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Interview |
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| An Interview with Pat Russell, Mary McCallum Scholarship Student Q: Who do you work for? A: I am a therapist registered with the Wessex Cancer Help Centre (WCHC). After many months in discussion I will work from October also in the hospice for one session per week (3.5 hours) as a professional volunteer. So unfortunately unpaid. Q: What type of service does your charity provide? A: The WCHC provides information in the form of a drop-in centre/office, occasional educational presentations, publications for sale, reading lists, a clippings service, information regarding complimentary therapies and of course ready access to tumour-specific or surgery support groups – of which there are a great many, virtually all are patient-led. They also have a carefully vetted list of therapists in the region for referrals - for counselling, pain control, homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, etc. Q: How did you hear about the Mary McCallum Scholarship? A: When taking the Certificate course in Exeter in 1999 one of the weekends involved discussion on care of the physically ill, and inevitably cancer patient care was raised. As I had worked in the cancer area for 18 years before a rather classic mid-life change – mainly managing clinical trials and running patient or clinician education projects with the teaching hospitals – I had an obvious long-term interest. I offered observations on psychosocial pressures that these patients face in hospital and the outpatient clinic. One of the lecturers suggested that the WCHC, with whom I am involved, could apply for Scholarships. Q: How were you selected? A: Well, for the reason noted above, there was a large degree of self-selection as I acquainted WCHC with the LCCH course content. Also, as I had received some hypnotherapy training elsewhere – basically Ericksonian methods, many more applications are considered on the LCCH course – I had hypnotised two of the administrators for visualisation and relaxation purposes in order to demonstrate and de-mystify the experience. |
Q: Why were you interested? A: I had a taster on the other course, which is a mirror image of LCCH, as the content consisted mainly of psychotherapy with a token look at hypnotherapy. I bought and devoured several hypnotherapy books, looking in particular at applications for toxic or adverse effects of medical treatment, bereavement and palliation. The wide range of techniques taught by LCCH and the even wider range of presenting issues were a definite draw. Q: How did you anticipate the course would be of benefit? A: The best learning aid is doing and the high level of hands-on practicals were a great help. And a great confidence booster. I had no wish to go from cold theory or scripts on the printed page to a live individual sitting before me, in trouble, looking to me for a measure of help. Q: How did you find the course, content and standard of teaching? A: The course content has the earmarks of a teaching plan which has been used, rethought and revised over a period, as must surely always be the case. I learned something of interest and use every day of the course. Because of my background perhaps, which was quite analytical, there are a few aspects which I feel I am unlikely to use as I just wouldn’t be comfortable. But, as a highly experienced hypnotherapist lives locally and revels in past life regression and white light it isn’t a problem as I’m happy to refer. Having a choice is very good. One individual client might be of a very direct and problem- solving nature, the next works best with truths found in metaphors. The more tools available, the better it is for the client’s journey of discovery. The course was very good at offering choice. |
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