The Founder’s Journal
Reflections on building a methodology, developing extraordinary practitioners, reducing unnecessary suffering, stewarding a movement, being authentic and courageous, and staying true to your mission.
The Baby We Couldn't Adopt
She explained that our match was a woman, who I will call "Sarah," who was in rehab for opiate use, who didn’t know that she was pregnant for 24 weeks, and was clean as of the moment. Sarah's mom also wanted a partially open adoption and wanted to talk with me via phone that day. The baby was a boy, she was here in the state (as opposed to China), and she was due in just 8 weeks!
The Child We Couldn't Adopt
In looking through these gorgeous faces, a 5-year-old boy stood out to my husband and I. In his picture, he’s smiling and leaning in, and there’s a spark to his eyes. In reviewing the brief overview on him, it said he had a condition where the ribs grow inward and often constrict the heart and lungs. Seeing that, it made sense to us that his bio also mentioned that he tired easily with exercise.
We had no idea what we were about to find out.
4 Things to NEVER Say to Someone Who is Adopting
As an adoptive parent, you know that you'll have to deal with unwanted comments for the rest of your life, especially if the child looks different from you. However, I don't think most of us knew the things we were going to deal with in the process of adoption.
In the hopes of saving some other "in-process-to-adopt" parent some grief, here are four things never to say to someone trying to adopt, and what you should say instead:
What Back Pain is Trying to Tell You About What's Off in Your Life
Do you have back pain? Does your low back feel like it is knotted and achy? Have you ever had a herniated or slipped disc?
If so, you are dealing with issues of support and flexibility in your life. Let me help you translate what your body is trying to tell you, so you can heal!
How to Feel Safe: Dealing With Anxiety by Creating Your Own Security and Peace of Mind
Perhaps the greatest stress you will ever face is the impression that you can't protect yourself from life itself.
I have certainly had moments like this. A few years ago my husband and I went through two hurricanes, completing renovations on our house, putting it on the market, a cross-country move, and the death of my beloved grandmother all in a four week period (actually, all but one hurricane happened in one week). I have never been so stressed out in my life, and I began to notice that I was constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next disaster to happen.
What Pain is Telling You: How to Decipher the Energetic Reasons for Hurting
What is pain? Why does it happen? Can it have an emotional connection? How can I make the pain stop?
If you are in pain, these questions are certainly at the top of your mind. In my work, I've found that pain is always the body’s way of letting you know that something in your mind or life is seriously awry and needs changing.
You are Not Your Disease: How to De-Personalize Illness and Ignite Healing
“MY allergies are killing me this year.”
“MY back pain is awful.”
“MY chronic bronchitis is getting so much worse.”
“MY cancer is in remission. I hope it stays that way.”
Every time I hear the word “MY” attached to a pain, disease, or illness, I want to smack that word right out of the sentence. Why? Because the more you personalize an illness, the more power you give it to stick around.
Here’s why (and what to do about it):