Talking It Out....
In episode 2, Jacqueline Dolly (career and professional development coach extraordinaire) mentions how she's reinvented herself professionally multiple times in addition to helping others advance in their careers and/or pivot; and she notes that for her, the common theme across of all of her work has been communication. She also says that, both for those looking to advance in their existing fields and for those seeking change, communicating with others (being visible, using social media effectively, etc.) is critically important. In episode 3, Cat Renar describes how she talked with a friend who was a paramedic before deciding to become one herself, and then another conversation led her to pursue firefighting on top of that. In episode 6, M.J. Williams says that she talked with everyone she could about her desire to leave a 15-year career in the art world to go back to school and become a lawyer. And then later she talked with a bunch of people about how to launch her own firm before taking on that challenge. In today's episode, art therapist Erin Brindle shares how she discovered art therapy as a possible career by talking at length with someone already well established in the field, and how she gradually built her business over time and developed/capitalized on the network around her. (She also tells us about (and in some sense shows us) the healing power of art therapy -- even when that therapy isn't delivered face to face but rather over a computer screen.)
We are so disconnected right now. This morning I saw a Facebook post complaining that people without kids have it so much easier now. Maybe some. But imagine being single now, without roommates or a socially responsible pod. My two tiny megapoopers -- kids too young to wipe their own tushes or feed themselves even cold cereal -- were my biggest blessings from the moment they were born. They were my sunshine. But now, with Covid, it's as though dark clouds have overtaken the rest of the sky. And yet here, ever steady and strong, remain my two rays of sunshine. They do not shine more brightly now, but the contrast from the newly darkened sky means that I can perceive their awesome brightness even more than before. No mountain of poopy diapers, no amount of tantrums or crying, can obscure that. And not for one minute do I envy my single friends -- especially now that this pandemic has reshaped, and complicated, our existence.
It seems to me that, whether you're cooped up at home alone or with kids, whether you're unemployed, fearing you may be laid off, or are working overtime, each of us needs to find our way to a "new normal" that works for us. And the reality for most of us is that there is a deep sense of loss -- even if we haven't lost a loved one, we've lost freedom, connection and maybe our jobs. Communication has got to be key to getting us out of this. It's why videoconferencing technology seems to be having its heyday, and why video-calling robots have made their way into nursing homes (see https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-belgium-robots/belgian-video-calling-robots-to-keep-elderly-connected-during-coronavirus-idUSKBN21339G). In a sense, Doomsday Happy Hour is meant to help along somewhat similar lines -- by making you smile and laugh, and then by helping you see that a new, perhaps even better, normal is possible with some creativity, hard work, and investing in/taking a chance on yourself. (And with a view to helping/reaching more people, I'm going to start launching the comedy segments on their own in addition to the full episodes; because maybe all you need or want is a laugh.)
Today's guest, art therapist Erin Brindle, has kindly provided links to other resources you might find valuable now -- whether you're considering a career in art therapy, could use the help of an art therapist yourself, or maybe even both. Her links are below. Thanks for watching!
American Art Therapy Association (a great resource to learn more about the profession)