THE FUNDRAISER/ the Healing Continues

Ok, Good people so now it's getting down to crunch time. We have officially set the stage and solidified our Preview/Fundraiser event. I was able to connect with the good folks, who put on the Neo Soul Tuesday’s down at the Onyx Room, and so we will do it their, kinda in conjunction with Neo Soul Tuesdays. We are really looking forward to it, kinda nervous about what the preview is actually going to be, but we’re hopeful. We ended up getting a lot of good footage, but we are still brainstorming on what the story is going to look like. I call Natasha yesterday morning, and talked about an idea for adding some “interviewed narration” to the film, and she was very quiet, probably thinking, “what the hell, is he trying to do.” Because my idea would require some filming and we are already under the gun time wise, but I believe it will definite make the film come together. What is that going to be, let’s just wait and see for now.

On another note, I’m feeling good, this brother been working out consistently with a trainer for the past 4 weeks. Last week I got an injury or what felt like an injury during my Tuesday workout, but thanks for the trainer, he able to show me some stretches and some things to do so I wouldn’t have to quit. Typically I would have spent a couple days or a week trying to stay off the injury so it could heal. Unfortunately that would have truly hindered my productivity. But since I was able to work through it, I was able to do today’s work out and I can see that my endurance has grown. YEAH!!!! It felt good.  It has really become a way of life. Plus getting use to drinking a gallon of water a day, it’s crazy I told, one the trainers, Anthony that it feels like I’m walking and drowning at the same time, with all that water, but I can definitely tell more now than before when I’m dehydrated. And that has been one of my biggest lessons, since I’ve been working out, and that is learning to listen to my body. When I told the trainer, Calvin, about the injury last week on Thursday we did mostly stretching, and rolling out my sides. I was kinda happy to know that I could still work through and it wasn’t seen as a weakness but more about the process, so when I went in today and low-key beasted the workout… It  felt reeeeaaaaallll ggoooooooooooood!!!!

THE Healing continues…

Healing...The Calling

Healing is not a job it's a calling ... I think I saw that on a bumper sticker somewhere, but it is true. Those of us in the mental health profession have the gift to promote growth and healing in those who have been unable to find solace. And because we spend our days opening our hearts and minds to those in greater need, we must remember to take time to heal ourselves from the weight we carry of a thousand stories of trauma, abuse, damage and sadness.

As Kendrick & I ventured into the filming phase and realized our focus had shifted to the importance of self-care among us clinicians, I felt overcome by guilt as I realized…. I don’t really engage in my own self care. I was forced to take action and began attending cardio dance classes, I began leaving my phone unattended for a couple hours each evening, and spending more dinners focusing on what my husband had to say rather than caught up in my own stress of work and school. I must say though, this documentary project has also been a form of self care by encouraging me to tap into my creative side... Thanks Kendrick!

I have learned that while healing and people skills may be strengths of mine, using a video camera is not. In attempting to film my interview with Tara Bogs, a START director who is also writing her dissertation on burn-out among mental health clinicians, I managed to completely make a mess of the sound during the interview. At points it was too loud, at other points there was no sound, oh and to add insult to injury the lighting was a little off as well. Lessons learned, but now we must do the interview over! Despite the sound snafu, I would not change the process for anything…

-- 
N. Schwarz