Hello, my name is Kim: An interview with a template.
Imagine: my good handshake, or perhaps you prefer a fist bump, the peace sign, or a simple nod
[EDIT ME] Beginnings are hard [EDIT ME]: This prompt reminds me of the song “Uncle John’s Band” by the Grateful Dead -a bright, nostalgia-inducing, fun-loving song - which makes the first days easier after all. Good music is a balm to the soul.
1. The nature of the blog, and timing of it all
Why are you are launching this space, at this time? To connect - I’m launching this space for the opportunity reach people beyond session time and lunchroom banter. I like to share my thoughts on mental health, what it is, and how to support. I like to talk shop about counselling methods, dynamics in healing and health. I also sometimes like to explore the topics at the macro-level - mental health care as a field and as an industry.
Annie G. Rogers (1995) writes, “healing is two ways”. Now that I’m a sole practitioner, a social worker dedicated to my own psychotherapy practice full-time (that’s recent at the time of me writing this), I have much less lunchroom banter in my life and it’s important for my own sense of well-being to feel seen, heard, and connected in community. I have friends and colleagues in the field, regular supervision and peer-consultation, and this is different. I hope this audience will be broad and that the diversity of my readers and your views will help to keep me accountable to, and grounded in, reality.
2. Community
What kind of space will this be? My stance on mental health: I believe that we all experience our mental health in varying conditions much like we experience variations in the condition of our physical health. We can experience wellness, build strength, increase flexibility, go through periods of unwellness, illness, and experience chronic disease (or ‘disorder’, in psychiatric terms). We can manage our wellness in the face dis-ease, both in physical and mental health, and our ability to do so has a lot to do with the resources available to us - both internal and external. I see access to these resources as a political thing.
I want this to be a brave space where I go ahead and show you what I’m noticing, paying attention to, choosing to focus on. You’ll see how I think by the way I write. The kind of community I’m looking to build here is one that will hold space for the vulnerability required for such an endeavour. I’m sure I’ll make mis-steps, write things are are less than enlightened. I’m here to take that risk - to learn and grow from both my mistakes and my successes - in public.
In terms of mental health tools, strategies, and system navigation - I hope to share some helpful information here, and perhaps provoke some new ways of seeing things - AND/BUT my articles, and anyone’s articles, can’t replace connection with an actual practitioner who will get to know you and your particular situation. Please be sure to reach out for support when it comes to your mental health - either through me or someone else.
3. Expected output
How often will you be posting? Can readers expect certain posts on specific days? At this time, I predict that the pace and schedule of my output will be irregular. I imagine I’ll get into a rhythm with it eventually, and might even return to this post to edit this entry if I do become more predictable with my publication dates.
What comes with a free subscription? When you subscribe to my newsletter, the most recent written piece will be emailed to the inbox of the email address you provide upon subscription. This will keep you up-to-date with my posts.
What comes with a paid subscription? The ability to download the material I’m including with my publications, which may include:
mental health-supporting gadgets and tools
meditations (audio and video)
maps (of all sorts)
To begin with a free subscription, you’ll see a “Subscribe” button at the bottom of the post, this is to make it easy for you to subscribe to my newsletter - please fill-in your email and with one click, my posts will come to you at the address you’ve provided. Thank you!