EDITORIAL

In this issue, we are delighted to bring you the results of our membership survey, presented and illustrated by two of our editors, Diane McDonald and Mary Hamill. The survey gave us valuable insights into your opinions on Inside Out and about what might motivate you to write for us. Interestingly, we received widely varying views on the content; for example some readers find it too academic while others find it not academic enough. The feedback has been very helpful and informative. Thank you, to all of you who responded.

Further into this issue, Sinead Crowley takes us into the experience of tolerating uncertainty in relation to working with young people who present with eating disorders. Sinead outlines the tenuous balancing of the dynamics that present, the difficult holding and containing in uncertainty and anxiety, and the challenges of working within a multi-disciplinary team where different models and approaches need to be balanced.

Later on, Alan Kavanagh introduces us to his widely researched work on vicarious trauma, providing a background to the factors at play. Alan also looks at the presentation and dynamics of vicarious trauma in the psychotherapeutic space. On a similar theme of trauma in the following article, Brid Keenan describes the world of Somatic Experiencing. Brid brings us into the body and its capacity to light up pathways towards the redress of trauma.

Following this, we climb into the Jungian world through the story of Jack and the Bean stalk. J.D. Stephen Flynn guides us along the trials and tribulations of Jack’s adventure, showing us how it can illustrate a fundamental development of the internal masculine; a development that can offer a milestone of psychological maturing regardless of gender.

In a welcome initiative, we include a review of an international conference. Diane McDonald brings us into the experience of attending the SEPI (Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration) conference, walking us through this dynamic and inviting experience.

The editorial board never quite know how each issue is going to take shape until the material arrives in from contributors. This time we received a surprising number of poems and reflections, some of which appear throughout this issue, with others being held for future issues. In addition, there are two detailed book reviews from Anne Colgan and Donal Kiernan and, of course, The Space… We hope that each reader will find material of interest and benefit across the range of contributions.

Again, we would like to invite contributions from past and new authors – our deadline for the Spring issue is December 1st. The editorial board collates the issues but contributors decide the content.