***Don’t miss the updates at the bottom of this blog.*** Parenting is a world like no other. Both the human and animal kind of parenting consume so much bandwidth. The unruly stages that seem to never end, until they do. The shared life lessons that lead to massive growth spurts. The moments of wondering, ‘who’s in charge here, anyway?’ That little, angelic-looking nugget in the picture above has recently turned 16. Eeeeek! As if life hasn’t already been altered in unrecognizable ways. 16 brings such marked change; the license, the job, the independence. Can’t we just walk down to the bus stop together one more time. I would cherish the kiss, the ‘bye, mommy’, and the big wave from the big heart in that big ol’ bus seat. Sigh. Life seems to be an endless opportunity to more gracefully master the art of letting go. As 2020 devilishly smirks and […]

Dave Matthews is no stranger on my internal playlist. Well, he’s no stranger on my external playlists either. But lately, Dave is singing loud and clear! He poses big questions in a few simple lyrics. And those lyrical questions can get caught on repeat in my brain for days. But this song, yowza; the opening 4 words, which are also the title- weeks, I tell ya! Dave has been asking me for weeks now, where are you going? Where are you going,Where do you go,Are you looking for answers,To questions under the stars….I am no superman,I have no answers for you,I am no hero,That’s for sure.….I do knowWhere you goIs where I want to be. In the fluidity of song, it’s easy to be on all sides of the lyrics! The question asker, the main character being serenaded, or the singer coming from a place of I. And the beauty […]

Fact: Each month, I find myself putting off sending an email for fear of disappointing you. For not ‘being ready’ to get back to work. For not having a plan. For not being able to pivot on a dime. For being afraid to say, ‘I think I am changing course’. Gulp! Wait, wait! Whaaat? Hear me out. Because, first of all, I need to hear me out here. (As I think to myself, what brilliance could possibly follow such a bold declaration?) Last month I had shared that quarantine took me down some road where I hadn’t yet seen a viable exit. But since that last email, I began to see lights up ahead. Like driving a long, black stretch of highway in Kansas at 2 am and spotting a 24-hr truck stop just off the exit. Like, whew, made it… somewhere. What I discovered after getting off this long […]

Can I just write… I don’t freakin know. And call it good?? Dah! So, so much. The unfolding of 2020 has taken my trusted, comfortable, well-worn Therapist Hat and is holding it hostage. Believe me when I say any magic that used to flow through my hands, is in some alchemical process at the moment and still unaccessible. The way I’ve been explaining my COVID/quarantine experience is that it has led me (and StillPoint) down a road which seems to have very few exit ramps. Like my work in this alternate timeline isn’t yet done. Which makes for tough logistical answers for those who are anxious to know when they can get back on the table. For that, I do apologize, because I don’t yet know. To err on the side of caution between being too cryptic and sharing way too much personal blah, blah, blah let’s stick with what […]

Hard conversations are hard. So can we all just agree to cue up Billy Joel before we get into this email? Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honesty is hardly ever heard And mostly what I need from you Every time I drafted this email in my mind, these powerhouse lyrics seemed to always drift in, encouraging a straight up approach. So here it goes… In this mess of a time when simple decisions are difficult, options are heavily weighed and fact is somehow an opinion, I hope to convey as much of a clear reflection of where StillPoint MFR stands around re-opening. The State of Maine has given the green light for Massage Therapy to resume on July 1, 2020. In contrast, my inner green light is still very dim. Therefore, I will be starting out extremely slow, near or around mid July. I have yet […]

I don’t know about you, but that feeling of forever-changed reality is really kicking in. This isn’t an email of all of the necessary safety precautions I have in place to re-open. This isn’t that at all. I haven’t gotten the go-ahead from the Internal Boss that gives me the warm, fuzzy feelings of, ‘yes, it’s time’. Instead, this is a snippet from my journal. The journal where I would basically rather die, then have someone find and read it. You know, that immediate gut wrenching, full body flush that happened when the teacher intercepted a note to your BFF about the crush you have. Basically, that x 100 is how I feel about laying the realness of my journal on display. But times are not what they used to be. And neither are comfort zones. Sh!t is insanely altered and I figure I must adapt. I’ve been drawing and writing to stir my way out […]

Well. Here we are. Almost 4 weeks into quarantine. Likely, never to return to what was. Too much has already changed. It’s curious to look around at the different roles we each play in this global situation. For some, this time is demanding, chaotic and unfathomably intense. There is no rest for the weary if you are on the front lines. Whether it’s in a hospital or a grocery store. The stakes are high. These folks are heroes. For others, our duty is ‘simple’, stay home. I can’t deny there are some parts of this stay-at-home order that I absolutely resonate with. I’m a solid combination of introvert and homebody. Part of me has this totally under control. The slow pace, the room to breathe, the mandatory chill out, the space to reflect and process. All of which is fine and good, until my mental state gets hijacked. Going from […]