“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – E. M. Forster
Hi Folks,
I hope this finds you safe and well in these trying times…It is stressful, but I am encouraged by the amount of people out there doing good things to help others in times of need. If I only paid attention to the news, it would be depressing. I want to know what’s going on in the world, but it is important that I make sure to look for the good news that most TV stations don’t carry.
The canceling of gigs and presentations for me has given me more time to write. That is a mixed blessing, working on finishing a memoir of mine…the visits down memory lane are not always times of joy. This is something I have long wanted to do, so I have committed myself to finishing the task. Hope to take a published book out on the road next year to share songs, conversation and words from the book. And truly hope that my travels bring me to your neck of the woods.
The limited amount of work has been a new challenge for me…I’ve always been someone who likes to connect in person, especially if performing. But the current state of affairs has found me playing to a computer screen to reach folks with my music and also some Trauma-informed Peer Support Training[s]. Grateful for the opportunities, but that is a strange new way [for me anyways] to reach folks. Yes, you can teach this old guy new tricks…
Take care & stay safe, Michael
The latest edition of the Surviving Spirit Newsletter is posted at the website – http://newsletters.survivingspirit.com/index.php
http://newsletters.survivingspirit.com/pdfs/2020-08-The_Surviving_Spirit_Newsletter_August_2020.pdf
To sign up for an e-mail copy, please write to me @ mikeskinner@comcast.net or sign up @ Website via Contact Us.
Newsletter Contents:
1] This Is What Happens to Your Brain When You Declutter Your Home by Kelsey Clark @ Domino
2] My mental health journey: How PTSD gave me the strength to share my story by Hannah Storm @ Poynter
3] How To Be Depressed by George Scialabba – University of Pennsylvania Press
3a] Muddling Through by Matthew Stillman @ Commonweal Magazine
4] A Brief But Spectacular take on caring for those who care for us – YouTube
5] If not now, when? COVID-19, lived experience, and a moment for real change – authors – Nev Jones, Louise Byrne & Sarah Carr – The Lancet Psychiatry
6] Free Webinar: The Living Room – A Welcoming Space for those in Crisis
7] You Can’t Count On Me By Kelly Babcock @ Psych Central
8] Danijela Stajnfeld’s ‘Hold Me Right’ Examines Impact of Sexual Assault by Ed Meza @ Variety
9] New Study Shows What Happens To Your Brain When You’re Anxious And Depressed by Bryan Robinson @ Forbes
10] The Toll of Toxic Shame by Elisabeth Corey @ Beating Trauma
11] This Org Helps Black Dads Be All They Can Be by Uplifting Them by Cathy Cassata @ Healthline
12] Why Deep Breathing Helps Calm Anxiety By Suzanne Kane @ PsychCentral
“When wounds are healed by love, The scars are beautiful.” – David Bowles
“Remember that grief is a necessary pain. It’s your only way to heal. To starve it will destroy you.”~The Grimoire” – S.M. Boyce
