Connections
You are this to Ian, Tara, and Andy.
What is a sister-in-law?
When you didn't get into the Music Therapy program you wanted, you pursued this interdisciplinary degree instead.
What is a B.A. in Family and Social Relations?
Your earliest memory in life should not have to be this. Even though you were too afraid to tell anyone, you survived. And when it was safe to do so, you started talking about it so that you could work towards healing.
What is childhood sexual assault?
Ministry involves a lot of transferable skills such as volunteer management, public speaking, fundraising, supporting people through crises, and organizational oversight. However, as a social worker, I assume no one will expect me to do this at the end of a visit.
What is pray?
When I'm trying to process difficult experiences or strong emotions, I often speak with this professional.
Who is my therapist?
You are this to Bob, Muriel and Gord.
What is a daughter?
Not getting into Emmanuel College led you to CCS, a feminist-liberation seminary, where you found this ministry training program focused on social justice, spiritual care, and education.
What is the Diploma in Diaconal Ministries?
When your mom did this to your 11 year old self, it was traumatic. Without help or explanation, you grew up assuming it was your fault. While some of the coping skills you applied then are not ones you would chose now, along with your faith and some caring adults you did cope.
What is abandonment?
They didn't teach you this in seminary! You were hired to direct a summer camp that had just installed a new pool, however there wasn't one of these yet and you had 60 children arriving for camp in two days. So you problem solved by hiring extra staff to sit by the pool, read books, and be a human one of these.
What is a fence?
I never want to do this, but life goes better when I do. I like hiking, swimming, and running best.
What is exercise?
You are this to Marshall, Ainsley, Kieran, and Teagan.
What is an aunt?
This was the extension degree you worked on after graduating from CCS. It was supposed to involve writing a thesis, but all the extra courses you'd taken added up to an equivalency so that you didn't have to.
What is a Masters of Arts Degree in Theology?
Life after your mom left was not easy. Your dad's unresolved grief resulted in this verbal, physical, and social harm, along with neglect. Even though the people you courageously asked for help didn't believe you, you figured out how to fast track through high school so you could get away.
What is abuse?
You get emails that start "dear author" because of the entries you were asked to write for this publication.
What is the Westminster Handbook of Women in American Religious History?
This bring you great joy. Some of the ways you express it include painting, knitting, quilting, drawing, photography, playing the piano, gardening, and cooking.
What is creativity?
You are this to Laura and Jordan, Melanie, Shai, Natalie, etc.
What is a friend?
In an effort to help the church you were working with at the time, you completed this training program that covered such topics as dealing with bullies, building personal resilience, and generations at work.
What is a Certificate in Conflict Mediation?
Not all of the ways you found to deal with life's challenges were healthy. Some like this, which for you included self-injury, binging/purging, and alcohol helped for awhile, but then created additional problems with work, school, finances, friends, and family. Through recovery and counselling, you've found a way to live without these old ways of coping.
What is addiction?
Daily Double: while in ministry in MacGregor, you tried to learn Arabic to communicate with the refugee families you were sponsoring. That didn't go so well, but you do know enough of these two additional languages that they've proven useful in your work.
What are French and German?
Your morning routine keeps you grounded. It includes reading, journalling, praying, and this kind of a list that helps you to notice things you might otherwise take for granted.
What is gratitude?
You are this to Beth.
What is wife?
The professional degree you have just completed in a field that pursues social justice through the empowerment of people, and leadership towards systemic change.
What is a Masters Degree in Social Work?
A car accident resulted in this kind of mild traumatic brain injury. You were an outlier in terms of the severity of impact and length of recovery, but you persevered and made what looks to others like a full recovery.
What is a concussion?
They didn't teach you this skill in seminary! One of the children in a family that is claiming sanctuary in your church complains to you of a toothache. Your problem solving skills kick in so that you call your mentor, who gives you the number of a dentist in her church, who talked you through conducting one of these so he would know how to respond.
What is a dental exam?
The place where you spent 1000 hours in 2021. Contrary to what you might have expected, you needed less allergy meds and had fewer eczema outbreaks when you did. You also felt less irritable.
What is outside?