loss. The shameful thoughts of “I thought I had got it so right this time and I didn’t
Professionally I have 33 years experience as a Clinician, Lecturer, Group Facilitator, Educator and Supervisor in Education, Social Services and Mental Health. I currently live in Melbourne, Australia and work in Mental Health. I have a particular interest in supporting and empowering women and men to be all they can be, by assisting the discovery of tools that help them find strength to transform difficulties into opportunities, enriching their lives both personally and professionally. I am a New Zealand Registered Psychotherapist with PBANZ, member of the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists and have a Masters of Health Science (Psychotherapy) First Class Honours. My research thesis was about the long term consequences of intimate partner violence for women. I am influenced and informed by both my professional experiences and my own personal journey, which has involved many challenges and celebrations along the way.