On May 12, 2002, Newsweek published an essay by Anna Quindlen called, “Doing Nothing Is Something.” It was a beautiful piece of writing on the lazy rhythms of summer that she recalled with nostalgia from her own childhood. In it, she bemoaned the fast pace of modern life and the contrast between what she experienced […]
“Calm down!” my tennis coach chastised me this morning. “You’re moving all over the place. Slow down and breathe when you hit the ball.” I sighed. How many times in my life have I been told to slow down and breathe? “Your instincts are great,” he continued in reassurance, “because you’re so athletic. But you’re […]
When my mother died by suicide in July 2008, two well-meaning loved ones made comments a month later. One pondered whether the fact that I lived alone intensified my grief. Perhaps if I had roommates, I might not be so upset. The other said that if I had a child, I wouldn’t be so self-absorbed. […]
We know from physics that light can be a particle and a wave. Both things are true. Yet paradoxes are difficult to grasp when we want absolutes. It’s one thing to grapple with these concepts in science. It’s a whole other challenge when thinking about the human condition and trauma. When something catastrophic happens the […]
There is a tenet in acting that everything is usable. What this means is that actors use all feelings that arise when performing. Anything and everything can be integrated into the performance. For instance, if a character is supposed to feel sad yet for some reason the actor giggles, that is okay. Even if it […]
In the long over due discussions of race and class inequities in this country, it is important to note difference. Without acknowledging that the minority experience is less advantaged than the privileged one, healing can’t occur. To move beyond trauma, people need to feel heard, witnessed, and validated. Yet while acknowledging difference is core, it’s […]