I didn’t blog very much in 2017, but a lot has been going on behind the scenes, so I wanted to reach out, connect, and catch up with you.
I’ve been in a kind of retreat mode, making a conscious decision late in 2016 to pull back from the fast pace of my teaching and speaking schedule to focus on two things:
- Taking better care of my health and family, and
- Focusing my professional efforts on person-directed, trauma-informed care for Elders and their care partners.
This has been an ongoing challenge, and there have been some interesting results so far!
First, 2017 was the first year in my career that I haven’t had any speaking engagements on my calendar. That felt strange to me, but it was absolutely necessary for rest, renewal, and refocus. It gave me time to consider how I cared for my physical self, mourn the loss of two beloved Aunts, and think deeply about the direction of my work.
One result has been to reaffirm my desire to shift my public workshops to more work online, hoping to reach a wider audience with messages about healing trauma across the lifespan and the importance of person-directed care.
To that end, I did manage to find a way to get involved, and in a big way, with a fantastic collaborative project between the educational arm of my business, “Care Partner Connection,” and the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute and Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center.
From August – October of 2017 we co-hosted a virtual book study of Ashton Applewhite’s “This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.” The study enrolled 116 people online (from both hemispheres)! Four live groups formed from the online book study, which culminated in Ms. Applewhite’s live appearance as Distinguished Speaker at Ithaca College on October 23rd. We had a packed auditorium and Ashton Applewhite’s talk about ageism was electrifying!
Lisa and Bill in March of 2017
I was also able to enjoy two trips this year. In March, I accepted an award from the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education for my adjunct teaching with the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute, and took a few days for a Caribbean cruise. In October, I traveled to beautiful Normandy, France with my Mom and husband. It was a very special time for us all!
You’ll also see that the website has been redesigned; many thanks to Daniel Fava, with professional portraits from Elaine Derby.
In 2018 I will venture out for another public speaking engagement, as I’ll be presenting an intensive on healing emotional trauma at the 9th Eden Alternative International Conference in Atlanta.
As the year closes, I’m wondering what you might need, and whether some of the projects I’m working on might be helpful to you.
- Are you a woman, who, as you get older, have an interest in exploring a deeper connection with the Divine Feminine, however you define it?
- Has setting limits, managing boundaries, or saying “no” been a challenge for you? Are you coping with providing Elder care in a family where there may have been abuse or neglect?
Let’s reconnect in the New Year; I’d love to hear from you and learn about where you are, what you’re doing, and how I can support you on your Journey to genuine Well-Being.
With Light, Love, and all my very best for a Peaceful and Joy-filled New Year,
Lisa K.
