LOVE CONNECTORS: Stick Together

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger “And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed.” Kitty O’Meara As many celebrated Easter, although there was togetherness, it was likely not the togetherness Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS: Embrace the Wait

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger “When the answer to ‘What am I feeling?’ is ‘I don’t know,’ change the question to ‘What do I notice about my body right now?’ Lots of us learned to numb or muffle emotion and some of us got so good at it that knowing what we feel can be really, really hard. Although our awareness can be numbed, the body sense of emotion never leaves. One way to Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS: Here We Go Loopty Loo

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger Recently, I heard someone describe the current COVID-19 season as a period of ‘fluid loops.’ This description resonated with me as awareness and longing for structure greets me from within. A loop, a circle, invites us to dream about what it holds. For most of us a circle is the first shape we learn. Or maybe we remember the attempts at an early childhood game; the hula hoop. Within Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS : Scribble Chase

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger “But you’re not being nice!” Scribble shouted, quite mad. “The fact that I’m different doesn’t make me so bad. My colors are special, and my lines are just fine. If you’d give me a chance, we could have a great time!” I’m Not Just a Scribble…by Diane Alber As the current state of affairs continues with social distancing, we might be feeling a little messy and frayed around the Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS : Shake, Rattle, and Roll

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger Beloved Mr. Rogers is often quoted as saying, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers-so many caring Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS : Catch a Breath

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger Each new day, during this season, brings with it the pendulum swing of being both a fluid time of transitions and the reality of a different pace of life. As we hunker down with social distancing, it can help to go back to the very beginning. Whew, let’s return to the natural resource of our breath! Noticing our breath can help us calm dawn and self-regulate by simply paying Read more…

LOVE CONNECTORS : Origami Butterflies

A Crafting Series By: Jill Stockburger As social distancing settles, opportunities emerge for us to be closer to those within our homes while at the same time experiencing the loss and more deeply understanding the value of others who hold space in our lives, such as friends, teachers, and others. It is a time of double-dip feelings for sure! And, that is where creativity welcomes us to explore connection in different ways. We were made Read more…

Parenting is a Leadership Exercise

I was invited to speak at the Florida Foster and Adoptive Parent Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida in June. It is always a special privilege to share with families who are in the trenches. I love meeting them, hearing their stories, and being able to share information and experiences that can help them on their journey of hope and healing. I find it easy to be vulnerable with like minded people. I feel like Read more…

Don’t Create a Vacuum

There is a great parenting strategy I think we should all subscribe to; don’t remove a coping mechanism or survival strategy from a child unless you have something better to replace it with. Don’t create a vacuum if you are not prepared to fill it. Vacuums by definition cannot remain unfilled. If you’re not equipped to replace your child’s survival strategy with something that helps them, don’t take the strategy away. Let them keep it Read more…