Dying twice: Grief, dignity and the experience of dying
As his father approached the end of his life, psychotherapist and counsellor Duncan E. Stafford found himself confronting an uncomfortable question: When does saving a life become preventing a death? From grief and ageing to dignity and autonomy, he reflects on what it means to help someone complete a life.
Give me the robot
Psychotherapist Duncan E. Stafford says “give me the robot” – but why? Follow the fascinating trail from his mother’s cancer diagnosis via “human-reserved occupations” to the early script-based programme ELIZA, as he explores why we might occasionally prefer the engagement of a robot at times of need to the presence of a human being.
“Procrastination”
In her poem “Procrastination”, Jackie Fernandez captures the chaotic inner monologue of an ADHD brain sidetracked by distractions, digital temptations and dopamine hits – offering a witty, all-too-relatable snapshot of modern-day avoidance.
What I carry into the therapy room
Psychotherapist Julia Berrington reflects on what she brings into the therapy room: an awareness of danger alongside a determination to remain curious about what might still be possible. The challenge, she suggests, is not choosing between them but learning to hold both at once.