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Each month I post an update called Tuning In on what I'm up to and various content I would like to share with you. Most of the links on this post are informational only, but a few are affiliate links that help me keep up my website. Events: Facilitating:
Publications:
National Days:
National Months:
Dear Valued Community, Summer in Seattle finally started, as predicted it happened we started to get warmer temperatures and sunshine in mid-July. Even with the fairer weather, the tension of the outside world can be felt at every level. This a time when the art of oscillation comes in. As an important part of somatic therapy, oscillation is a helpful tool to use when you feel overwhelmed by the world around you. To understand oscillation let's use the metaphor of dipping your toe into ice cold water. The first time you dip your toe in the water it is freezing and you yank your toe out, but if you do this a handful of times your toe starts to get used to the temperature of the water and it's not as shocking to your system. This is how oscillation helps the body regulate. Our tendency is to either ruminate on unpleasant things or cut them off completely. An alternative is to move in and out of exposure to unpleasant news or processing unpleasant feelings. Try to spend more time in the pleasant experiences around you, while occasionally dipping your toe in to test the waters. Oscillation is how we start to find grounding when things get difficult and it is available to us in every moment. With Gratitude, Kerry  A rose in West Seattle What I'm Reading Related for Therapy: My Inner Sky: On Embracing Day, Night, and All the Times in Between by Mari Andrew "From New York Times bestselling author Mari Andrew, a collection of essays and illustrations, divided into phases of the sky—twilight, golden hour, night, and dawn—that serves as a loyal companion for life's curveballs. A whole, beautiful life is only made possible by the wide spectrum of feelings that exist between joy and sorrow. In this insightful and warm book, writer and illustrator Mari Andrew explores all the emotions that make up a life, in the process offering insights about trauma and healing, the meaning of home and the challenges of loneliness, finding love in the most unexpected of places--from birds nesting on a sculpture to a ride on the subway--and a resounding case for why sometimes you have to put yourself in the path of magic. My Inner Sky empowers us to transform everything that's happened to us into something meaningful, reassurance that even in our darkest times, there's light and beauty to be found." What I'm Reading for Fun: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus "Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist." (I'm a proud member of the sloth reading club, so what I'm reading will not always change monthly) Projects: Self-development book on trauma and worthiness, submitting haiku & poetry, ongoing content for various publications. Considering next steps in career training: psychedelic assisted therapy, HeartMath training, biblio/poetry therapy training, or yoga teacher training.  Scooter taking a nap Poem: Split the Sack by Rumi Why does the soul not fly when it hears the call? Why does a fish, gasping on land, but near the water, not move back into the sea? What keeps us from joining the dance the dust particles do? Look at their subtle motions in sunlight. We are out of our cages with our wings spread, yet we do not lift off. We keep collecting rocks and broken bits of pottery like children pretending they are merchants. We should split the sack of this culture and stick our heads out. Look around. Leave your childhood. Reach your right hand up and take this book from the air. You do know right from left, don’t you? A voice speaks to your clarity. Move into the moment of your death. Consider what you truly want. Now call out commands yourself. You are the king. Phrase your question, and expect the grace of an answer.  Three little birds in West Seattle Quote of the Month: "The more we are willing to dive into the discomfort of life, the more lightness there is." - Lisa Rankin
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Each month I post an update called Tuning In on what I'm up to and various content I would like to share with you. Most of the links on this post are informational only, but a few are affiliate links that help me keep up my website. Events: Facilitating:
National Days:
National Months:
Dear Valued Community, In June, my husband, dog, and I traveled to a small town called Blaine, Washington near the Canadian border. We went with the purpose of recharging by the water and seeing another corner of this vast and beautiful state. There was a park called Peace Arch Historical State Park in which you could walk in both the United States and Canada. Due to COVID-19, the Canadian side of the park is currently closed, but it's still possible to stand in two countries at once. It got me thinking about borders and unseen boundaries. There is no line, like the lines on a map, at a border. There are signposts every so often, but most of the time it's something you cannot tangibly see. Others cannot see our boundaries. This is why we need to practice communicating them and showing them to others. With Gratitude, Kerry  Seagulls on Semiahmoo Pier in Blaine, Washington What I'm Reading Related for Therapy: Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma: Lifting the Burdens of the Past by Sharon Stanley "Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma provides psychotherapists and other helping professionals with a new body-based clinical model for the treatment of trauma. This model synthesizes emerging neurobiological and attachment research with somatic, embodied healing practices. Tested with hundreds of practitioners in courses for more than a decade, the principles and practices presented here empower helping professionals to effectively treat people with trauma while experiencing a sense of mutuality and personal growth themselves." What I'm Reading for Fun: Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Mind & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake "When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave. In Entangled Life, the brilliant young biologist Merlin Sheldrake shows us the world from a fungal point of view, providing an exhilarating change of perspective. Sheldrake’s vivid exploration takes us from yeast to psychedelics, to the fungi that range for miles underground and are the largest organisms on the planet, to those that link plants together in complex networks known as the "Wood Wide Web," to those that infiltrate and manipulate insect bodies with devastating precision. Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life's processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works." (I'm a proud member of the sloth reading club, so what I'm reading will not always change monthly) Projects: Self-development book on trauma and worthiness, submitting haiku & poetry, ongoing content for various publications. Considering next steps in career training: psychedelic assisted therapy, HeartMath training, biblio/poetry therapy training, or yoga teacher training.  Semiahmoo Marina in Blaine, Washington Poem: What is Success? by Ralph Waldo Emerson To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-- this is to have succeeded.  View of Semiahmoo Marina in Blaine Washington Each month I post an update called Tuning In on what I'm up to and ideas for grounding, connection, and discovering vitality in your life. Most of the links on this post are informational only, but a few are affiliate links that help me keep up my website. Events: Facilitating: Center for Chronic Illness - Web-Based Rare Chronic Illness Support Group Tuesday May 3rd, 2022 at 4pm PST Center for Chronic Illness - Living with Thyroid Eye Disease Support Group Tuesday May 3rd, 2022 at 6pm PST Center for Chronic Illness - Living with Cystinosis Web-Based Support Group, Tuesday May 18th, 2022 at 4pm PST Center for Chronic Illness - Supporting Loved Ones with Cystinosis. Tuesday May 18th, 2022 at 6pm PST National Days: May 1st is May Day May 3rd is National Foster Care Day May 4th is National Star Ways Day May 5th is Cinco De Mayo May 6th is National Nurses Day May 8th is Mother's Day May 12th is National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day May 20th is National Rescue Dog Day May 30th is Memorial Day and World Multiple Sclerosis Day National Weeks: May 2nd-May 8th is National Pet Week & Teacher Appreciation Week May 6th-May 12th is Nurses Week National Months: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month National Lyme Disease Awareness Month National Mental Health Awareness Month Skin Cancer Awareness Month Dear Valued Community, I started Physical Therapy in The Feldenkrais Method recently. In a way, it is physical therapy for the nervous system—my physical therapist has a conversation with my body, bypassing cognition as much as possible and I ask my cognition to take a back seat while I focus on the sensation of movement in my body. What strikes me the most from these sessions is how my physical therapist explains fixed action patterns in the nervous system that show up in the bones, muscles, tendons, etc. These fixed action patterns also show up in our cognition—thoughts and beliefs that are reinforced over and over until they are second nature. My biggest takeaway so far is that fixed action patterns are not wrong or bad, in fact, there is likely a reason the nervous system relied so heavily on them. But ultimately we need to learn other patterns, so that tension doesn't build up from overuse. We don't need to give up our defenses completely, we simply need to learn alternatives, so that we don't rely too heavily on patterns that may not be the best choice in that moment. With gratitude, Kerry  Rhododendrons in West Seattle Nervous System Healing: Ideas for Grounding: As the summer approaches, imagine ways of grounding that are consistent with warmer weather and the ability to be outside. Warmth and sunshine are very grounding. Try finding a patch of grass in the sun and feeling the warmth on your skin or finding a new park to explore. Ideas for Connection: Summer usually means a more active social calendar, but remember that you don't have to do everything all at once. Tune into your internal rhythms to know when to make plans and when to take time for yourself. Ideas for Creating Vitality: Summer is also a time of longer daylight and sometimes more energy. Tap into those things that give you vitality that maybe weren't available in the winter months: barbecues, swimming, walks on the beach, hiking, etc. Why grounding, connection, and vitality? Because these are the ways we regulate the nervous system. Spending intentional time in a regulated state allows our nervous system to wire in the direction of safety and aliveness. It's a big piece of the puzzle of how we repair the survival response of trauma.  Cherry Blossoms in the University of Washington Quad What I'm Reading Related for Therapy: Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma: Lifting the Burdens of the Past by Sharon Stanley "Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma provides psychotherapists and other helping professionals with a new body-based clinical model for the treatment of trauma. This model synthesizes emerging neurobiological and attachment research with somatic, embodied healing practices. Tested with hundreds of practitioners in courses for more than a decade, the principles and practices presented here empower helping professionals to effectively treat people with trauma while experiencing a sense of mutuality and personal growth themselves." What I'm Reading for Fun: Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Mind & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake "When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave. In Entangled Life, the brilliant young biologist Merlin Sheldrake shows us the world from a fungal point of view, providing an exhilarating change of perspective. Sheldrake’s vivid exploration takes us from yeast to psychedelics, to the fungi that range for miles underground and are the largest organisms on the planet, to those that link plants together in complex networks known as the "Wood Wide Web," to those that infiltrate and manipulate insect bodies with devastating precision. Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life's processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. By examining fungi on their own terms, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works." (I'm a proud member of the sloth reading club, so what I'm reading will not always change monthly) TV Show I'm Watching: WeCrashed on HBOMax Documentary I'm Watching: Bad Vegan on Netflix Song on Repeat: More Love by The Chicks Projects I'm Working On: Self-development book on trauma and worthiness, book of poetry, ongoing content for various publications. Considering next steps in career training—psychedelic assisted therapy, HeartMath training, biblio/poetry therapy training, or yoga teacher training.  Tulips in West Seattle Poem: Understory by Mark Nepo I've been watching stars rely on the darkness they resist. And fish struggle with and against the current. And hawks glide faster when their wings don't move. Still I keep retelling what happens till it comes out the way I want. We try so hard to be the main character when it is our point of view that keeps us from the truth. The sun has its story that no curtain can stop. It's true. The only way beyond the self is through it. The only way to listen to what can never be said is to quiet our need to steer the plot. When jarred by life, we might unravel the story we tell ourselves and discover the story we are in, the one that keeps telling us. Meme of the Month:  Quote of the Month: "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." - Unknown I'd love to hear how you are grounding, connecting, and creating vitality. What is helping you feel calm and alive? Or comment below on what books, podcasts, songs, shows, poetry, or quotes are resonating with you right now. |
WelcomeI'm Kerry (She/Her/Hers) and I am a licensed therapist, group facilitator, poet, writer, & speaker. This is a place to acknowledge and validate our suffering and trauma, while also learning how to turn toward aliveness and spaciousness. 
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