“By listening to, and believing, the young people who say that they are trans we have the chance to end that pattern of isolation and self-loathing, to make the experience of being unconditionally loved the norm, rather than the exception.” ~ CN Lester I work with a number of youth who identify as transgender, gender […]
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we measure success lately – with our children, in our relationships with self and others, and in our work life. Culturally we are taught to focus on the tangibles. Did my child make honor roll, is my house clean, am I making enough money, etc. And yet, thinking
Working with families, I am regularly struck by the impact our emotional intelligence has on our happiness. The ability to identify how we are feeling from a wide range of options, to reflect those to the people we share our lives with, and to see them in others. Today I grateful for the amazing circle
The recent conversations about sexual harassment and assault have been powerful and triggering for so many. Whether you felt called to share, stated your resistance to asking women to out their trauma, or were a perpetrator who acknowledged harm you have caused, you were part of this. This cracking open, this bringing into the light,
Talking to the mother of one of my clients who identifies as transgender today, she shared a powerful statement she recently learned – being in it vs with it. As a mother, she is with her daughter on her journey. Only her daughter is in it. It strikes me that this is true of so many experiences we have in life.
One of the things I love about my office is the beautiful garden that surrounds it. My landlord and fellow counselor is also an avid gardener. Each week when I arrive, I look forward to seeing the arrangements she has scattered throughout the space. This month, she is out adventuring and refilling her cup. Which
As children we find ways to protect ourselves from our vulnerability, from being hurt, diminished, and disappointed. We put on armor; we used our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as weapons; and we learned how to make ourselves scarce, even to disappear. Now as adults we realize that to live with courage, purpose, and connection –
In my work with teenagers, I am struck by how often scarcity thinking comes up – the fear of not being enough. Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not caring enough, not not not. It saddens my heart to see these young adults carrying the weight of trying to “be enough” to keep their families
A friend shared this blog with me today, one person’s reflection on national allegiance and how countries choose to remember or release the darker parts of their histories. It’s beautifully written and offers parallels to our own country’s current choices. This quote from the German constitution speaks to so much: Human dignity is inviolable … All persons are equal
Walking in the snow yesterday my daughter and I came upon this beautiful red finch. He let us come right up to him and seemed unable to open his eyes. Concerned that he was stranded in the middle of the road, I turned our umbrella upside down and set it down in front of him.
Tending to our world Read More »