Talking to practitioners is one of the highlights of working on Therapy Today, and it’s often a humbling and inspirational experience. Dzmitry Karpuk, who features in our ‘Spotlight’ interview in this issue, had to leave his homeland and start from scratch in the UK but has since set up the Complex Trauma Institute, supporting the development of UK-based trauma research and providing a network and CPD opportunities for UK therapists working with trauma. Last year Dzmitry joined forces with a Ukrainian colleague, Hanna Kemp, to bring free training by somatic therapy pioneer Babette Rothschild to hundreds of Ukrainian therapists working with the impact of trauma.
One of the many insights I have taken from working on that story is that the work we do is only sustainable if we learn to manage its emotional impact. According to Babette, it comes down to common sense and simple strategies such as moving your body on a regular basis. I now have new motivation to get out for my daily morning walk no matter how dark and unappealing the weather might be.
"One of the many insights I have taken from working on our ‘Spotlight’ story is that the work we do is only sustainable if we learn to manage its emotional impact"
As a print title, Therapy Today’s production process starts several months in advance, which means we can’t be as responsive as digital forms of communication to current events. When we were planning to mark the second anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine with our ‘Spotlight’ piece we had no idea of the horrors that lay ahead in the Middle East. I know that many members have been directly and traumatically affected by recent events, and we hope to bear witness to their experiences in a forthcoming issue after allowing them time to process and reflect on what they want to share.
Sally Brown Editor
