Ruth Nightingale: UKAGP Chair’s Report
Neurodiversity and Gestalt – Creative Relating
At our last OC Meeting in March this year my heart sang when my colleagues in the committee spoke of how they had found what they were looking for from being a member of UKAGP – Community - through being able to engage with other members in different ways. I have been involved with UKAGP from its early days, as a student, full member and on the Committee. My experience of UKAGP conferences has always been nourishing and I’m looking forward to some of us coming together again in July to meet as a community.
Our theme – Neurodiversity – Creative Relating - is an important consideration in our field of psychotherapy both as practitioners and trainers. I believe our Gestalt modality is well suited to working with diverse processes both for clients and also as practitioners.
My journey with the concept of Neurodiversity has been bumpy where I have battled with my thoughts regarding my belief that we are all different. My personal perspective is of strongly not wanting to be classified or labelled – I only have one label and that’s Ruth! I also recognise that I can relate to some symptoms that are listed in the diagnoses and appreciate how some of my experience in life has been to develop a sense of not being acceptable when displaying them.
I remember years ago, when in a discussion group at a conference, we were sharing our experience of belonging – who/what/where do we feel we belong? In what some might call my naivety I shared that I belonged to the human race. The immediate response I had from a member of that group was – ‘you can’t say that Ruth!’. I was stunned, went to shame and it has stayed with me ever since. As I write this and consider my perspective now I would say that this and my belief is currently even broader – I belong to and am part of the whole process of life on this planet.
I know that my perspective will be different from others and that classifications and being part-of can create a belonging, an acceptance, a comfort and safety to many. There is also an importance in these when considering social connections as they bring a degree of certainty and expectation.
What comes to me now as I write about this is my excitement about the recognition of difference in our ways of thinking and being. This is an evolutionary aspect of human beings and my wish is that where we can accept and embrace these differences as ‘gifts’ rather than something to be considered ‘wrong’ this can only bring benefit and growth to the world. OK – so some of you may well be thinking that I am being naïve here …. and I’m ok with that. I belong to the process of life on this planet and in that I have a belief that the world can and will continue towards growth.
I am looking forward to seeing those of you who can make our one day Conference in Bristol in July. I am sure it will be filled with interesting perspectives and views and as enriching as ever. Now … that is not naïve!
