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Noni's article was first published in the Autumn 2009 PCA-SW Newsletter
Our Role in Times of Change?
by Noni Mackenzie
What is the role of a psychotherapist or counsellor at a time of profound changes in our view of the material world and our human interaction with it?
I believe the world is undergoing a profound re-evaluation of fundamental assumptions about our relationship with the material world and with each other. This belief has led me to make changes in my working life. I now work as an administrator for Transition Town Totnes, spending my time working with people in my town directly taking action in the world rather than engaging with individual clients assisting them with their inner world concerns.
I'm curious about this shift in myself, and I would like to share my reflections on it with others who have an interest in the workings of the inner world, and how we can assist each other in it. I'm also keen to share my excitement at working in the transition towns movement. I've found, to my surprise, that the perspective I've gained through developing counselling skills is much appreciated and has much to offer this work. I'd like to encourage others with similar skills to find ways to put themselves at the service of their fellow beings in ways which might seem surprising and unfamiliar.
The tide in the world is changing, precipitated by a growing awareness that our dependence on fossil fuels can not continue in it's current form, for the reason of scarcity of resources as well as the damage wrought to our environment. A powerful aspect of our human response to that realisation is our re-evaluation of our relationship with each other. Those of us who have explored the inner world have developed a resource of experience and capacity to connect with another person at a deep level. The world needs this awareness as old ways of relating to each other are found lacking, for example, in our trading arrangements and banking.
Some of us in the Transition Towns movement envisage a move from an oil-fuelled global, multi-national corporate trading and political trading system to a more locally-based economy. This will force us to move beyond the anonymity and alienation from each other that this system encourages. As we move to reclaim power in our communities, grasping hold of decisions that affect our lives locally, we also move towards more intimate relationships with each other. Historically these local relationships depended on ties of blood or were imposed by those holding power over us.
The challenge that lies before us is to find ways of working together which engage us as equals. The skills that have been developed in the therapeutic counselling community can help us in this task. I invite you to reflect with me and consider how you may be able to contribute to the growing tide for change in your own communities both at work and at home.
Noni Mackenzie
August 2009
Noni is no longer working as an administrator for TTT, although she is still an active member of the TTT Food Group. You can contact her directly - email Noni, or contact the current administrator, Lou Brown at TTT.