'Motivational interviewing' works so well!

I always think it's a bit of an odd term: Motivational Interviewing... It conjures up an image of job interviews, with the interviewer kind of attempting to get some sort of sense out of the job applicant! But, of course, motivational interviewing isn't that at all. Gill Todd and Professor Janet Treasure describe it really well on this website. And, motivational interviewing is what works so very well with Ben and me, when we walk and talk - or, in the case of  Sunday, have a coffee and blueberry muffin in Starbucks, and then walk and talk through our good old friend, the local park.

Let me describe Ben's university room to you

Ben's university has two purpose-built large residence 'villages', constructed about 5 years ago on the site of the old 1960s tower-block halls of residence I was so familiar with in my student years. Ben lives in one of these 'villages', approximately 30-minutes walk from the university and on a regular bus route (although why 2 different bus companies have to run this single bus route is a crazy mystery to me, meaning that Ben's season ticket for free travel on First Buses isn't accepted by Stagecoach Buses...) Anyway, to Ben's room...

How's Ben doing at university?

The Good News is that Ben's weight is up; he is successfully managing to eat more, which is so fantastically excellent, considering how easy it would be for him to give in to the lure of the former Anorexia Voice as he struggles to settle in at university. And it is a struggle for him. But, considering he missed out on years of social skills as the eating disorder kept him isolated at home, he is doing marvellously.

Two weeks on - an update on university life

I've been AWOL for a bit, haven't I? It's now two weeks since I wrote about the Nando's visit, so here's an update on life at Sheffield University...

It turned out to be a relatively good week, thankfully!

Today - Friday - I met up with Ben in Nando's in Sheffield for lunch before driving him home for the weekend, tons of dirty washing and all. Yes I was apprehensive, but I needn't have worried. After a rocky start to the week, things seem to have gone relatively well. Okay there's a ton of reading and studying to do, but that's to be expected. But he's been doing it, and he's been eating, and he's been socialising.

He's having a tricky week...

It's the first week of lectures and things are a bit tricky. OK, doubtless they are tricky for virtually every new student, but I know that Ben is finding it particularly tough - and he isn't in the best frame of mind.