When I started writing this blog two weeks ago I gave myself until the end of mental health awareness week to get it to the point it would be good enough to launch into the public domain. I don’t want to delay launching because it’s not perfect yet, even though my mind is offering a ton of reasonable points as to why I should. It’s part of the ethos of ACT to accept that as human beings we are not perfect. So I am not perfect and neither is my blog, and neither of us ever will be. What I can find satisfaction in though is aiming to live my life according to my values of authenticity, social justice, lifelong learning, compassion, creativity and family among others. Writing this blog aligns perfectly with my values at this point in my life, so the time to do this is now.
I feel exhilarated and terrified about launching my blog into the public domain. I believe in the ACT model and the benefits of connecting with it for families and children. I believe there is not enough about ACT with families out there already in the public domain. I understand there are millions of families around the world suffering with mental health difficulties in isolation who might benefit from learning of ACT. I understand that public services will struggle to cope with that burden of need unless those of us who can do something now about boosting general family wellbeing for everyone to reduce the volume of those who need professional help. I believe in being the change you want to see in the world, and this blog is part of my effort to increase mental health awareness, the awareness of the mental health need of women who miscarry and ideas about how to meet those needs, and the everyday mental health needs of children and families everywhere and ideas on how to help those needs using ACT.
For anyone who knows me professionally who reads this and thinks I could do better – my mind wants you to know I completely agree. However this is the best I’ve been able to pull together while giving up the hour I usually would have watched Netflix during mental health awareness week 2020 to write this blog instead. Im still on maternity leave and get up around ten times a night to soothe a teething baby, so am constantly surviving on caffeine and a bit baby brained. The thing is though as a mum, there will always be reasons I’m not at my best and ways I could do better. So my mind also agrees with the decision that I should still launch this into the public domain anyway, with openness to any feedback and constructive criticism anyone might offer – that in turn would aid me in my goal to continually improve my knowledge if the ACT model and continue to apply it personally with my family and professionally at work too.
#clinical psychology #ACT #miscarriage #parenting #mental health
