My journey with (re)Create You has allowed me to clarifying for myself and others how I can help outside of the world of therapy. So here are some of the many ways I intend to help moms through (re)Create You programs. . .
Education
Trauma: I have so much to share regarding the impact of trauma (whether generational or situational; single incident or repeated). This has been a central focus of my work as a therapist from the very beginning. I love to follow the latest research in this area as more is being learned about the different impacts of trauma and the ways we can heal. I believe a basic understanding of how trauma could be impacting your life in ways you hadn't considered is crucial when reshaping your life.
Coping Skills and Techniques: As different obstacles may arise for you along your journey, I can provide specifically tailored skills and techniques to assist you in tolerating, overcoming, or otherwise dealing with those issues- all informed by my psychology training and background.
Boundaries: A more complete understanding of healthy boundaries and the support to practice them will benefit you in all areas of your life.
Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of our life: I have found that nurturing an openness for others' experiences and perspectives increases our sense of connectedness in our relationships, our workplaces, and even our families.
Mental Health resources/referrals. When I think therapy would be helpful, I can give you specific information on what type and even help with referrals for specific providers. At times, it may also be helpful to give some education around types of mental health concerns that may warrant treatment.
Validation, Empathy, & Support
This is tremendously important, especially considering so many of us mamas are used to getting things done on our own. We muscle through, make things happen, and get things done. We don't feel comfortable being vulnerable, asking for help, depending on others. But we really need support, genuine empathetic support as mothers as humans. We aren't meant to function completely or even mostly independently. Humans are wired for interdependence and connection. In (re)Create You you'll have access to one-on-one and group support from other moms in similar boats.
Mindfulness
I have benefitted greatly from developing a mindfulness practice in my life. This doesn't always mean I'm sitting in a quiet room meditating. Often it's just ways of bringing more awareness to my day to day movement and actions. I can share various mindfulness practices that have help me and my clients so you too can benefit from them.
Creative Exercises
My background as an art therapist has equipped me with numerous creative exercises as well as an understanding of which exercises may be most beneficial for moms on a journey towards more self-awareness, joy, and fulfillment. They will be incorporated through every aspect of (re)Create You. No art skills or talent is necessary. As we say in the art therapy world: It's about the process, not the product!
Even before I was an art therapist or even had a single art lesson, I used art-making as a way to process grief, express emotions I didn't know how to otherwise express, deal with stress, and improve my mood, among other things. There are so many benefits!
Gentle Accountability
If you are looking for a task-master, hard ass to get you motivated or whip you into shape, this is not going to be a good fit for you. I believe in a gentle approach that honors your own particular barriers to change and can help you hold space for both the resistance and the desire for change simultaneously. If we are forcing ourselves to change things before we are ready, our body and spirit will often revolt, and we will be hard pressed to maintain those changes long-term. For some of us, it can even be a traumatic process to ignore our inner doubts or concerns and move quickly towards a lot of change. For that reason, I've recently reconsidered my timeline for the (re)Create You Intensive. Instead of 12-weeks, it will now be 6 months. This timeframe feels more conducive to gentle support and creating lasting transformation in your life.
Increasing your Capacity for Self-Compassion
I realize I don't have the ability to make you have more compassion for yourself. This has to come from you, obviously. But what I can do is model self-compassion, give you opportunities to reflect on how it might look and feel to have self-compassion in particularly challenging moments, and cultivate a safe space for being vulnerable and experiencing compassion and empathy from others, which in turn can increase our own capacity for self-compassion.
Another important aspect related to self-compassion is getting an understanding of how we may have developed a strong inner critic/ critical part of self for a reason. Understanding these reasons and how a critical inner voice may have served us, can also open the door to having more compassion for ourselves. The same can be true for other aspects of ourselves that feel in conflict- maybe a part of us wants change and another part fears it, for example. Getting more awareness around these aspects of ourselves can be really helpful.
Outcomes
Once you've completed the six months (re)Create You Intensive you will have developed the following muscles in yourself/ your life:
Increased self-compassion
Increased awareness of self and systems impacting you
More tools for life, organization, and coping with stress
Decreased feelings of isolation
Increased appreciation for your own creativity/ creative practice
Clearer vision of the life you most want and how to incorporate what you can into your life now, as well as set realistic long-term goals to get you there
Free ongoing support from moms following completion of program
Increased understanding of ways to increase inclusion in your life and community
Ripple of impact your own changes will have on everyone around you
What I won't be offering
This is not a "think yourself happy" program. There are no dramatic promises and quick-fix solutions offered.
This is because I have experienced first hand how the big promises and fast-paced nature of many of the traditional online self-development and coaching programs feel in your body and nervous system. Maybe you do succeed in making rapid changes to your life and moving closer to a dream you have, but in the process, you can feel frazzled, forced to move faster than your nervous system wants you to go, and pressured to move forward and make decisions before you've integrated the information or had a chance to decide how you really want things to go. Lasting transformative change that feels good to your body and nervous system requires more time to develop. That's why I've decided to do a 6 month program, to give you the time and space to really dig deep in ways that create impactful shifts in your perspective and life while having a chance to honor your nervous system and integrate new knowledge along the way. And just because the program is set up to be 6 months, doesn't mean you will be where you want to be in 6 months. But you will have the foundation and tools to help you get there. You'll also have access to free community support from myself and other moms who've completed the program through a private virtual space just for you.
Find out more
So what do you say? Does this sound like what you're looking for? If so, reach out by booking a free 60 minute Clarity Call. We can explore your unique challenges to creating a life that feels fulfilling and true to who you are. It's not a sales call. It's just time to explore whether or not this program is a good fit, I'm a good fit, and if not, to connect you to resources that are closer to what you're actually looking for or needing.
In love and compassion,
