Journal
Journal
The Joyful Life of Fergus Dingwall
A healing tribute to my sweet boy of 14 years. He gave me so many gifts and I learned so much from him.
A Week of Inner Child Work at Easton Mountain
This retreat was such powerful inner child work. Being naked and silly by the pool, screaming with laughter as I slid naked down the slippy slide, and dancing with abandon with friends on the last night- it's just the healing I needed.
What I Learned from Walnut
Taking care of animals has always been a therapeutic pastime for me. Walnut reminded me why taking care of others can bring new joys and moments of peace into my daily routine.
Eulogy for my Dad
On the one-year anniversary of my dad’s death, I wanted to share the eulogy I gave. I never wrote it down. I came up with it while on the five-hour drive home the day after he died. It was something to focus on when everything was so overwhelming.
New Year, New Goals
Tis the season for a reset. Personally, I relish this time of the year. All the holidays are done, we can get back into routine, and we can reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Co-Facilitating EVRYMAN's First GBTQ Retreat
It’s weekends like that I feel whole. I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do. I am so thankful for this work and for EVRYMAN. We are already working on the spring GBTQ retreat at a queer-owned venue either in California or New York. This was just the beginning.
The Complex Dance with My Dad's Death
My dad’s suicide on July 2, has, as expected, taken me on a great journey of processing, questioning, and understanding someone who was complex and imperfect, but who I loved deeply.
My First Course: Gay Dating Apps 101!
Over the past five years of coaching, one topic continually keeps popping up with my gay male clients, how to use dating apps. Some clients are older and literally have no idea how they work, while younger clients aren’t really sure what to put on their profiles or what to even do on the first date. But everybody has the same concerns about spending too much time on them and the mental health aspects of how we are all treated on these apps (enter ghosting and catfishing).
A Rite of Passage
While I won’t go into specifics (come to one!), what I kept hearing all weekend was-
Men. Need. Connection. With. Men.
To open up, to be held, and to be heard by another man is powerful and something society has told us for generations to avoid.
The Fundamental Need For Friendship
For many folks, friendship can be hard to find for many reasons: Moving to a new town, their past trauma of unhealthy friendships, and of course anxiety and depression can all keep us isolated. This is not how humans are meant to live. Just think of cavemen around the fire, we have been in community since we could walk and communicate. Friendship is vital for living a quality life, it improves our health and can even lengthen our time on Earth.
Balancing Part Two!
This has absolutely nothing to do with balance, but how stunning is this floral design created by my friend Sonny for Thanksgiving?
Balancing the Being and Doing
Being in nature with Fergus is one of my favorite ways to recharge.
Intergenerational Connection
Having younger friends can make you smarter, more resilient, and more open-minded.
Facing Our Fears
For a while now I have been hopeful that America was righting the ship, getting back on track, you know that ‘Liberty and Justice for All’ situation? But after Roe v Wade was overturned, I feel like the gut punches just keep on coming.
Your Mantra for Mental Health Awareness Month...
Now, I know this little mantra isn’t going to solve all of your problems… because guess what? You have to believe it. I had a client recently – who I saw as an amazing human being, flawed and fabulous – who had a hard time saying this mantra with any kind of conviction because he didn’t really believe he is enough.
