Deliberate practice is being treated with greater clarity and respect, especially in relation to work by Scott Miller, Daryl Chow, and others. We need to do more than simply repeat an action to gain expertise and excellence, it is necessary to reflect, review, engage in positive feedback, and look for insight and inspiration beyond the boundaries of the specific work. For now, I am thinking about the myriad of opportunities that are around us every day where we can engage in deliberate practice, especially from those seemingly unrelated things of life. Recently, I was chatting about what happened at the hairdresser in what was just a simple opening for conversational rapport, but it soon became a fascinating discussion about the metaphors and analogies to therapy and a current client – all embedded in the parallel messages within the story. In each magazine, I hope that articles have a particular and pertinent message, and also some surprising and unexpected learnings. Sometimes, we just need a little deliberate shift of focus to begin a cascade of activity that produces insights that were hitherto hidden from view.
We begin this “possibility” with Part 1 of a marvelous article based around play therapy that, for me, has sparked a plethora of unexpected insights. Katherine Olejniczak begins her two-part article on Cognitive reprocessing of maladaptive self-schemas in play therapy with traumatised children (Part 1) with an introduction to “Bobby” and presents the theoretical frameworks underpinning her therapeutic intervention.
We are then taken into the wonderful mind of great friend and colleague Daniel Siegel as we glimpse at his latest book, IntraConnected: MWe (Me + We) – As the Integration of Self, Identity, and Belonging. I have been personally waiting for this book for some years and it is very exciting that we are able to have this excerpt to whet our appetites.
Matthew Dahlitz continues his reflections on Iain McGlichrist’s book, The Matter With Things. This month he examines Judgement which I feel is an important excursion that reflects the nature of deliberate practice and how it delivers insight and inspiration. All we need do is let go and explore and allow what matters to emerge.
And if that wasn’t enough, another good friend and colleague, Rubin Battino, provides us with a case study, Anabel, where he explores the way several different forms or methods can be successfully utilized in a single therapeutic session. He is a true master of our craft.
So, we practice, deliberately, with intention, with surprise and openness to the unexpected. I learnt this in acting school, as I have stated many times, but, in truth, we learn this from life. It is a wonderful way of living.
RICHARD HILL | EDITOR