Trapped Inside 24/11/2009
 
This is the sort of things you see in films or read in novels –"Johnny Took his Gun" by Dalton Trumbo or "The Patient" by Georges Simenon are but two of the examples that spring to mind– but the report that circulates all media since yesterday is very real. A paralysed Belgian man who doctors thought was in coma for 23 years was conscious all along. It was only recently that a scan showed that his brain was "almost entirely" functioning. You can read the BBC report here.

I cannot begin to grasp what it must have been this experience for this poor man, but I can very vaguely imagine. A recent book and film used the metaphor of a diving bell. You are inside your body as if you are inside a diving bell. It's alright when you can control your diving bell. You swim around and interact with all other beings in diving bells you encounter. Suddenly something happens and you loose control of the diving bell. Your life as such is not threatened; but you can't communicate any more, you can't interact. You are trapped inside.
 
New wind blowing 11/11/2009
 
I was following news from UKCP very closely these last weeks. We had elections for chair. These elections were the first in which all registrants were invited to vote, and were particular important in view of all the changes currently happening in the British "psi" world (the world of psychotherapists / psychoanalysts / counsellors). I am referring, of course to the much debated and undesired, in my opinion, but imminent, possibly, statutory regulation of the psychotherapeutic professions by the Health Professions Council. I have argued about this elsewhere in this blog.

The election process took place in October and early November and the results were announced on Monday. New chair is going to be Andrew Samuels who won by a vast majority of 66%. The second candidate, Carmen Joanne Ablack, got 34%. As you can see, with a margin of 2 to 1 Andrew can call his a real victory.

According to Electoral Reform Services, the independent charity commissioned to administer the voting, the turnout was "tremendous", with almost 48% of registrants voting.

It appears that voters felt that something important was at stake, and decided to do their bit.