Scores on the doors

Completed the last taught module and the scores on the doors are looking pretty good. A distinction is achievable if I can crack the dissertation. Feels as though as I am at the bottom of a mountain looking up. A period of fairly unstructured (externally) self motivated commitment is required.

Proposal accepted and currently working on quite a complex literature review.

‘Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.’

Is there anybody out there..?

Hard to believe I am currently half way through my last taught module – conflict management?! Still haven’t had the final results in from the other modules but believe all is well.

Have requested some feedback on my dissertation idea on integrated psychotherapy but may need to scream in order to get a response. One main complaint of an otherwise exceptionally worthwhile learning experience...some of the faculty seem overstretched which means response time can be frustratingly lengthy.

Also need to have the dissertation wrapped by September 2009 as I have re-applied to Manchester for the PhD... (check of the PhD Madness Blog)

Total masochist – I know!

‘It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.’ W.Edwards Deming

The Courage to Be...

So the next module has started and what a relief I am only studying one and not two like last semester. The subject is existential and human issues and is 100% my area of interest. Heavy mind bending stuff but I cannot help feeling that it is more relevant than ever.

Due to receive the results from the first two assignments in February so fingers and toes crossed.

Meanwhile Manchester have offered to defer my PhD place until Oct 2009 which keeps that possibility open.

I must say Sheffield is an extremley funky uni.

'Since every day a little of our life is taken from us - since we are dying every day - the final hour when we cease to exist does not of itself bring death, it merely completes the death process. The horrors connected with it are a matter of imagination. They vanish when the mask is taken from the image of death.' Paul Tillich

First Semester Completed..!

Incredibly I have finished 2 modules bar submitting the assignments. The course thus far has been extremely intense a rather unexpected twist. The online learning environment demands focus, discipline and highly effective communicate in order to avoid ambiguity and unnecessary conflict with fellow students.

Digby Tantam who wrote much of the material has some very interesting takes on a lot of areas of psychotherapy. My views and beliefs have been stretched quite beyond where I thought I could go. I have discovered a whole new language to describe some psychoanalytical concepts or at least what they may be pointing to.

The focus on the concept of Subject Well-Being (SWB) and Positive psychology has been enlightening and has given me a renewed enthusiasm for the contribution longer-term psychotherapy can make to society.

I now have two 3k assignments to submit by January and it is not without challenge due to the vastness of the material that we covered over the 10 weeks.

In the words of Master Yoda: ‘do or do not, there is no try’.

Keeping it Sharpe!

So here I am fully registered with Sheffield Universitie's department of Health and Related Research and chomping at the bit to begin a MSc in Psychotherapy.

My confidence is up after having been accepted to complete my PhD at Manchester despite the offer letter being lost in the post. I may return to the idea of the PhD if I survive this Masters.

Sheffield’s most famous grad is of course 006 Sean Bean. Essex Boy he is not but he is very Sharpe!