First things first

Hi.

How's it going?

But really. Are you tired? Thrilled that summer is over? A little off kilter? Energized for the elections? Paralyzed with confusion?

It's all welcome here. However you're showing up right now is just fine. You're among friends. I hope if things are joyful, they stay that way for a while. And I hope that if things are hard, you know who to turn to for support and comfort.

Grief, Rage, Solidarity, Change

If you're a regular here, you will have heard me say that grief contains gratitude.

We only grieve the things we give a shit about, and so on some level, thank goodness we got a taste of them for at least a little while - a job you loved, a sweet and loyal pet, time with a beloved human, the experience of care and compassion in an increasingly isolated and polarized society. Grief is about navigating the space between what is and what we wish was true.

Rage is the siamese twin to grief - the part that always accompanies the space between what is and what we wish were true that rails, "it doesn't have to be this way!" And that is why rage contains hope.

When we stop imagining what could be different, fighting for something different, we've lost hope.

When we descend into powerlessness and defeat and despair, we have lost the energy and willingness to rage.

So while rage can feel scary and overwhelming, I honor it because it means you haven't given up. It means you still have hope.

And you know what feeds hope?

Solidarity.

When we know we aren't alone, we feel more resourced, more able to continue the struggle. We understand that what we're asking for isn't unreasonable or even impossible. Solidarity breeds confidence. Confidence feeds hope. Hope plus action makes change possible.

So, what?

So, what if we got together and talked about it?

What if we spent some time sharing and learning about ways to build solidarity, to metabolize our grief and rage to cultivate the gratitude and hope? What if we began to feel optimistic about creating change?

If any of this sounds appealing to you, I've got two new offerings this fall you may want to check out.

New to this space? Want to sign up for the newsletter to stay tuned for future events and information? Sign up here Other Notes As parents/caregivers, we often struggle to find ways to start hard conversations with our teens (about things like sex, suicide, substance use...), so I'm offering four workshops this fall that will give you tools to do that, as well as some knowledge about why your kid is acting the way they act. Join one, two, three, or all four, depending on what feels right to you. More information and sign up form is below. Parenting Workshops I want to remind folks that I'm available for individual work, too. Things I love doing: parent coaching for parents of t(w)eens coaching teens who struggle with anxiety, trauma, learning differences grief/rage work with somatic experiencing mediation and relationship repair Reach out if you are curious about working with me. Sending so much love and care your way as we navigate all of the rapidly changing circumstances of our lives. Now, more than ever, I think we need to build the connective tissue of our communities to hold strong against destructive forces. We've got this. Together.