Usually when the government seeks to prohibit or ban something they treat it like a spell. That’s why they often don’t work. But sometimes the government will self-sabotage a ban by having exceptions so wide so as to render the ban ineffective. Like fox hunting, and now like this.

Simply banning kids from social media, rather than enforcing sensible age-gating on certain sites and encouraging safer places for kids to go (a la Club Penguin, Habbo Hotel, NeoPets, etc.), is such a disservice to kids and gives a false sense of security to parents. Don’t ban, make spaces.

There once was a land where children's entertainment declined to be vile and and dangerous and unwatchable. But the foolish government instead of ensuring the content returned to being safe and sound, simply banned the children from watching it.

Musk as a trillionaire- anyone as a trillionaire- is a grotesque economic, moral and political problem. We cannot have individuals with that level of power, whatever they might have achieved.

🚨DR UK's Statement on the EHRC's New Code of Practice "We are appalled at implications that an adequate workaround is trans people using Disabled toilets instead. We will not be used as a loophole in the wider erosion of trans rights." Full statement👇 www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disabil...

I think how institutions not to mention managers etc. respond to the clarified EHRC gender ruling will be a good guide to how they will respond to a far right government that will impose further forms of segregation and exclusion that will impact other minorities. Take note of who you can trust.

It has been over a decade since I was last in financial difficulty. I know there is money in the bank. I still linger at the till to see the transaction go fully through. Sometimes get weird looks from the cashier.

Delighted to report I have just completed my Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision. #TherapistsofBlueSky #TherapistSky #TherapistsConnect #CounsellorsofBlueSky

#TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

So, given that Bluesky is also AI slop, where do we go now? Is social media a failed experiment? Do we build local communities and abandon the dream of an interconnected world?

Happy 8th anniversary to the tweet that changed us forever. Look at this absolute unit.

Today, 6 April, is the start of the new tax year. Why? The lore is that when we changed calendars in 1752, the Exchequer didn't want to lose 365 days' revenue, so tax year end shifted from traditional quarter Lady Day - 25 March. Never verified this, as far too good a tale.

Therapists don’t give advice. I don’t know your life like you do and choices are more meaningful when they come from you. We can talk about options, but you should *run* from therapists who try to tell you what to do. It’s a subtle abuse of power.

Something I need to work on is my tendency to downplay how much I struggle and then being surprised when people assume everything is easy for me.

I feel like this principle applies to the use of AI in therapy in a different but closely related way.

I have decided to rank all the systems I ran last year in order of how much I enjoyed running them. 1. Pathfinder 2E 2. Warhammer: Age of Sigmar: Soulbound 3. Dark Heresy 4. Blades in the Dark 5. Star Wars: Age of Rebellion #TTRPG

Blessed Yule!

#TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Kierkegaard would have loved Wake Up Dead Man.

We miss out on a lot working alone in Private Practice. Today I am hosting an “office” Xmas drinks for therapists in Leeds and beyond. It should be a good time. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

a load-bearing component of “the magic of Christmas” is the invisible domestic labor of moms you are now realizing how much she was doing for you and instead of just thanking her you’ve decided it’s about the decline of civilization

Successfully delivered my first supervision session as part of my level 6 training. All went well. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

What book would people recommend for a psychotherapist who is training to be a supervisor and will soon start seeing supervisees? Preferably something on the humanistic/existential side of things. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Blessed Samhain! Between now and Yule is a time of darkness and decay. This is not a bad thing. In our 24/7 365 hustle culture it is psychologically healthy to set aside a time when you stop, take stock, settle down and chill. Take a break. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky #Pagan #Witchcraft #Wicca

#TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky As part of my CPCAB accredited Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision I am offering low cost supervision to counsellors and therapists.

Next off my reading pile, I am taking a break from psychotherapy to read something more aligned with some of my other interests.

Having had a chance to read it I can now say that is is not only one of the best books on racism I have ever read but also one of the best books of applied philosophy I have ever read.

Excellent conference. Really well organised. Some really great workshops presented by some exceptional people. Dr Marc Boaz impressed me in particular.

Very much looking forward to doing this online today. #therapistsky #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

Today I started my Level 6 Certificate in Counselling Supervision at Headstrong Academy. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Ran a successful Mental Health First Aid night for my Scout troop yesterday. Really pleased with how seriously they took it. #Scouts #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Next off my reading pile. Preordered this book as soon as it was announced. Arrived yesterday so I am wasting no time getting into it.

This book was interesting, with some useful ideas. I do not regret reading it. The title is misleading, however, since very little of the content specifically addresses the challenges of time-limited therapy. #therapistsky #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

Seeing public critics of a government getting fired so mergers will be approved, while a dude who talks about “involuntarily euthanising” the homeless just has to issue an apology, is the most dystopian crap I’ve ever seen.

Would anyone have any recommendations or advice for training/qualifying as a supervisor in the UK? #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

There are books addressing mental health issues from a (Neo)Pagan/Witchcraft perspective. Every one I have yet seen is written by a well intentioned practitioners of the craft who are not actually therapists. My ambition is to write a book which bridges the gap. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Unfortunately, this is important. Re-posting with alt text.

Just finished my last shift as a cleaner. My psychotherapy private practice is now my sole source of income. No safety net now so I need to make this work. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

UK online safety law in practice.

Next off my reading pile. Hopefully this will help me with my EAP work. #therapistsky #therapistsconnect #blueskytherapists

Often books on queer witchcraft either have a lot of good queer theory with very little actual witchcraft or a lot of good witchcraft with very little actual queer theory. This book truly succeeds at integrating the two. My sexual, gender and religious identities have never felt more aligned.

I will be asking to remove 'Queer As Folklore' from the long list for the Polari Prize 2025.

Starting my All-Therapist Pathfinder TTRPG tomorrow, which is either the best or worst idea I have ever had… #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky #TTRPG #Pathfinder

Oh the irony of sitting down to write in my BACP accreditation application about how I follow the ethical code of conduct just as news breaks that the Chair and Deputy Chair have been caught fiddling expense. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

I have decided that the time is right to quit the cleaning job. With the stability of my EAP work, I am ready to make counselling my sole source of income. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

A birthday gift from my beloved spouse. #TherapistsConnect #TherapistSky

Happy Yorkshire Day! I may only be a Yorkshireman by marriage but this has been my home for nearly ten years and is likely where I will proudly live until the end of my days. #Yorkshire #YorkshireDay

Next book off my reading pile is not CPD, for once, but something of a more personal interest.