On the Couch - Issue 8 - July 2022

102 Pages·2022·21 MB·English

DISCOVER PSYCHOLOGY, CRIMINOLOGY, SOCIETY & YOU
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■ WHAT’S IN A NAME?
■ A SENSORY SELF-DISCOVERY
■ THE PERSONALITY DRIVING
YOUR CONFLICT RESPONSE
■ IS THERE A REFUGEE CRISIS?
■ EDUCATION WITHOUT
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64
3O
6 UNDERSTANDING OUR SENSORY SELVES 50 IS THE DOMESTIC ABUSE ACT 2021
It has been argued that how we process ENOUGH TO PROTECT US?
sensory information is fundamental to every Caz Moss shares her personal experience
aspect of our lives. Julia finds out more. of domestic violence and why she feels the
new act does not go far enough.
14 WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Does your name give you identity and 58 I BELIEVE IN ANGELS
connection? Katie finds out. Lee shares the story of the Angel of Mons and
recalls his spiritual meeting with an immense
22 EUROPEAN RESPONSE TO A CRISIS winged man.
Did Europe ever have a refugee crisis...Or was
it a racism crisis? Annabel explores the facts. 64 EDUCATING WITHOUT LESSONS
Students at Summerhill School in Sussex
30 EXPRESSING YOURSELF THROUGH ART aren’t obligated to attend lessons if they
Claire Randall explains how art can be part of don’t want to. That’s not a typo. Holly
your self-care practice. Crawford goes back to school for a lesson
in free-range teaching.
36 CSI EFFECT
Nikolett Jozsika investigates the impact of 72 INTRODUCTION TO ACCEPTANCE
popular forensics on criminal justice. AND COMMITMENT THERAPY
Angelina Archer explores how this therapy can
44 WHY WON’T YOU JUST SEE THINGS help us create a rich, full and meaningful life.
MY WAY?
Rebekah Tennyson explains how the
enneagram model of personality gives you an
insight into your reactions to conflict.
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contents
psychology
6 Our sensory selves
14 What’s in a name?
44 See things my way
72 Introduction to ACT
sociology
58
22 European response to crisis
50 Domestic Abuse Act 2021
64 Educating without lessons
ttiimmee
criminology
you
FOR
36 CSI Effect
50 Domestic Abuse Act 2021
80 CREATIVE MINDFUL PHOTOGRAPHY
Kim Grant shares her passion for
photography and encourages you to
take up creative mindful photography.
84 THE NATURE CURE FOR JULY you
AND AUGUST
Join Claire Stares as she explains why 14 What’s in a name?
being immersed in nature has been linked 30 Art self-care practice
to a plethora of physical and mental health 58 I believe in angels
benefits.
92 GET YOUR CREATIVE GROOVE ON
Make your own painted plant pots.
*Some features may fall into more than one category
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uunnddeerrssttaannddiinngg oouurr
SENSORY
selves
It has been argued that how we process sensory information is
fundamental to every aspect of our lives. Julia finds out more.
S
itting here at the computer, I am information is fundamental to every aspect
irritated by my trouser belt, which is of our lives. Though we often take it for
digging in. Maybe it’s because I’m granted, we need to effectively register,
slouching, so I sit up a bit taller and stretch modulate, and accurately interpret that
out my arms above my head to feel the information to explore and develop,
muscles release a little. The bright screen, successfully carry out activities, and ensure
which helped wake me up earlier, is now our survival. And it is when we encounter
giving me a bit of a headache, and the difficulties with sensory processing this
radio that was keeping me company is now reality confronts us.
piercing my concentration, so I snap it off. There is growing acknowledgement
What a relief! I wonder if I’m a bit hungry that how we process sensory information
but decide I’m not. It’s just the smell of the is useful to consider when supporting
banana cake my daughter’s baking. I can people seeking psychological therapy.
already imagine the moist, sweet sponge... Understanding our sensory profiles and
Dr Jean Ayres, an American occupational needs can arguably help us all function
therapist, educational psychologist, and better, and we don’t necessarily need to be
pioneer of sensory integration theory, occupational therapists or health experts in
argued that how we process sensory this area to take advantage.
Words: Julia Kelly: Chartered and HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
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psychology
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THE SENSES
Kath Smith, a Consultant Occupational orientation, allowing us to keep our balance
Therapist, specialising in ways to implement and maintain posture. Impairment in the
Ayres’ sensory integration and sensory vestibular system is well illustrated in transient
strategies to enhance mental health and states like alcohol intoxication, but many of us
participation in everyday life, refers to the experience it when attempting to balance on
famous five the senses most of us can list one leg with our eyes closed!
with ease: what we see, hear, smell, taste and However, there is still one more sense upon
touch. They give us information about the which we rely for survival: the eighth sense,
world around us. interoception. This is how we receive feedback
Responses to these sensory stimuli can be from our internal organs and, amongst other
instinctive neural reflexes that help us escape things, tells us when we are thirsty or hungry,
from potential danger. For example, to pull if we need to go to the toilet, that our heart
away when we touch something hot, blink rate is rising and what those butterflies in our
when we see a fast-moving object coming stomachs mean. Interoception is particularly
towards us, duck to protect our heads when important for homeostasis. Without the ability
we hear a sudden bang, and gag at the smell to maintain this internal balance, we can’t
of caustic chemicals. We also have innate survive. Awareness and accurate interpretation
preferences that help keep us safe, such as of our physiological states help to answer the
things that taste sweet or provide soft ‘tactile question of how we are (and what action to
comfort’, as Harlow (1958) showed in his wire take when we’re not ok), and it can inform
mother experiment with rhesus monkeys. But us about subtle differences in our emotional
while responses to stimuli can be instinctual states: nervous, excited, amorous?
and simple, they can also be more complex Therefore, it is clear that it is not just the
processes that require rapid integration of awareness and interpretation of separate
stimuli with prior knowledge and coordination senses that is important, but also how these
of motor movements that rely on other senses. are effectively combined to make sense of
To carry out responses, we need the the world, register its impact upon us, and act
secret seven. In addition to the famous within it to survive and thrive.
five, this includes the proprioceptive and This is no less evident in our relationships,
vestibular sensory systems. Proprioception where we use the senses through things
gives us information about our muscles and like vocal tone, skin to skin touch, and
joints, allowing us to track the movement of rocking movements to soothe and
our bodies. It is essential for coordination tone the developing nervous systems
and grading of force and, when used in of infants, ultimately enabling them to
conjunction with sight, for example, can help soothe themselves. We use the senses to
us reach and grab a glass with just enough communicate, connect to and feel safe
grip not to break or drop it, to hit with people, for example, through facial
a moving ball with a bat, sit expression, physical contact, and eye gaze.
down without missing the In psychological therapy, we talk about
seat, dance the tango, the quality of the therapeutic relationship
ride a bike or simply associated with positive outcomes,
avoid bumping into independent of the model of therapy used.
things. Through the The ability of the therapist to create a place of
workings of the inner safety for the client to explore their thoughts
ear, the vestibular and feelings is an essential requirement of
sensory system talking therapies. It follows that these elements
provides the brain of successful therapy rely on an awareness of
with information sensory needs and preferences, influenced by
about motion, both instinctual neurological responses and
head position differences arising from neurodevelopmental
and spatial diversity or acquired from past experience.
psychology
WE USE THE SENSES
TO COMMUNICATE,
CONNECT TO AND FEEL
SAFE WITH PEOPLE
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