non-voluntary services, for example, in-patient care under section. Keating and colleagues (2002) describe that a ‘circle of fear’ has developed between African and Caribbean people and mental health services, preventing them from accessing voluntary services out of fear of prejudice, misunderstanding and racism. Sadly, this formulation seems just as pertinent today and presents in other communities (Byrne et al., 2017). The universalist assumption that one size


fi ts all, that is privileging one type of therapy for all, provides further concern. This subjects clients to pathologising bias, as well as individualising and depoliticising oppression.


Islands of safety | sources of hope, inspiration and strength During these turbulent times, we are


reminded of our islands of safety which provide us the hope, inspiration and strength to navigate these turbulent waters. These islands of safety have been co-created with signifi cant people in our lives, for example, family, friends, colleagues and clients. For us, non-linear thinking, systemic practice, and externalisation are examples of our islands. In the West, we live in a society which has grown out of an industrialised, linear


46


and colonial vision. Nature, humanity and experiences are carved up into boxes, and given diff erent values. We understand only linear causation: A plus B equals C (Bateson, 2016). However, these linear interventions could also be seen as ‘partial arcs’ of larger circles (Keeney, 1983). Non-linear thinking encourages us to look past our linear understandings of distress and see those larger circles in our own systems and those of the people who come to us for help. Non-linear thinking helps us to think about and challenge power and injustices when we practice. Community and decolonising approaches enable us to break out of the linear and colonial paradigms to better support those who do not fi t neatly into the classifi cations, models, and linear understandings of distress. A non-linear approach is interested in the relationships and contexts a person fi nds themself in. This counters a causal and linear approach, interested in ‘correcting’ what is considered faulty within a person (Keeney, 1983). Non- linear thinking allows us to see a person in context, in relationship with others and in their ecology. Another idea from systemic approaches that we have appreciated engaging with


during training, is to consider the role of discourses that are held in society. For in- stance, thinking about how ideas of ‘mental illness’, ‘appropriate behaviour’, and ‘good family life’ shape expectations and actions of individuals and their families. We have been inspired by systemic interventions such as circular questioning, which attempt to bring these discourses into conscious- ness, allowing us to be less trapped by them. These questions can help generate the “diff erence that makes a diff erence” (Bate- son, 1979), creating possibilities for change and avenues of hope. Finally, narrative therapy introduced us to


the idea of externalisation: understanding “the person is not the problem – the problem is the problem” (White & Epston, 1990). Externalising conversations can explore the broader implications of gender, race, culture, sexuality, class and other relations of power in the construction of a problem. These conversations use language to refl ect that problems are external to an individual. For example, asking, “What impact does the depression have for you?” instead of, “How long have you been depressed?” has the valuable eff ect of ‘de-centring’ problems. This enables us to explore the skills, abilities


Context 164, August 2019


Navigating turbulent waters with hope to co-create islands of safety


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