Meeting Again: the First Pink Therapy Alumni Event

If sexuality is one of the ways we feel most alive in the world, I have felt this in abundance during the privilege of a long Pink Therapy training.  To my delight, it turns out that other participants on PT courses felt this way too.  So, when Dominic suggested we have a quarterly Alumni event for anyone who’d done one of the substantial trainings, I was more than happy to host the first one.

It felt a bit like turning up at a party where you know you’re not going to know anyone, but willing to reach out and hoping it will be good.  I had brought a case-presentation (always take something to a party!) and the others were happy to spend time focusing on my couple-case of two women in their sixties who’d been wondering whether to split up.  Lots of learning, lots of self-reflection and lots of intelligent, generous contributions from those present.  There are not many places, even with good supervision, where I can guarantee the quality of thoughtfulness and openness.  Pink Therapy events continue not to fail me.

After the case discussion, we just talked.  We talked about our professional and personal selves; about ‘homonormativity’ (the experience many of us had had of not-quite-meeting-the-requirements of gay and lesbian social groups); we talked of our work with hetero clients and whether we challenge them enough, and we talked of the significance of a clients’ choice to work with us.  We also mused on whether there is unconscious homoeroticism amongst heterosexuals in gyms and spas, disguised by competitiveness and envy.  That makes it sound too heavy – we also enjoyed laughing at ourselves and our guesswork.

The magic of Pink Therapy events is finding there’s always more to learn.  I used the acronym LOL and not everyone knew what that meant (Late-Onset-Lesbian), and someone used the term ‘the creative void’ about those times in life when you’ve let go of something, but haven’t found a new way yet.  We thought a bit about the changes in legislation over our life-times and appreciated – and even envied – those who had been in the fight for basic gay rights back in the 1960s and 70s.  And most of all we talked about how sexuality isn’t something that can or should be categorized by words or experience, but a lifelong way of becoming ourselves.

We look forward to the next event, scheduled for Saturday 14 December 2013 at 2 pm.  The following two dates are 15 March and 21 June 2014.   These events are open to anyone who has completed a Pink Therapy Diploma, Certificate or Essentials course.  And only £10.00.

Contact: Chris Kell (chriskell37@gmail.com