This is me

One of the projects i’m working on atm is a 6 week course which i developed with a colleague for girls in secondary schools. 

The main issues this time around are:

• Self confidence
• Self expression
• Anger

And i have 5 hours total with them. 3 of which have already gone.  

The last groups’ main concern was self confidence.  I was able to focus on this, talk about positive attitudes, reveal the control the media has, encourage them to dream, process what relationships do and should look like in their lives.  They left feeling that things had changed.  Maybe just a bit, but they’d changed. 

These, however, are three deep-rooted, different but interlinked things.  

Anger runs so deep, and is so complicated.  Without the ability to self express then of course you’re going to get even more angry, and physical, but how can you express something you don’t understand?  

And how are you supposed to express anything when you’re living behind a mask and the feisty ‘you’ everyone sees is just protection for the girl who, in all honesty, doesn’t believe in herself.  A mask which has been up so long that you’re not sure of what is you and what isn’t?

They’re 13.  They’re individuals.  They’re complex.  They’re beautiful and full of potential. 

And i feel severely under-qualified & short of time.