Plural Work
An increasingly core feature of the content and process of my work is plurality: both writing about plurality, and writing in a plural way: often as dialogue between parts of my plural system.
This page links to the writings we have done on this topic, as well as introducing each of our parts and listing the posts we have written – separately and together.
Plurality
- You can find our zine introducing the concept of plurality here.
- An FAQ about plurality is here.
- There are posts about how plurality relates to trauma here and here, and how it relates to mindfulness here.
- There is an academic paper about plurality, queerness, and comics here.
- There are posts about our flight, freeze, fawn and fight parts here and here.
- There is a comic introducing all of us here which we would love one day to expand into a graphic memoir.
- There’s an interview with us about plurality and mental health on the So Many Wings podcast, and in written form here.
Parts and posts
Fox 🦊 is our youngest child self. They relate to the freeze survival strategy. They are wild and free and imaginative and good at being gentle and finding delight in things. They love nature, animals and drawing. They are responsible for our Instagram and any seagull pics on this blog. Expect exclamation points! You can hear from Fox in the following blog posts:
- Balancing fight, flight, freeze and fawn: A plural perspective 1
- All about amatonormativity: the privileging of romantic love
Jonathan 🦖 is the serious geeky kid we became who tried to please everybody. He relates to the fawn survival strategy. He’s great at feeling the feelings for all of us and for others. He enjoys cooking, comics, and superhero movies. He’s grown more sturdy over time. You can hear from Jonathan in the following blog posts:
- Happy holidays comic: Plural selves
- Taking ourselves seriously
- Balancing fight, flight, freeze and fawn: A plural perspective 2
- Plural conversation about fear(others)/shame(self)
- Embrace your inner mutant superpower
Tony 😏 is the guy we feel we would’ve been had we been a guy from the start. He relates to the attach survival strategy. He’s cocky, confident, impetuous, and full of joy and playfulness. His nickname is Trouble because that’s the risk with him, although he’s grown steadier over time. You can hear from Tony in the following blog posts:
Max 🌩 is the warrior protector we became when the world was harsh and unaccepting. She relates to the flight survival strategy. She’s brave and strong, but struggles not to lose herself in what others want her to be (thanks for that patriarchy). These days she’s working to face the fear, take the armour off, and stay open. You can hear from Max in the following blog posts:
- Accompanying vs. abandoning ourselves
- Taking ourselves seriously
- Balancing fight, flight, freeze and fawn: A plural perspective 1
- New Year, New Zine: Plural Selves
Beastie 🐙 was our inner critic. She was a terrifying monster for most of our life – hurling abuse at us from somewhere out in the depths – hence the name. Lately we’ve finally welcomed her in and she’s become an integral part of the team, and surprisingly tender. She relates to the fight survival strategy. She’s clear, honest, tough, boundaried and able to sit with complexity and darkness. You can hear from Beastie in the following blog posts:
- Mind the gap 1: On slowing down and making space
- Accompanying vs. abandoning ourselves
- Plural Selves FAQ
- Plurality and trauma – 1 – theory
- Plurality and trauma – 2 – practices
- Balancing fight, flight, freeze and fawn: A plural perspective 2
- The master’s tools and mental health: We can’t get out of our struggles the same way we got into them
James 🤵 is our older protective presence, named for James Bond. He’s competent, containing, patient, and disciplined. He likes reading and talking philosophy. You can hear from James in the following blog posts:
- Plural Selves FAQ
- Plurality and trauma – 1 – theory
- Plurality and trauma – 2 – practices
- Trauma and the Body Basics
- Zones of stuck patterns
Ara 🧙♀️ is our older caring presence, named for Arachne in Greek myth. She’s wise, kind, nurturing and peaceful. She likes nature and helping us slow down and reflect on things. You can hear from Ara in the following blog posts:
