Tuning In 9.13.2021

Each week 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 - Living with Thyroid Eye Disease Support Group Saturday, September 18th, 2021 at 9am PST
September 15th, 2021 - First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month
September 18th, 2021 - Puppy Mill Awareness Day 
September is National Suicide Awareness Month and National Self-Care Awareness Month 

Ideas for Grounding: Have you heard of the Transformational Touch Technique? Neither had I. It was created by life coach, Cynthia Garcia (I wanted to give her credit even though I couldn't find any links to her online). I did find this video of Amber Stewart walking us through the steps. I tried it and found it to be calming and a good exercise for down regulation when feeling activated. 

Ideas for Connection: As the pandemic continues we can continue to feel isolated. But that pandemic has also increased the number of support groups that are available online. If this is something you think you may be interested in, check out the platform Hey Peers. The majority of the groups are for people with chronic illness or mental health issues. I facilitate groups provided by the Center for Chronic Illness, which are all led by professionals. I can't vouch for the groups not affiliated with CCI, but wanted to share as a potential resource. 

Ideas for Creating Vitality: A good word to think about when wanting to increase vitality is "novelty." Going to new places, doing new things, or even trying a new hair color stimulates the brain. Even if it is something that is just slightly unfamiliar, like driving down a different street, we can create vitality through novelty. There are unlimited things to experience in this world, so there is always an opportunity to try something new. 

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. In other words, it's a big piece of the puzzle of how we repair the survival response of trauma.

"Luna Girls" statue by Lezlie Jane in Seacrest Park, West Seattle

What I'm Reading Related for Therapy: What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD & Oprah Winfrey

"Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain development and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry discuss the impact of trauma and adversity and how healing must begin with a shift to asking 'What happened to you?' rather than 'What's wrong with you?'" 

Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma: Lifting the Burdens of the Past by Sharon Stanley 

My Somatic Transformation consultation group is re-reading this book and doing a study group. Every time I pick up this book, I discover something new. 

What I'm Reading for Fun: The Last Season by Eric Blehm 

"Randy Morgenson was legendary for finding people missing in the High Sierra. Then one day he went missing himself." 

(I'm a proud member of the sloth reading club, so what I'm reading will not change weekly.) ​

Song on Repeat: "How Far I'll Go" by Auli'i Cravalho (from Disney's Moana) 

TV Show or Movie I'm Watching: Ted Lasso on Apple TV 
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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, biblio/poetry therapy training, or yoga teacher training. ​

Seacrest Ferry Dock in West Seattle

​Poetry: 

Invisible Work
by Alison Luterman 
 
Because no one could ever praise me enough,
because I don't mean these poems only
but the unseen
unbelievable effort it takes to live
the life that goes on between them,
I think all the time about invisible work.
About the young mother on Welfare
I interviewed years ago,
who said, "It's hard.
You bring him to the park,
run rings around yourself keeping him safe,
cut hot dogs into bite-sized pieces for dinner,
and there's no one
to say what a good job you're doing,
how you were patient and loving
for the thousandth time even though you had a headache."
And I, who am used to feeling sorry for myself
because I am lonely,
when all the while,
as the Chippewa poem says, I am being carried
by great winds across the sky,
thought of the invisible work that stitches up the world day and night,
the slow, unglamorous work of healing,
the way worms in the garden
tunnel ceaselessly so the earth can breathe
and bees ransack this world into being,
while owls and poets stalk shadows,
our loneliest labors under the moon.
 
There are mothers
for everything, and the sea
is a mother too,
whispering and whispering to us
long after we have stopped listening.
 
I stopped and let myself lean
a moment, against the blue
shoulder of the air. The work
of my heart
is the work of the world's heart.
There is no other art.

​Meme of the Week: ​​

Quote that is Inspiring Me: "The body knows things a long time before the mind catches up to them." - Sue Monk Kidd

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.  ​​