We discuss why therapy works for chronic pain, make candles with CHIRLA, and learn about the benefits of daydreaming.
A Letter From Our Founder
Dear reader,
I’ll be honest with you, this month has been a hard one for me. As an Iranian American with family in the Middle East, I have been watching the news with a heaviness that doesn’t leave when I close the laptop or put down my phone. It follows me into the evening, into the quiet, and most of all, into the night.
Sleep, again, has become elusive. And because I am someone who carries stress in my body and who always has, the worry has settled into my back and neck as a dull, persistent ache. It is not unbearable. It is not unmanageable. But it is present every day, reminding me that it is there.
And so I nearly missed something. Nowruz, the Persian New Year, falls this Friday, on the first day of spring. It crept up on me quietly, the way it does when you’re not quite present to the calendar. But I don’t want to let it pass unacknowledged. Even now, or maybe especially now, I think it matters to make room for joy, for celebration, for the traditions that remind us who we are and where we come from. The new year arrives whether we are ready or not. There is something I find comforting in that.
And in that reminder, I find myself thinking of our clients who come through our doors living with pain that is far greater, far more constant, and far less tied to a temporary season of grief. What I am experiencing is a small, fleeting glimpse into what chronic pain actually feels like. The way it intrudes on rest. The way it reshapes a day. The way it asks something of you, quietly, all the time.
This month’s article is about chronic pain. We review what it really is, what it does to the nervous system and the whole self, and how care that holds both body and mind together can make a meaningful difference. Not a cure or a fix. But a different kind of support.
I hope it finds you gently. And I hope, wherever you are reading this, that you feel a little less alone in whatever you are carrying right now. As always, if you’re looking for support, we’re here. You can reach us at info@takeroottherapy.com or call or text (323) 388-5578.
With care,
Saba Harouni Lurie (she/her/hers)
On The Blog
Can Therapy Help With Chronic Pain? What the Research Shows and Why Therapy for Chronic Pain Helps
When my older brother was in his last year of college, he developed a condition where he would break out in intense, painful hives whenever he was excited or stressed, when it was hot outside, when he was exercising, or even when he stepped into a hot shower. I watched as it turned his life upside down…
How to Help
Made You Something: Fire Melts Ice
fire melts ice is an evening of community, creativity, and collective care — featuring candlemaking, live jazz, and space to stand together.
fire melts ice is an evening to gather — to create, to connect, and to stand together in community against ICE, unlawful detention, and the separation of families.
The night includes a candle-making workshop where you’ll create a custom scented candle while listening to live jazz and sipping non-alcoholic mocktails. 50% of workshop profits will be donated to CHIRLA in support of families impacted by detention and raids.
For everyone attending — workshop participants and free guests alike — there will be DIY flower bouquets available, food for purchase from Free Spirited Lounge, and a featured peach oolong mocktail called “imPEACH him.”
This night is about choosing connection over silence and action over helplessness. We refuse to normalize unlawful detention and family separation. We gather, we create, and we support the people doing the real work on the ground.
Fire melts ice. Community melts fear.
WHEN:
Sunday, March 29th
6 – 9 PM
WHERE:
Free Spirited
3020 West Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801
Craft & Volunteer: Welcome Home Baskets with Alcott
Join us in the creation of “welcome home” baskets for low- and no-income members of the LA community.
Alcott is a nonprofit whose mission is to improve the mental health of underserved individuals through integrated social care. Their mental health and supportive housing services are offered to low- and no-income members of the LA community as they pursue a world free of stigma, full of hope, where all have equal access to care and to resources.
Many of Alcott’s clients join their programs while experiencing housing insecurity. Guided by a housing-first model, getting a roof over their heads is always a top priority. Once clients are linked to permanent housing, they are provide a “Welcome Home Basket” of household essentials like cleaning and cooking supplies to set them up for success in their new space.
At this event, we’ll be creating decorated potholders and putting together these baskets while learning about all Alcott does!
WHEN:
Thursday, April 2nd
6 – 8 PM
WHERE:
Village Well Books & Coffee
9900 Culver Boulevard
#1b Culver City, CA 90232
Community Events
Skid Row Women’s Needs Exhibit
The Skid Row Women’s Needs Assessment Art Exhibition, featuring the work of women from Skid Row.
The evening will bring together community members, organizers, artists, researchers, and concerned Angelenos for a powerful program that centers the voices and creative expressions of women living in Skid Row. The event will feature:
- An exhibition of artwork created by Skid Row women, reflecting their experiences, resilience, and visions for the future.
- A panel discussion on the findings and methodology of the Skid Row Women’s Needs Assessment
- A short performance piece developed by community members, highlighting women’s stories, survival strategies, and collective care practices within Skid Row
The Skid Row Women’s Needs Assessment represents a community-rooted research effort documenting the realities women face while navigating homelessness, safety concerns, health systems, housing barriers, and daily life in Skid Row. Alongside the report supported by a USC Arts In Action grant, this exhibition uplifts the creativity, leadership, and cultural contributions of women who continue to build and sustain community under some of the most challenging conditions.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 31st
7 – 9 PM
WHERE:
USC Annenberg, USC Wallis Annenberg Hall
3630 Watt Way
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Community Yoga at Exposition Park
Imagine breathing, stretching & connecting with 2,000+ people under the open sky at Expo Park to celebrate Science, Art, History & Sports.
WHEN:
Sunday, Mar 22nd
9:30 AM – 5 PM
WHERE:
Exposition Park
700 Exposition Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Featured Publications
This 1 iPhone Setting Might Be Messing With Your Friendships
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie
How to Deal With a Condescending Partner
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie
Why Daydreaming Is Actually Great for Your Brain—and How to Do It Right
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie