Welcome to The WELLS Healing Center and our monthly newsletter. We're so happy to have you.
From Dr. Della's Desk:
Last month, I spoke on the trials of the healing journey and the persistent effort it demands to truly get towards our healing. In the final sermon of my residency at Northstar Church of the Arts, I delved into Toni Morrison's wisdom, likening healing to rewriting and editing - learning from what doesn't work to create a more beautiful life.
“As a writer, a failure is just information. It’s something that I’ve done wrong in writing, or is inaccurate or unclear. I recognize failure—which is important; some people don’t—and fix it, because it is data, it is information, knowledge of what does not work. That’s rewriting and editing.”
Morrison's insights pushed me to analyze my healing process like her writing process. How do our actions contribute to our wellness, or hinder it? Can we view our current healing efforts and practices as rough drafts, in need of continuous editing toward the life we desire?
Morrison continued and said: “With physical failures like liver, kidneys, heart, something else has to be done, something fixable that’s not in one’s own hands. But if it’s in your hands, then you have to pay very close attention to it, rather than get depressed or unnerved or feel ashamed. None of that is useful. It’s as though you’re in a laboratory and you’re working on an experiment with chemicals or with rats, and it doesn’t work. It doesn’t mix. You don’t throw up your hands and run out of the lab. What you do is you identify the procedure and what went wrong and then correct it. If you think of [writing] simply as information, you can get closer to success.”
When healing is within our control, paying close attention becomes paramount. We have data to explore, sources like journals, conversations, prayer, or meditation that can help us determine what we need to be more well and whole. It's in deciphering this data that real change begins.
Reflecting on my own journey, I discovered moments where I avoided becoming, while also finding parts of myself that have already blossomed. I invite you to delve into your data, acknowledging the patterns obstructing your becoming.
My own struggle revealed a narrative of sacrificing joy and creativity for financial stability and societal expectations. These patterns silenced my inner artist, leaving me unfulfilled despite professional success. It took a pandemic, journaling, deep work with a dope healer, and accountability to reconnect with my artistic self and make decisions outside the confines of capitalism.
I believe each of us has the potential to be more whole and to take more ownership on the road to healing. Join me in this journey. Examine your patterns, honor your aspirations, and recommit to the beautiful, messy work of healing. When you are in this work not only are you more well but you show up with that wellness in your community. And you use it to also fight for our collective wellness. Please don’t take this call to healing lightly. This message is about our survival.
GET CONNECTED WITH WELLS + FRIENDS:
WELLS Collective Member, Cherese Waight, is now providing workshops and guidance for addressing anti-Black racism in academia! To sign up for the How to Be An Accomplice Instead of An Ally or Addressing Anti-Black Racism workshop series, fill out our form HERE.
dr shena young's book, body rites, is now available! This healing and embodiment workbook for Black survivors of sexual trauma guides and grounds in such a special, powerful, inviting, gentle, and inclusive way. A lot of love was put into this book and it's a healing resource that many of us need. Please share it with anyone who could benefit!
A new offering is coming soon to WELLS! We have been working behind the scenes putting an expansive learning community together - if you want to be the first to know about our launch, fill out this form and we'll email you all the details once we're live! Here's a sneak peek (more details in the Google Form!): The WELLS Practice Space is a transformative program curated by Dr. Della and the WELLS Collective. This space is dedicated to combating anti-Black racism through education, empowerment, and action.
Research study opportunity: Christin Mujica is recruiting U.S Adults of Color (ages 18-40) for a paid study focused on understanding how people of color become aware of racism and oppressive systems, how they act to combat these systems, and their thoughts on other issues regarding race and racism. After a pre-screener to assess your eligibility, you will be able to schedule a 45–60-minute Zoom interview with a researcher. Participants will be compensated with a $20 Amazon gift card. Please email Christin if you're interested!
Thank you to everyone that joined our Palestinian Liberation Accountability Groups! Let this be a reminder to everyone to continue to fight for a free Palestine, from contacting your representatives and disrupting business as usual to amplifying Palestinian voices and truths. Check out this checklist for action items you can do everyday and this post from Queens For Palestine with a list of accounts to follow in and from Gaza. Also, on November 28th, Black Feminist Future is hosting a panel all about the interconnected narratives of Palestine, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cop City in Atlanta, GA. You can sign up for Inextricably Linked: The Interwoven Liberation Struggles in Palestine, Congo, Haiti, and Atlanta HERE.
WELLNESS TIP - physical wellness
Take some time before the end of this month to reflect on your self-image and nurture it. Feel free to share your reflections with us on Instagram: @wellshealing
Self-Image: the idea we have about who we are. It’s made up of our likes and dislikes, skills, personality, and our appearance.
Our self-image is often shaped by our society and its values (e.g., our society tends to place more value on white and light-skinned bodies).
Why we nurture our self-image: Our self-image is sacred. When our self-image is nurtured and cared for, it can help us remain grounded in who we are as opposed to what society tells us about who we are.
Do you know what nurtures your self-image? Nurturing our self-image can feel like immense joy, gender euphoria, ease, and confidence. For some, nurturing our self-image can be a new experience which can elicit new feelings like grief, confusion, and a sense of being overwhelmed. It is all valid.
What are some ways you nurture your self-image? It can look like wearing your favorite outfit, creating a more gentle relationship with your body, maintaining rituals that keep you grounded, and sharing stories about your life and the lives of your ancestors. When we struggle with our self-image, it can look like: poor boundaries, insecurity in relationships, self-doubt, and low energy.
Why do we protect our self-image? Our self-image tends to our agency. It helps us stand in our power, and to hold tight to our truths.
Black feminist Audre Lorde helps capture the sacredness of our self-image when she tells us, “If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.”
Do you know what works against your self-image? Social media and the entertainment industry communicate certain standards when it comes to physical appearance.
Do you feel seen in the content you consume? Have you noticed who is given a platform, and who isn’t? What groups of people are lifted? What is their background, class, ability, body size, education level? What about their sexuality, gender, the color of their skin? How dark or light is their skin?
Sonya Renee Taylor reminds us, “profit-greedy industries work with media outlets to offer us a distorted perception of ourselves and then use that distorted self-image to sell us remedies for the distortion.”
Does your Instagram nurture or work against your self-image? Notice what is being said, and how certain images, sounds, and words sit in your body.
“You are your best thing.” - Toni Morrison
STAY CONNECTED - SOCIALS:
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And if you liked the wellness tip above, be sure to check out our sister brand Blafemme for more gems like this.
Thank you for being a part of our community, The WELLS Healing Center Team
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