My Manifesto

I also teach Nonviolent Communication, you can find me over at makinglifemorewonderful.com.au. This is how I approach that, and it influences my art.

I help you make sense of things … of things that have happened to you, or of what other people are saying and doing, or how you’re thinking about something.

I help reframe, change perspective.

I offer practical and useful frameworks, different ways to see things.

I teach the wisdom of no defence. That defence is always* attack. That vulnerability is the safest place to be. *[I’m NOT talking about things like sexual or physical abuse here! Please keep yourself safe, to the best of your ability! I’m talking about the 99% of time that our negatively-biased thoughts and filters tell us we’re under attack.]

I teach self-connection – which is what we REALLY want, not the myths of happiness and positive thinking – and self-compassion.

I teach authenticity.

I teach trauma awareness, and gentleness with ourselves around our precious and painful dysfunctions.

I teach win/win

I teach speaking up and speaking out

I teach “no wonder”, and “you make sense”

I teach “being with”, not fixing

I teach that it’s not your fault – AND that it’s your responsibility. And that the kind of responsibility I’m talking about is actually freedom.

I teach by modelling all these things – vulnerability, compassion, connection, authenticity, courage.

I teach by telling my own stories.

I teach by being IN there with you, fighting the same battles.

I believe in people’s inherent “goodness” – by which I mean, no-one is out there intentionally trying to hurt you, they’re trying to manage there own stuff. That doesn’t mean you don’t get caught in the cross-fire … but the pain is less when you’re not telling yourself they’re trying to kill you.

I believe in people wanting to give, in preferring love, when given the choice, and the ability to choose it.