November '24 in the SMP

some thoughts on gratitude and wholeness

In the SMP Center: 

Originally, I’d planned to invite members of our online community to do a gratitude challenge this month, but it occurred me that public gratitude challenges are likely not helpful for those who aren’t experiencing genuine gratitude right now. So, instead, we’re exploring the concept of gratitude: 

• As a lens, or reorientation that can be consciously developed.

• As a potential bypass to avoid difficult feelings. 

• How it is intertwined with Stoic and other ancient wisdom principles such as ‘the obstacle is the way,’ ‘amor fati,’ ‘memento mori,’ and taking responsibility for how we’re experiencing life.

• The relationship it has to resentment. Gratitude has been identified as the opposite experience of resentment which is the emotion of injustice. We’ve been exploring how to use understanding of this emotional spectrum, and where we might be on it relative to any circumstance in our lives, to help us be more intentional in how we’re working with and through feelings of resentment. 

• The relationship it has to adaptation and creativity, and more. 

Gratitude is a rich concept and experience. Understanding it helps us to develop a more conscious relationship with our emotional life–a necessary task if we’re to become whole and find true grace for ourselves and others. 

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conversations with stoic mamas: 

This SMP hosted podcast series invites parents (yes, dads are welcome too!) navigating the circumstance of parenting TID kiddos to share with the SMP audience the lessons they’ve learned along the way, including what’s worked for them and what hasn’t. As the host, I look to focus these conversations on personal expansion through difficult circumstances and doing what’s within our agency to maintain strong family connections. The stories vary a great deal and explore a wide range of parenting styles and approaches to this circumstance; they’re intended to offer a source of hope and possibility for parents ready to experience something different and more connecting in their own families.  

Visit the conversations with stoic mamas tab to explore the playlist or to apply to be a guest on the program. 

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Attachment Matters: 

Rose and I will record just one more episode for Season One of Attachment Matters. After that episode publishes, we’ll be taking a break from recording new content through the end of the year as we map out Season Two and explore possibilities for the future of Attachment Matters, including how we can best support the most parents who have decided that healthy attachment among their family members is their top priority. 

Here are links to the last two episodes that make up a two part Q&A:

Ep 12: Q&A part 1, That Golden Moment

Ep 13: Q&A part 2, The Gift of Pain

You can find older episodes of AM intermingled with other podcasts offered through

in the podcast tab or archive section, or search “Stoicmom Project” on Spotify or Pocketcasts to subscribe on those platforms. You can also explore the playlists on the SMP YouTube channel. (Please like and subscribe!)

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Coaching and Personal Growth/Evolution

I’m wrapping up my Jungian coaching certification program, and I have to say, this intensive year long program kicked my ass and changed me–as a Jungian program ought to do. It humbled me, inspired me, wrecked me, grew me, taught and trained me, and both affirmed and transformed the way I see and experience other humans and the world around me. 

My current obsession is now with what I call the Paradox of Motherhood, or using destabilizing parenting experiences to grow ourselves up. (You may have noticed I’ve changed my tagline from, “using my daughter’s trans ID as a way to become a better human”.) I’m no longer interested in becoming or encouraging anyone else to strive to be a ‘better’ human, mostly because I’ve come to believe this isn’t a thing—and to believe or imply that it is might even be harmful. ‘Better’ implies that you’re either better than others or better than you were before. There’s nothing wrong with you (or others.) Most humans are just disconnected from our whole selves, and trying to become better can lead us to cut off even more unwanted parts of ourselves. (Yikes! Not something we want to be modeling for our kids, right? Not even metaphorically.)

Rather, we can use our “dark nights of the soul” to tune into our purpose here, develop a healthy relationship with our emotions, and tend to our inner worlds, so we instead become more human. More compassionate, more empowered, more clear, more energized, more whole. There’s just so much more to this precious Life that I hope you are allowing into your experience. 

I am also excited to let you know that on the other side of the coursework that’s consumed so much of this past year for me, I’m able to open up 3 more coaching spots in December. If you’re interested in nabbing one of them because you resonate with any of the following statements:

• you know you’re ready for your experience to change but are unsure what’s keeping you stuck or how to break free of it, 

• you’re ready to lay down your heavy burdens of shame and regret and get on with living,

• you sense that you might have some growing to do to be the parent you want to be for your child(ren), but feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, 

• you’re ready to explore your inner world and create inner peace, but know you might need someone to take your hand and help you navigate that new terrain,

I’d invite you to book a complimentary discovery session to see if it might feel right to work 1:1 with me toward the more: more lightness and ease, more joy and richness, more grace and compassion, more confidence and trust in yourself, more Life. 

In a world that can feel so fragmented and out of control, I’m confident the path to experiencing wholeness and peace begins with our selves.

To learn more about me and to book your complimentary discovery session (required to secure a coaching spot,) click the button below: 

Photo by Matt Howard on Unsplash

“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” -Rumi