Being immersed in my practicum at a ketamine-assisted therapy clinic has been one of the most interesting and growth-inducing experiences I have had in a while. I am being enriched as a student of therapy in regard to treatment modalities, being surrounded by a team of professionals working together to formulate treatment plans and facilitate individual and group programs and learning about the structure of a medical model business as a non-profit organization. I am also meeting more parts of myself that arise as I feel the subtle restraints as a student, restraints of a business functioning within a capitalistic society, and the restraints of the mental health field that is housed within a generally unwell system and culture.
Leaning into these tension points has been fruitful in many ways. I feel even more attuned to who I want to be as a clinical social worker, what kind of environment I want to work in and the people I want to work alongside. I feel more clarity in my vision regarding what is sustainably supportive and what is a “band-aid” fix. I feel more inspired and hopeful that regardless of what we are up against, there are so many creative and empowered people out there that are willing and able to be “cycle breakers” (an ode to a client I worked with today who lit up talking about this subject).
The funny thing about a vision and about clarity is that it is generally a right-brain mode of processing, and that does not come with fixed step by step how-to’s. It’s more of a gut feeling, a guiding light, and a fire that burns with passion and motivation. It requires practice, humility to continue learning and seeing from more perspectives. Trying things on and being ready to pivot and piece things together as they are happening. Making some plans, of course, and taking some risks to create structure and a container that can then be explored and played within. But we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves, as so much learning happens with each step and we need some flexibility to utilize what we learn.
I love transitions, the space between things, and for that reason, the equinox and solstice times of year are potent windows that I enjoy lavishing within. The days leading up to these points are times of deep reflection and creativity. And the day of is filled with intentional activities, unstructured play time, and sacred turning inwards. One thing I continue to feel inspired by and called to curate are gatherings where we can engage in ritual, learn and experience nervous system regulatory practices together, and choose to show up with and for each other in our common humanity. As I have been contemplating this upcoming winter solstice, I waffled between a live gathering online or a recording that could be shared and enjoyed at any time. While I first landed on curating the live experience, as days went by, I felt the pull to shift gears and offer something that could be more flexible and accessible.
So here it is, a free recording for you to enjoy. A bit of detail is provided on this page as well as access to the recording.
xoxoxox