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 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 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...