Wholeness and Compassion

As I say at the beginning of this video (closing the compassion gap) ‘what unites us in our vulnerability’.

I am noticing in my work and my life alongside my family and friends that compassion is more fully released and expressed through adversity and grief being acknowledged and validated. Our shared experience of pain and loss unlocks the energy and intention to meet suffering with kindness; this is our loving nature. Compassion is not partial, it should not be ‘reserved for patients’ – this is pity and is smothering. Compassion is all round us, literally right under our noses as kindness is never more than a breath away.

In health and social care there is a paradox – a subtle violence is done to those who struggle daily to show compassion (often in spite of the task and process driven system and culture) by not asking them about the impact…