On how we heal; trusting that you know what you need to heal, to thrive, to rest and to rewrite your story. 4:00 Journaling journey; Writing to heal, writing to get clear, writing to get kind and writing to get to know myself. 7:00 Giving young people the tools to to grow in emotional awareness. Healing by example. 9:00 Starting from scratch; Peach cobbler story – The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw 12:10 Some people just are who they are and can’t necessarily show up as we expect them to; Allow the adversity in your life to show you just how much you are learning. 15:00 Beginning to journal about trauma and baby steps to get started; It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it. 18:55 Writing about people in a potentially negative way with grace; Holding grudges keeping us from being free; Blaming our younger selves for the actions of our parents. 23:10 Pain Can Feel Like…, Healing Can Feel Like…, Both Can Feel Like…; Reclaiming your power 26:00 Finding therapy sessions, prayers, meditations, etc. not enough to sustain the healing work, and needing more support; Learning to trust I know what I need; Faith without works is dead. 29:00 Our healing is an act of community service. It is not just for us, but for everyone we come in contact with. The healed version of me recognizes the unhealed version of you. 31:15 Rewriting your narrative: Taking ownership over who you are and what you want to be; Making space for joy. 34:00 Nurturing your inner child. Pain that relates to pain from the past. Beginning to think new thoughts of joy and thriving. I am releasing to receive and I am open to what is for me. 37:00 Compassion and connection are essential to this work. Practicing and exercising our compassion, grace, joy, etc. 39:20 Healing is an active process; Choosing to walk away from titles as a reclamation of self. Writing the book I want to write, not the book people want to see from me. 43:05 Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity’s Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism by Vanessa Machada de Oliveira 45:10 Things that bring me joy help me heal. We know that physically in our bodies there are endorphins and other things signaled when we laugh and smile. Writing came into her life by way of therapy and the exploration of healing through journaling and mindfulness. The intention behind Alex’s work is to build community & healing practices through literature & language. Alex teaches workshops, courses, and retreats to assist others in finding their voices and create clarity in their lives & relationships.  alexelle.com