I demonstrated to a group of twenty doctors that it is possible to resolve the long-standing emotional concerns and preoccupations of a patient without ever finding out what they were about.  This goes totally against all medical training: taking a full psychiatric history is a fundamental of responsible clinical practice.  The patient, himself a doctor, is now no longer convinced of that dictum.  Something that had haunted him all his life – so he said, no longer does so at all.  I made the point that what the brain creates it can also un-create, if one knows how to help that to happen.  Just think of all the years of psychotherapy that will have been avoided. 

It has just occurred to me that the psychiatrists present for that demonstration might not be pleased with me at all – for financial rather than clinical reasons.  Too bad. 

In the middle of a group therapy session she went into a panic attack.  I asked her if she would like to get rid of it.   She was puzzled by that question because it had never occurred to her that disposing of it could be possible – forever.  Her curiosity kept her in the room.  Resolving the panic attack was straightforward enough, using NLP techniques, and she was even more surprised, as were the other members of the group.  (Don’t tell anyone – but so was I.)  To prevent further attacks is all I have ever done before.  Now that I have disposed of a hot one, I feel encouraged to do more.

I pulled into the service station for a twenty minute sleep.  It meant that I was late for work at the Recovery Centre.  I’m never late – but, on this occasion I was something else as well.

I remember when they opened.  I remember when they sold out to a large company.  Now they are closing.  Family businesses depend upon the enthusiasm and personal commitment of the family.  They are far more than mere businesses.  The fact that this one has now closed illustrates the strength of being run by a family and the weakness of being run by a corporation.  This is all the more reason why family businesses should be further encouraged.  Small really is beautiful.

 The yellow pigment in her skin indicates that she is actively anorexic.  She talks the talk of recovery but does not walk the walk.    She is probably running it.

I am rather dreading the Olympics, not because I fear that the UK will be humiliated but because our workload will drop off for those two weeks.  It always does when there is any major sporting event.  Fortunately, our bankers know that by now. 

On three consecutive days at the Recovery Centre, I have had mussels, swordfish (which was deliciously tender rather than rubberised, as one often gets in a restaurant) and skate.  The advantage of being only ten miles from the coast is that we get incredibly fresh seafood. The advantage of having skilled chefs, who really take pride in their work, is that they know how to create seafood into something absolutely delicious.  I should be so lucky – and so are the patients, but that’s a by-product.  As someone with an eating disorder myself, I see the kitchens as being primarily for me.   

I don’t understand why boilers should break down irretrievably in such a short time.   This is the second one to disintegrate after only five years.  That’s not safe for us but I suppose its good news for the manufacturers. 

There was a time when some consultant psychiatrists attacked PROMIS by trying to persuade medical insurance companies not to cover our sort of work.  We jumped ship before we were pushed and have seen no patients through BUPA or PPP for the last five years.  I gather that these organisations have now turned their fire on psychiatry. 

Her married boyfriend has taken her away from treatment – or, rather, he has bailed her out so that she has avoided taking responsibility for herself.  “In five years time”, she said after failing to get a job she had applied for, “I can see myself as a homeless prostitute”.  I would say she was that already.