Returning to study…what about you?

August is in full swing and soon…

…the new academic term will be with us. This threshold was always one I savoured as a child and I relished getting my new stationary and books together, their clean pages a symbol of the possibility that a fresh school year held.

Right now I find myself rather deliciously and for the first time in  many years, yet again  in that threshold moment. In September, I begin post-graduate study at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at Kings College London, on a Masters studying Mental Health. My particular research focus will be developmental trauma, in particular the use of alternative modalities such as art, mindfulness, writing and movement as tools for recovery and brain change. If you want to read a little more about my journey with this, read here.

This blog has always been a reflection of my life and so the flavour of it will change, as it has done over the years. My love and passion for mosaic will morph and merge with my studies…watch this space.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some resources with you that will give you opportunities to study and feed your own passion for learning – free open source learning. This is undoubtedly one of the most awesome things about the internet.  Take a look…

Coursera

Future Learn

EDX (Harvard)

Open Learn

And I can’t write a blog post about free online learning without mentioning the marvellous Ted.

Life is full of seasons and transitions. I started feeling the desire to return to study at least 2 years ago and am so glad I listened to those internal prompts – not that I am under any illusion about the level of work it will entail! But as I found with Glittering Shards, when our work is underpinned by passion and a sense of doing what is ours to do in any given season of our lives, work and play merge.

Do have a look at all the amazing courses available above and whether you want to learn for your work and professional life or just to develop as a human and broaden your horizons (as my friend Mike does – enrolling on courses about Dante’s Divine Comedy and Homer’s Iliad!), if you are a ‘lifelong learner’ there should be something that grabs you. Follow your learner’s nose…you never know where it might lead…