I’ve been privileged to have worked with so many good people, wanting to grow, motivated to learn, willing to self-examine, and appreciative of the understanding and support I might provide.

For about five days in January, Atlanta was paralysed by a freak ice storm that turned mighty interstates into ice rinks. However, the real spectacle was watching Atlantans deal with this unexpected and unwelcome visitor.

How do we express outwardly to the world our inner sense of identity, and how do we feed the body, mind and spirit that makes us rounded and healthy human beings? The Roman poet Juvenal recommended “a healthy mind in a healthy body” as the only blessing worth praying for, but how easy is that to achieve in the wake of the festive season?

The ‘cuddly hormone’, oxytocin, seems to have a dark side, according to research suggesting that it only works on those who are within our own group. But does this say anything about our real lives?

Thinking of life as a sport comes naturally to many. As the new year begins, thoughts turn to “racking up points”, “the big score”, and “winning”. But unless you stop to figure out what kind of game you’re playing, winning may turn out to be losing. The good news is that whatever “game” you’ve decided to play, you can often change the rules.

In a multicultural society, it’s inevitable that counsellors, like everyone else, will come across people whose first or even second language is not English. But if therapist and client are — quite literally — speaking different languages, how can therapeutic work even begin to take place? The answer lies in the gift of empathy.

What happened in Tucson is no doubt a genuine tragedy. But it will be an even bigger calamity if we don’t learn from it and start attending to our systems of mental health care so that individuals with serious problems can secure help before disaster strikes.