Social commentary, Wellbeing

‘Adolescence’ could be the ‘Cathy Come Home’ for our generation

Cathy Come Home was a BBC1 drama broadcast in 1966 which shocked the nation by its portrayal of a family’s descent into homelessness. It was watched by a quarter of the population and produced a storm of phone calls to the BBC, discussion in Parliament and inspired the start of the homeless charity Crisis.  One… Continue reading ‘Adolescence’ could be the ‘Cathy Come Home’ for our generation

Social commentary, Wellbeing

Who are the positive male role models?

Recently I went to a local friend’s birthday party.  In amongst the usual chat and catch ups, my friend Ian, whose sons were in primary school with mine, raised a great question to a group of us standing at the bar: “There are so few good male role models these days. Who are my boys… Continue reading Who are the positive male role models?

Ethics & Christian living, Wellbeing

The best rebellion is living joyfully – by Anna Price

Artwork by Sophie Killingley Perish and Fade Some seem to glide through life perhaps without a care in the world, good things happen to them, they ‘just’ fall in love or easily find success.  But those who have a need to rebel are not drifting through life easily.  Rather, they experience a deep dissatisfaction.  They… Continue reading The best rebellion is living joyfully – by Anna Price

Theology, Wellbeing

The ’emotional magnifying glass’ of Christmas

That Christmas is a new animated Netflix film from Richard Curtis, the writer of some of my favourite comedy such as Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. (Curtis also wrote Love, Actually which is my least favourite Christmas film, but that’s a subject for another blog). That Christmas is a decent family… Continue reading The ’emotional magnifying glass’ of Christmas

Social action, Wellbeing

Cutting through the fog of untruth

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com On Monday night I spoke at the AGM of the brilliant Bristol homeless charity inHope which run a Hope into Action franchise in the city.  Later I had to get a train up to Nottingham and my journey included an hours’ wait at Birmingham New Street Station between 10pm and… Continue reading Cutting through the fog of untruth

Personal, Wellbeing

Comfortable in our own skin? – by Stephen Brown

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Mark 1: 40-45 (NLT) I vividly remember the first time… Continue reading Comfortable in our own skin? – by Stephen Brown

Recommended books & reviews, Wellbeing

The denial & reality of trauma: a tale of two books

A few months ago, Keith Hebden wrote a G+T guest article titled Complicity or challenge? Responding to self-limiting excuses in which he shared insights from the psychologist Alfred Adler. He wrote: “For Adler it is our goals that determine our limitations and not our past. He argued that it can be tempting to take comfort in the… Continue reading The denial & reality of trauma: a tale of two books

Theology, Wellbeing

What a monk, a psychiatrist & a rabbi taught me about living with constant pain – by Simon Hall

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com I was converted into charismatic Christianity in my mid-teens and this started a loving and life-giving relationship with God. But after 13 years, I felt the tap of the Holy Spirit had been turned off. The feeling of God’s loving presence disappeared. For several years I scoured my tradition… Continue reading What a monk, a psychiatrist & a rabbi taught me about living with constant pain – by Simon Hall

Personal, Wellbeing

Finding space for grace

The chapel at Scargill, Yorkshire, UK After Easter, I felt I needed a week off work and cleared my diary for a week in May without a firm idea of what I would do.  I thought a retreat would be good to explore, so I looked at the website of Scargill House in Yorkshire as… Continue reading Finding space for grace

Theology, Wellbeing

Truly Woke

Photo by Spencer Selover on Pexels.com I have always fallen asleep extremely easily. Whilst this is a positive thing when I go to bed, it’s also been embarrassing at other times: when I have fallen asleep watching TV, at the cinema, getting my hair cut, in church or even in meetings at work. I have… Continue reading Truly Woke