Doing good and feeling better — we take a look at how giving back to our communities effects our mental and physical health.
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“An overwhelming majority of us come from dysfunctional families in which we were taught we were not okay, where we were shamed, verbally, and/or physically abused, and emotionally neglected even as we were also taught to believe that we were loved. For most folks it is just too threatening to embrace a definition of love that would no longer enable us to see love as present in our families. Too many of us need to cling to a notion of love that either makes abuse acceptable or at least makes it seem that whatever happened was not that bad.”
– bell hooks
With the recent death of bell hooks, I have been reflecting on what I have been privileged to learn from her writings over the years. The above quote is particularly resonant given the approaching holidays and the challenging family dynamics that may surface for many. If the quote speaks to you, please know that you’re not alone. Please do whatever you can to take care of yourself over the next few weeks. And access support when you need it.
Our blog article this month is about how giving to others also serves as a way to give to ourselves. If your cup is needing to be filled, please check it out and consider philanthropic acts that may be aligned with your values and doable for you.
And if this time of year is particularly challenging, we are here and we want to help. You can email us at info@takeroottherapy.com or call/text us at (323) 388-5578.
We hope you have a happy new year and we look forward to connecting with you in 2022.
Warmly,
Saba Harouni Lurie
On The Blog
Is Doing Good Good for You?: The Effects of Philanthropy and Giving on Mental Health
The end of the year can be a time of stress for many. Spending time with family, while joyful for some, can still carry its own challenges and complications. The holidays can be quite loaded, and planning for the holidays can bring up fears, sadness, and feelings of being overwhelmed. But for many of us, the holidays are also when we feel prompted to reflect on our own good fortune and to consider how we can give to others. Thanksgiving, a problematic holiday at best, has been rebranded as a day of gratitude and giving. And it wouldn’t be Christmas without the Salvation Army red kettles all around town. So, as we wind down 2021, let’s consider the impact that giving to others can have on your mental health…
Community Events
Meditation in the Park
Engage in a powerful and transformative meditation in one of Los Angeles’ beautiful parks.
After being stuck home for months, let’s get outside to stretch our bodies and clear our minds. Become refreshed and relaxed in beautiful nature.
Sunday December 19th or 26th
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
$20
Honor. Harvest. Heal. Together In The Garden: Survivors Holiday
From the event site: Our garden gatherings: born from a collective desire to create community models of healing where we memorialize death through honoring life.We are a collaboration between Heal Together, CAT 911 South Central Team and Little Green Acres in South Central Los Angeles. Our main purpose is to connect to each other, learn each other within conditions of care, dignity and collective healing. We invite you to Little Green Acres, a community garden space in South Central Los Angeles, where we will gather to memorialize death and loss by paying homage to our life and living and recognizing that the practice of honoring in community creates and transmits collective healing imprints.
Sat, December 18, 2021
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST
FREE
Featured Publications
9 Tell-tale Signs That You’re Being Emotionally Manipulated, According to Couples Therapists
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie
