Castelpollard,
Co. Westmeath,
Ireland.
3rd April 2010.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the launch of my website, www.psyche.ie Your questions and comments are welcome and will contribute to the Frequently Asked Questions section (FAQ), which will be added to the website in due course.
It is significant that this website is born at Easter; a time of rebirth, when things emerge slowly from darkness with the vitality of new growth and new beginnings; for darkness is always followed by light, therefore light and dark are inseparable.
We tend to celebrate the light, but an interesting question to consider is why don’t we also celebrate the dark? There would be no annual show of snowdrops or daffodils without the time they spent in darkness. When a person is excited, and jumping around because they have won the lottery, we don’t generally tell them to go and see a doctor, or pull themselves together. Yet, when we are troubled, or feeling low, we are often told to snap out of it. How reasonable is this?
These observations have led me to question our beliefs about mental health and mental illness – what is the line between the two, and who decides where it is. Having the perspective of another culture from my Italian ancestry possibly gave me a different perspective on what I saw around me, who knows? However, over the years my commitment has been to on-going personal development. Without having any clearly defined questions, I was on a quest for answers. Fortunately, I met some wonderful teachers along the way.
I am convinced that each person has within them all the wisdom they need to live a fulfilled life, and to realise their full potential. While this sounds wonderful, it is worth noting, that our innate potential does not arrive in the post, together with an instruction booklet. Most of us learn by trial and error, with lots of frustration and many setbacks, with the occasional wonderful moment when all the dots join up. It is a truly unique, organic process, for those who are interested, and not everybody is.
At times we all need support along the way. Needing support does not imply we are going crazy, or that we are not able to cope, or any other such statement. Acknowledging that we need support can be the most vital step we may ever take. The challenge is often in finding the right kind of support.
My commitment is to Offering Support in Challenging Times. If that is what you are looking for, I welcome your call, and will be glad to answer your questions as directly and honestly as I know how. My contact details are on www.psyche.ie
Yours faithfully,
Mary Stefanazzi
