Whole Connection

The question of "Who am I?" is one that is asked so many times in life.  It helps shape our directions and who we surround ourselves with, it also draws certain people to us.  There are so many intersecting pieces that not one answer is ever going to fully define who we are, but so many of them define how people see us and our society treats us.  So, it is good for us to know as much as we can about them, because they are defining us even when we don't want them to be.  I can state that, because I am White, the world treats me with certain privileges and usually most circumstances are presented in a positive way for me.  And this is just one of my identities that grants me this privilege and how the world defines me, consciously or unconsciously. As a psychotherapist it is important for me to understand my identities as they affect the clients I work with everyday.  They can create more power and oppression in the client therapist relationship. ...

The question of "Who am I?" is one that is asked so many times in life.  It helps shape our directions and who we surround ourselves with, it also draws certain people to us.  There are so many intersecting pieces that not one answer is ever going to fully define who we are, but so many of them define how people see us and our society treats us.  So, it is good for us to know as much as we can about them, because they are defining us even when we don't want them to be.  I can state that, because I am White, the world treats me with certain privileges and usually most circumstances are presented in a positive way for me.  And this is just one of my identities that grants me this privilege and how the world defines me, consciously or unconsciously. As a psychotherapist it is important for me to understand my identities as they affect the clients I work with everyday.  They can create more power and oppression in the client therapist relationship. ...

The question of "Who am I?" is one that is asked so many times in life.  It helps shape our directions and who we surround ourselves with, it also draws certain people to us.  There are so many intersecting pieces that not one answer is ever going to fully define who we are, but so many of them define how people see us and our society treats us.  So, it is good for us to know as much as we can about them, because they are defining us even when we don't want them to be.  I can state that, because I am White, the world treats me with certain privileges and usually most circumstances are presented in a positive way for me.  And this is just one of my identities that grants me this privilege and how the world defines me, consciously or unconsciously. As a psychotherapist it is important for me to understand my identities as they affect the clients I work with everyday.  They can create more power and oppression in the client therapist relationship. ...

The realization that we are alone in life can often be scary, depressing, and frankly, overwhelming if we consider the existential aspect of it all.  In this month of love, in which Valentine’s day can feel as though this realization is essentially thrown in your face, it’s common for feelings of loneliness to spring forward. There are many ways in which we can feel alone.  One way could be the lack of connection to others through relationship, in which we are simply not in real touch with other humans. Then, there is the loneliness in which  there’s an estrangement from oneself. This inability to connect to one’s innermost self in a deep way is often what can lead one to reach out for connection to another human -- whether that be through family, friends, a romantic partner, a therapist, or a cozy animal friend. I wish to speak today to the aspect of aloneness from ourselves.  How is it that we can feel so deeply alone, and not stop to consider if we are seeking...

The question of "Who am I?" is one that is asked so many times in life.  It helps shape our directions and who we surround ourselves with, it also draws certain people to us.  There are so many intersecting pieces that not one answer is ever going to fully define who we are, but so many of them define how people see us and our society treats us.  So, it is good for us to know as much as we can about them, because they are defining us even when we don't want them to be.  I can state that, because I am White, the world treats me with certain privileges and usually most circumstances are presented in a positive way for me.  And this is just one of my identities that grants me this privilege and how the world defines me, consciously or unconsciously. As a psychotherapist it is important for me to understand my identities as they affect the clients I work with everyday.  They can create more power and oppression in the client therapist relationship. ...

Many of you have been reading our blogs over this past year and we thank you for joining us in our exploration of many themes and areas of interest.  We have tried to engage with topics reflecting the current atmosphere of our society and broader world.  Our posts were written with the hope of providing helpful information during tough times, supporting the development of new skills while working with our own struggles, and sparking insights on certain situations. In 2019 we’re striving to provide more. First up is a commitment to create video content on our new YouTube channel. We hope to provide mini practices and instructional videos that may help our viewers build new skills. In addition, I will be writing each week on a variety of topics as well as inviting guest writers from both inside and outside the clinic to share their expertise. I believe that we can heal through our community connections, just like we do in groups, so sharing information, teaching new skills, ...

  Hello! It is good to finally introduce myself to you all, and share a little bit about how I came to Whole Connection to serve you and this community. It feels that with all that has been going on this year, important things are being often pushed aside by urgent matters. So this introduction may come now a little late, but it still is relevant that you know what is happening at Whole Connection.   So maybe I can start with a little story about myself. My name is Laia and I am originally from Barcelona, with Catalan and Basque roots. I emigrated to the U.S. 9 years ago to start a new career in psychology, and specifically the interconnection between psychology and the body. Before landing in the U.S. I had been working at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in the department of Political Science, doing research and teaching on models of democracy and the integration of immigrants in the city of Barcelona, that speaks about my interest in impacting larger communi...