Ollie Frost

This week’s reflections on where I’m seeing positive outcomes in my 1:1 and group spaces.

Beyond models of conceptualisation, healing paradigms, pop psychology and the latest trending intervention, there is still a human being sitting with another human being.

So what are the levers for change I’m becoming increasingly interested in?

Perhaps they aren’t new at all.

They are timeless principles.The kind Carl Rogers was speaking about over 50 years ago, which still hold remarkable relevance today.

As we stand on the shoulders of giants. There is value in remembering this as the modern “space holder” resynthesises ancient practices alongside the latest evidence-informed modalities.

At the heart of the work is relationship.

Creating relationships that feel safe enough and trusting enough for something different to become possible. Not perfectly safe. As safety can never be guaranteed.

In individual and group spaces, I’m forever curious in how we stretch our capacity to remain present with mild to moderate stress without immediately needing to escape, suppress or resolve it.

Within that stretch perhaps more becomes available?

This creates choice to observe our thoughts without being completely captured by them.

We can feel our feelings without needing them to disappear.

And over time, the stories we repeatedly tell about ourselves can loosen enough for something new to emerge.

This integration…presents itself as a process of not erasing what came before, but allowing old patterns and neural networks to update through new experiences.

Perhaps meaningful change isn’t then always about finding the newest intervention or decontextualising ancient principles…

The challenging art of being a human being continues…

Thank you @head_up_retreats 🏕️
Thank you to the artist that is @morecreativestudio

#practicebeinghuman