Collage artist Stephanie Pierson is near and dear to my heart, and after listening to this episode, she will surely be to you as well. She has an interesting life story that led to her discovering a completely new side of herself later in life. Her story is one of love, loss, survival, healing, and blossoming. For most of her life, she experienced a stable and loving home life, raising two sons with her beloved husband, Greg, who she met in her twenties. As they neared retirement, she lost Greg suddenly and unexpectedly. From that point on, her life was never the same: she endured three types of cancer, and more unexpected heartbreak. Creating art was how she survived, and rediscovered herself. And it was thanks to a special person who lit a fire and a love within her, that she was able to keep going. Tommy, an artist himself, was the special person in Stephanie's life who encouraged her to find that expressive part of herself. And even though he is no longer with us, their connection will always remain, and she continues her art to honor him and the love they shared.

As her life was turned upside down, she began making collages, mostly of women, forging a new path, and getting to know this new woman she was becoming. As she transformed, so her art unveiled itself. She underwent surgeries, and magazines were torn up and reworked into intuitive female companions. Her work is an "exploration of the larger mystery of the female form." Each one of her paper dolls as she calls them, is a part of who she is, a shuffling around of her subconscious.

She is a strong and inspiring woman, and her story is one worth listening to if you need some motivation to keep going. At her lowest points, she didn't believe life had anything more to offer, and she is here to tell you it does, and that you are always more than you think you are.

She makes the point that we are all collages when we reflect on our lives. We have all had people who have been cut out of our lives, paths taken and redirected, paths cut too short. But in the end, we do our best to make that life beautiful. It's hard, it's a process, but it's worth it.

Stephanie credits her family and friends for helping her get through her hardest moments. She has faith that Greg, “would be thrilled” to see her art and witness this chapter in her life. When I think of Stephanie, I think of someone who knows how to build community, and Greg was absolutely half of that picture. As he said , “'Nothing in this life matters more than love and community and knowing we are not alone."

Connect with Stephanie Pierson

Website ➡️ https://www.stephaniepiersonart.com/
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----About Gentle Finds----
Gentle Finds was founded on the idea that each one of us plays a part in creating the world we live in through the choices we make. In our relationships, the work we do, and the products we buy, our everyday movements leave a mark, for better or worse, and Gentle Finds is here to help you leave a gentler mark. Every two weeks I find a gentle inspiration to share with you, with practical tips about how we can be nicer to ourselves, each other, our bodies, and our environment. Subscribe, follow, and start your gentle journey today!

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Let the music bind us once again.

"The ears are always on. You can shut your eyes, but you cannot shut your ears...The ears are always listening." - Dr. Kathleen Howland

When do you listen to music, and why? What music do you choose? Where does it take you? We all have our own personal playlists, but Dr. Kathleen Howland invites us to think more deeply about our connection to music and how we can use it to heal our hearts, minds, and even our bodies. Having worked for nearly 40 years in the field of music therapy, Kathleen is convinced that music is a central part of the human experience. In this talk, she takes us through some of her more personal experiences and how she has used music as a tool in life’s most fragile moments. Speaking with Kathleen made me want to feed this part of myself. After listening to her, you’ll want to buy tickets to a concert, step outside of your musical comfort zone, and simply feel what happens to your body when your ears are listening. It’s a comfort to know that no matter what’s going on in your life, you’ve got music.

As Kathleen says, music is beauty with a biological rationale.

About Dr. Kathleen Howland:

Dr. Kathleen Howland, is a board certified music therapist and licensed speech language pathologist. For the past 35+ years, she has worked with a variety of clinical populations using music to enhance speech, language, cognition and movement. She teaches courses at Berklee School of Music and The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and she’s developed a specialization in neuroscience as the biological rationale for why music is effective and necessary in educational and medical settings. She has presented keynote lectures and workshops nationally and internationally specializing in physician and nursing education. You may have seen her TedXTalk How Music Can Heal Our Brain and Heart.

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00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Growing awareness of music therapy
3:04 - What is music therapy?
5:56 - Music counteracts stress
6:42 - Did music contribute to our success as a species?
9:09 - Music, the brain and education
24:52 - Music and neuroscience
28:45 - Music therapy in hospitals
34:44 - Choosing therapeutic music
36:05 - Kathleen's cancer journey
39:28 - A memorable hospice experience with music therapy
46:38 - Mental health: what to do without a music therapist?
51:21 - What is your music living will?
52:36 - Music Therapy Tales for more information
54:06 - Music from womb to tomb

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To lessen the stress in parenting, focus on relationship.

Ryan Allen, also known as preschool therapist on social media channels, gives us a crash course on gentle parenting. He explains that the gentle parenting style has actually existed for a long time (as authoritative parenting), but has only recently been branded with the name gentle. We speak about how authoritative is the middle-ground of parenting, with authoritarian and permissive styles on the two extreme ends of the spectrum, and why gentle parenting gives the best outcomes, and helps us have a more peaceful household. While it seems like power struggles are an inevitable part of the parent/child relationship, Ryan explains how some of the battles can be avoided. By simply implementing a few gentle techniques, parents can improve their relationship with their child, and liberate themselves from some of our daily frustrations. In this conversation with Ryan, we feel the weight lifted off our shoulders in real-time, and better, easier parenting seems possible with his guidance.

About Ryan Allen:
Ryan is independently licensed by the state of Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and an Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC).

Connect with Preschool Therapist:
Website: Ryanallencounseling.com
TikTok: @preschooltherapy
Instagram: @preschooltherapist

----CONTENT ----------------------

00:00 - Introduction
1:14 - What is preschool therapy?
2:49 - Gentle parenting
4:11 - 3 categories: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive
12:02 - The Whole-Brain Child
15:48 - Small moments make an impact
20:37 - Encourage emotional expression
24:17 - Negative behaviors - what to do
25:32 - Children and grief
26:38 - Kids and nighttime boundaries
28:42 - Timeouts, Time-ins, Calming corners
33:46 - Teaching consent with friends and relatives
38:16 - Labeling our kids
40:30 - Desensitized to "no"
41:49 - Balancing the "favorite" parent
43:18 - When kids lash out
45:00 - Social media is a paradigm shift for parenting
50:24 - Ryan's journey

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///Follow Gentle Finds

🎧 Subscribe on Apple (ttps://apple.co/3qyFarZ) or Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3ryauZd​​​)

Website ➡️ https://www.gentlefinds.com/​​
Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/gentlefinds...
Facebook➡️ https://www.facebook.com/GentleFinds/

_______________________________________________

----About Gentle Finds----
Gentle Finds was founded on the idea that each one of us plays a part in creating the world we live in through the choices we make. In our relationships, the work we do, and the products we buy, our everyday movements leave a mark, for better or worse, and Gentle Finds is here to help you leave a gentler mark. Every two weeks I find a gentle inspiration to share with you, with practical tips about how we can be nicer to ourselves, each other, our bodies, and our environment. Subscribe, follow, and start your gentle journey today!

Support the show