Foreward - Mind-mapping as a therapeutic tool

( PLEASE NOTE - the following is work in progress )

F O R E W A R D :

I feel a sense of great power in sharing of best practice when it comes to providing support and guidance to others. I begin this space in deep consideration to the end point of my "Research In Practice" module, whereby the the many threads of research signposted the most pressing concern regarding the lack of help and support that is required, yet not currently available or accessible, such as : long NHS and CAHMS wait-times, lack of awareness / education within mental health, and how to navigate; and mass societal overwhelm - a nation of burnt out individuals, and more concerningly - parents. 

Mind-mapping however - through my personal experience - as well as research would suggest - is a powerful tool of many means, both academic and therapeutic. It engages the individual within a process of exploration, of deconstruction, of problem-solving, of understanding and thus of decompression and resolution. Once equipped, through regular practice I feel can only benefit. 

Children, via national curriculum do not necessarily teach specific cognitive psycho-emotional tools to problem-solve accordingly. Though PSHE curriculum brushes upon the topic, I don’t necessarily feel that it is devoted to instilling and equipping children with easily acquirable go-to tools and strategies to utilise via their own self autonomy. 

I am inquisitive to enquire as to what formative and summative methods of assessment are taken to gage an accurate picture into this important feature that should demand space within the National curriculum, particularly with consideration to pandemic. 

It seems that government are so incessant on regular curriculum testing, yet not necessarily for that of an assessment upon the functioning of their cognitive processes and overall effectiveness. 

I personally feel this is a HUGE “gap” in not only the national curriculum, but in children’s lives and would therefore like to do something about it.

I propose to organise a formative and summative assessment process - pre and post mind-mapping as a therapeutic tool. I feel this data would provide an interest study into the present state of children’s mental health and well-being and therefore gage an insight into work that needs to be done, for the sake of their personal development and future. 

Mind-mapping as a therapeutic tool can embody the self-actualisation process - the ideal goal to reach within counselling. What better education to share within children, and parents, than one that will grant the gift of self confidence and independence, through actively identifying a problem, and untangling it within one process. 

Furthermore …

The following tasks are some intentions I aim to undertake to plan and execute mind-mapping as a therapeutic tool workshop, in response to the developmental gaps caused by the impact of the pandemic, supported via research obtained during RIP. 

I feel this plan is a purposeful and productive way of utilising my research recently undertaken. It shows the breadth of my work as naturally organic and rhizomatic - led in support of previous developments for ongoing expansion. 

1) Invite parents/guardians to a workshop to observe research via the format of mind-maps produced within RIP - for participants to provide further mind-maps based on their responses and steps for pro-action. I feel this will be a good starting point as an introduction to mind-mapping as a purposeful tool for use with their children;

2) Create PPT for parents / guardians during workshop - informing purpose of mindmap activity - to feature : how many of you activity query your children if they have worries; and how can we quantify success of worry management without data? Impact of Covid highlighted societal trauma - silent trauma and developmental gaps on cognitive function - as recently obtained; therefore pro-action in support of children’s mental health and wellbeing while they are cognitively malleable is integral in being responsive to the impact caused by the pandemic. 

3) Create worksheet guiding children how to : a) mind-map through their worries, b) and how to conclude their results in a story of their own making : creative writing / audio / role play / art piece, and c) how to conclude by producing an follow-on action-plan mind-map and story, whereby the child becomes the protagonist of their own story, to demonstrate resolution via problem-solving skills. Activity to demonstrate untangling problems via CBT inspired methodology into tangible activities that may be adopted by the child via future personal use motivated by observation of results. 

4) Create survey to obtain qualitative data for children, based on before and after results of the activity.