Rob Abbott

I have benefitted over the years from having my own psychotherapy that has allowed me to change and grow as a person. I have experienced my own depressions and know that it was both good therapists and the love of friends and family that enabled me to survive these experiences. And while I do not consider psychotherapy to be the answer to all the world’s ills, I do think it can help all of us both to understand our emotions and manage then sufficiently such that we might work, love and play.

I have always been a socialist, more Tony Benn than Tony Blair. I abhor the philosophy of “me first” individualism and believe that many of all generations reject such ideas. A society can be measured by how it treats those who are most disadvantaged. These with mental illness often fit this category: misunderstood, misrepresented and, by definition, lacking the personal resources make themselves better.   In Britain today there are simply not enough state funded resources available for those who are mentally ill but who do not have the money to pay for private psychotherapy/counselling. This is a political issue and I hope that politicians will one day have the courage and commitment to solve it. In the meantime, we can all do our bit to help: this is my contribution.