It Feels Good to be Back... So Much to Share
And like all transitions in life, there's still stuff to sort out
Hello to my sacred readers!
How have you been? I’ve missed you!
Even though this time has been so important for me to regroup and grow, I’ve missed writing my newsletter. I’ve missed hearing your thoughts and reflections. I’ve missed how this newsletter helps me stay connected to my greater purpose.
So it feels really good to be back!
I’m still sitting with how the time away has helped me to grow, and as those reflections become more clear- I will share them with you. But what I can say is that it is indeed true— sometime you need to take a break!
It’s not that writing the newsletter was a burden- not at all. But when you’re constantly creating, it easy to lose the path you were following. Now sometimes that creates an adventure that is very necessary for your evolution, but in this case I really want to be intentional, so that means pacing myself.
There’s a few updates and changes that I want to make sure that you’re aware of, they’re a part of what I’ve been discovering! Here they are:
I’ve signed up with a PR firm (more on that below in the behind-the-scenes section), and this means that I’ll be doing more writing (Yahoo!). However, to manage that I’ve decided to shift my publishing schedule a bit for this newsletter-
Instead of 2xs a month, my full newsletter will be out once a month
I really miss my #TherapyThursday blog, so I’ll be posting mini reflections in Substack Notes each week. However, those don’t go out via email, so here’s advice from Substack about how to see them.
I plan to change the name of this Substack. The next time you receive an email notification, you’ll notice that the URL and handle are different, but my name will still be the sender. I’m doing this because of my work with the PR firm. While breast cancer is still going to be an important focus of this newsletter, I’m welcoming all women who wish to heal through the magic of art therapy. I would tell you what it’s going to be- I have a few ideas, but I can’t tell what’s going to be available to me until I actually do it :).
I’ve decided to resign from running the monthly art therapy workshops with SurvivingBreastCancer.org, the final one is in October. It’s been such a lovely collaboration, but I realized that it was time to make this change. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be workshops! I’m making plans for them, and they’ll only be offered to those who are subscribed to my newsletter- so you’ll be the first to know!
Ok, so those are the most important updates I wanted to share with you all.
I spent a lot of time hiking this summer. If you’ve been a reader for some time now, you may recall that I made a pledge to myself to hike once a week in memory of my mom, who at 49 (my age) hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, more than 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine!
It’s become an important self-care and reflection activity, and each week I get excited about where to go next. The secondary gain I’ve experienced is how much stronger my endurance and body feels because of this dedication and slowly challenging myself to increase the intensity of the hikes.
To see a return to strength and energy that reminds me of my pre-cancer self (my 9 year cancerversary was this weekend!), is huge. I’ve been very consistent with exercise since cancer and felt good about it, but I didn’t think that this feeling was possible. Always nice to have a pleasant surprise.
I’d love to hear about your summer, what’s been happening for you, and how it feels to have me return to your inbox! Let me know in the comments below!
Warmly,
Stephanie
Excerpt from the book…
Since this newsletter is talking about change, I thought that this excerpt about sitting with resistance (a common reaction to change) might be helpful to share. Let me know if it resonates for you!
I know where I need to go, yet it makes me nervous- Your deep knowing can surprise you. You may need a break before illustrating what’s coming up. It may be time to switch to writing to capture what you’ve found, as this could be an AHA moment coming on. Creative wisdom comes in many forms. Check in- can you sit with the unease? Do you need to change what you’re doing?, so forth. When you listen to your instinct, you’ll find the guidance you need.
I’m not sure where to go, but I am practicing being ok with that. In these moments, you’re actively processing the reluctance of facing the unknown with more ease. If you begin to notice a block, switching up what you are doing, like moving from painting to writing, will support you in the transition.
Your Creative Prompt for this Issue…
(P.S. you don’t have to be an artist to do this!)
Before doing this exercise, set yourself up for doing some art and writing. Any kind of art medium will work- so chose something you have on hand or treat yourself to a few supplies. Here’s my basic list for starting an art journal.
This newsletter’s creative prompt is telling the story through art of a time when you experienced change. Here are three questions you can use as jumping off points for yourself to express through color, shape, and form.
What happened?
How did it make you feel in that moment?
How do you feel now?
After you draw, paint, or use another medium to express this story of change through art, take some time to name your artwork. Whatever bubbles up first is often a nugget of insight that can help you understand what your creation is telling you about yourself. From there, do a free write about what you see and feel, to take this self-awareness further.
I’d love to hear from you about how this prompt went for you. Feel free to share in the comments below or email me directly!
Behind-The-Scenes Look
Just as I stepped away in June, I signed a contract to work with a PR firm that works with therapists, coaches, and healers to get them ready for being featured media contributors. This step is so important for establishing my author platform- which is what agents and publishers look for, so I feel blessed.
The first step involved a deep dive into creating a new website that editors, readers, and potential clients could learn more about who I am and the work that I do. It took most of the summer to really frame what I wanted to say. I can’t wait to share it with you all! It’s nearly complete and feels like such a celebration.
The second step involves writing articles for my PR person to promote with editors who work for websites that have large audiences. It’s been a fun challenge for sure, and it will be an ongoing effort as I continue to work with the firm. It feels so promising to be able to bring hope, affirmation, and compassion to those who read my articles. I’ll be sharing them here as they get published!
Upcoming Workshops-
Art Therapy for Breast Cancer Awareness Month- Bra Edition- happening October 2nd @ 6PM EST. For this workshop, you can bring simple art supplies, but if you’re interested in working with a bra, camisole, or t-shirt- feel free to bring it! I’d recommend Sharpies or Acrylic paints for creating on the t-shirt. This Instagram post I created last fall will help you set up your bra/camisole/t-shirt for the workshop.
Hello!! Stephanie. What an exciting time and adventure for you. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing your new website!! 🙏