Powerlina for Hire
More than a few someones in my life have called me “Powerlina,” and it has sort of stuck. And that’s what it’s all about for me – sharing stories that bring out the power in each of us. To be able to visit with young girls at schools and women’s groups to share my story means the world to me. Working with families and caretakers of loved ones with mental illness, and talking about triumphing over obesity and negative body image, all of these topics are not only part of what made me who I am today, but they come with a lifetime of learnings “the hard way” that could be put to use and shared with others to make their journeys a little bit less traumatic.
Coming of Age, Sexual Awakening, and Girl Power
“Boys will be boys.” “Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice.” We all know the traditional stereotypes are never more prevalent than during those coming-of-age years, especially for girls. This presentation offers personal as well as societal perspectives on girls: their coming of age, sexual awakening, and power, and shares hard-learned lessons on what’s normal and natural versus what’s not.
Sexual Assault, Victim Blaming, and Victim Guilt
August 2013 – a Montana state district judge sentenced a high school teacher to a month in prison for raping a 14-year-old student who later killed herself.
January 2014 – President Obama addressed the audience at an event for the Council on Women and Girls. In his speech, he said, “It is estimated that 1 in 5 women on college campuses has been sexually assaulted during their time there – 1 in 5.”
May 2014 – an Indianapolis man convicted on six counts of drugging and raping his wife gets no prison time, but his wife is advised by the judge to forgive her husband.
As shocking as all that may be, it’s becoming all too common. As one who knows first-hand the experience, society’s accusations, the self-blame, and the secrets that can lead to self-destruction, I offer up my own story alongside others, spilling secrets, searching for solutions.
Coping with Mental Illness in the Family
I was raised by a paranoid schizophrenic who went undiagnosed and untreated for years. I then found myself signing commitment papers at the age of 26, when my sister two years my junior exploded in her first psychotic episode. Having lived a lifetime surrounded by mental illness, I’ve had no choice but to immerse myself in learning everything there is to know about the disease, its symptoms, its treatments, the fears associated when mental illness runs in your family, the societal stigma, how best to navigate the system, become the caretaker needed, and to do so without you yourself going “crazy.” This presentation takes a look at mental illness from the caretaker’s perspective, offering strategies to survive a never-ending situation for families coping with mentally ill members.
Eating Yourself to Death, Loving Yourself to Live
Stuffing down secrets takes its toll. For me, that meant ballooning to 365 pounds. Food momentarily numbed the pain I felt. Food became my friend, my confidant, my lover. Eventually, it became my executioner, as I was slowly eating myself to death. What it took to pull myself out of the hole I was in ended up being Gastric Bypass Surgery. And while I credit it for physically putting me back on the path to living, shedding the pounds externally didn’t lighten the load on my heart, mind, and soul internally. This presentation explores obesity from the inside out and shares lessons learned along the way to loving myself enough to live.
The Power of “Putting It out There” and Dreaming What You Want into Existence
Blueberry Hill Cottage is the name given to the place I call home. How I ended up there is a magical story that calls upon those mighty forces that, especially in this case, did not disappoint. Throughout my entire life, I’ve realized the power of our thoughts to bring about whatever it is we want. For women especially, our intuitiveness lends itself to our being able to harness the universe – IF we believe and are open to it. This presentation shares instances of how and when I’ve benefitted from the practice of “putting it out there,” and offers up tips and tools for others to do the same.
