In which I am delighted, and you are invited

In which I am delighted, and you are invited

I am delighted

Delighted? In this economy? And yet it is true.

I am delighted because I have lined up the most wonderful speaker for my first salon*. I am super happy to announce that I will be joined by Rachael Jamison, a licensed clinical social worker and talk therapist, who will be our featured speaker. Rachael will be discussing How to Make Strength Your Superpower, with a focus on how to tap into and expand your strength to quiet your anxiety in unsettled times.

*I am defining a salon as a sort of relaxed, fun-because-it’s-interesting party; it’s a sort of “show and tell” for grown-ups, with a featured presenter. Read more here.

I can’t think of anything most of us want more right now than some guidance to help us stay tethered to our sanity in a world gone mad. So I figured, who better to help us than someone who helps people with their mental health for a living?

One of the things I admire about Rachael is that she focuses on using the basics I am always discussing here—things like sleep, hydration, nutrition, and movement, or getting into nature—to the point that her Instagram account is called @back2basicstherapy.

Here are some direct links to a few of her boyfriend’s favorites of her Instagram posts, to give you a sense of how awesome she is. Once you hear her voice, I think you’re gonna want to spend a bunch more time with her. She’s so uplifting and soothing, without being fake in the slightest:

  1. This one on the benefits of habit tracking.

  2. This one on the benefits of writing things down when you are feeling anxious.

  3. This one about having a FUN list for yourself. (It’s her bf’s special favorite.)

  4. As a bonus, here’s one from January that I picked because it addresses anxiety directly, provides a tool for you to use, and reminds you that having something actionable to do always helps with anxiety.

I mean, don’t you agree that she is brilliant? (Your choices are not “yes or no”, they are “yes” or “fuck yes.”)

If you’ve read my e-book, Lower Your Anxiety, or have read some of my prior posts about things like this one about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you’ll see why I was immediately drawn to Rachael and her focus on a holistic approach that goes back to the basics.

If I understand her correctly, those basics are part of what Rachael considers your Strength, which is the focal part of her presentation during the upcoming salon. There will also be discussion and time for questions, so that folks can get the most out of this salon presentation.

You are invited!

If you have been feeling any (or some combination of all) of these things over the past month, this salon may be just the thing for you

  • stressed out

  • forlorn

  • upset

  • sad or depressed

  • anxious

  • helpless or powerless

  • overwhelmed (n.b. that is by design by the current administration)

Rachael plans on talking about how you are stronger than you think or believe you are, and how to reclaim a sense of control and reduce your anxiety in the current world situation. While she might encourage you to become physically stronger as part of movement, one of the basics she encourages, this is not all about taking on more. It is also about things like rest, which I blogged about here last week as a radical act.

I was gonna say “I don’t know about you”, but the fact is I’ve heard from many of you, so I DO know that you are seeking assurance or reassurance, and would like some mental health support and some tips on what you can do to make your daily life feel less out of control. This salon is the place to be to learn from a mental health expert and come away feeling stronger, less anxious, and more capable.

The salon will take place via Zoom on Thursday evening, March 13th, from 7 to 8:30 pm Eastern time. Please feel free to bring along a beverage, a snack or meal, something to take notes with/on. Please also feel free to attend in your jimjams if you don’t feel like getting dressed, or to sign up now, knowing you won’t make it live but will watch the recording.

And one of the best parts? It’s donation-based, so there’s no monetary barrier to participation. Realistically, I would probably put a fair ticket price of about $35 per person on this, but given the importance of this topic for so many people right now, there’s no minimum donation required. A suggested minimum donation of $5 is there, but if you don’t have it, you are still welcome to come—just put $0 in the “other amount” box when you sign up. But you do have to sign up, so you can receive the Zoom link for the salon.

Rest is radical. Be a radical.

Rest is radical. Be a radical.