OK.  A fairly quick update.
We've now met all the therapists who were interested in the setting up of a trauma centre in Sheffield.
And the good news is, they're all still interested.
The interest generally ranges through:

• a general enthusiasm that such a centre will exist - charities and funding going to the wall, the NHS being underfunded and so on
• an excitement that someone's putting the energy into doing it
• the possibility of work

I've let it drift for a few months, as I've been putting the time into my own private practice.  So it's taken a while to get back round to blogging.  (Yes, I know it only takes a few minutes....)

So, the bottom line is, everyone's raring to go, and nobody is really expecting to do the initial work.

I have a meeting booked on Monday with my esteemed coach to see whether I personally have the energy and drive to do the work myself.  Because the bottom line is, there's going to be a lot of networking, and a lot of meetings, and I need to work out whether I do, in fact have the drive and passion to push the thing through without collaborators.

Because I was secretly hoping that with all the meetings with therapists someone would pop out of the woodwork who would help me take this on.

And they haven't.  (Not yet, anyway).

So we'll have to see.

Check back in a few days to see.

S

Update

Well, it seems to be generating some interest.

I sent (emailed) a proposal for the Centre to a number of counsellors and therapists, a number of whom are attached to the local NSPCC branch, which has recently closed down its therapy department.

It looks pretty positive.  About 7 or 8 people are interested in meeting up to discuss the possibility of taking this on to the next level.  I'm busy arranging a date - looks like we'll get together and have a meal at the start of November.  Fingers crossed, the group (or some of them, at least), will agree to go ahead with it.

Watch this space.....

Attachment therapy

A big new addition!

The trauma centre site has always offered attachment therapy, working with children or adults who are suffering with the fallout of early emotional or physical neglect.

When I initially started to look into the possibility of the great transition to Social Enterprise, I was unsure about whether to continue with this.  However, I've just spent the afternoon with a family therapist who offers attachment therapy with children and adoptive families.

As with all independent therapists, she can feel isolated and cut off when working alone, and work like that needs support.  Also, there is very little work like this offered by the trust or CAMHS.

She was already interested in getting involved in the centre as we transit to social enterprise, and assuming the management committee agree, then offering attachment therapies would be a really important add-on to the work of the organisation.

So. Here we are, then...

This will attempt to document a transition.

I have run a website:  www.sheffieldtrauma.com, for several years.

I took a year off, and returned to offering psychotherapy after having written a book, had a rest, thought a lot....

On returning, I heard about Social Enterprises.  I have been lucky enough to get support in starting my own psychotherapy practice, but the idea of transforming the trauma centre into a social enterprise lodged firmly in my mind - and in my heart.

To date, I have prepared a proposal, circulated to a number of therapists who have expressed interest, and am looking to arrange a meeting in the next month of all interested parties.  Given the go-ahead from everyone, the hope would be to get something up and running early next year.

This blog will document the process of change.