Community isn’t just a buzzword here at SquareWorks – building a supportive community that enriches the experience of our members is one of the pillars of the SquareWorks philosophy. But to build a community, we have to get to know one another first! In addition to our member spotlights, our Community and Events Co-ordinator Kai has been sitting down with some of our members (and members of staff) to see what makes them tick.
Kai France: Who are you?
Kate: I’m Kate and new to Bristol having recently relocated from Kent.
KF: What company are you with?
K: I have my own company, Lovegrove Mediation, which is a trading name of Lovegrove Law Ltd.
KF: What is it that you do?
K: My career started out as a family lawyer and I specialise now as a family and divorce mediator. This means that I work with separating and/or divorcing couples and parents in a constructive and non-blaming way. Clients usually come to me soon after a separation for help in sorting out money, living arrangements, and childcare. Sometimes, separated parents come to me to help them talk about their children and their different ways of parenting, years after separation. I’m also a qualified individual and couples’ psychotherapist and provide counselling to clients at Tavistock Relationships in London, and soon to be at The Harbour in Bristol.
KF: If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first?
K: A transportation spell – especially right now with the difficulties of travelling. To disappear effortlessly from one place to another is very appealing!
KF: What is a piece of creative work that you love and why?
K: I love dancing West Coast Swing. It’s a modern slow style of swing danced to popular music. Here’s a video of my favourite teachers dancing an improv – this is lead and follow not choreography.
KF: What’s your worst example of procrastination?
K: Cleaning!
KF: Finally, can you give us a random quote that you know?
K: We’re human beings, not human doings.
I’m a fan of Matt Haig, and love his latest book ‘The Comfort Book’. It sits on my coffee table as I like dipping in and out of it. A favourite part is “You don’t need to exhaust yourself trying to find your own value. You are not an iPhone needing an upgrade. Your value is not a condition of productivity or exercise or body shape or something you lose via inactivity. Value is not a plate that needs to be continually spun. The value is there. It is intrinsic, innate. It is in the ‘being’ not the ‘doing’.”
Thanks to Kate for her time – don’t forget to say hello at our next Prosecco Thursday! If you’d like to be interviewed by Kai, please let him know.
