Abby Rozen, MSW RSW

18/10/2024

A statement of accountability/apology:

A few weeks ago I was notified by mail about a municipal shelter being planned for a long empty house near my home. Several neighbours and I tried to find information about the proposal and learned that this was a project by CreateTO and 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations. Overall we were optimistic and wanted to understand more about the scope of the project. We were unable to find much information.

A few neighbours suggested that we could ask questions about the proposed variants as a way to get this information. This seemed reasonable to me. A letter was written which I hastily signed. I did not pay close enough attention to what I was signing and assumed it was a letter that would result in more information about the project and would not build a case against the project. This was a harmful and careless act on my part. I should have absolutely considered more closely what I was signing.

I did not realize it was a letter of opposition as that was not noted on the draft that I had read. Last night this was brought to my attention and my partner and I immediately wrote a letter of support that I sent in last night and which is on public record as of 9:30am today. As of this evening my letter can be found near the bottom of page 2 of supporting documentation. Following that, my family have submitted a request to remove our names from the letter of opposition. I will do everything I can to gain support for this project among our neighbours.

By signing this letter I have caused harm to people in our community, which directly opposes the values that I aim to live in alignment with. I am deeply sorry.

We are enthusiastic about transitional housing for 2 Spirited Indigenous Youth, and believe it is a wonderful use for the empty building which has been sitting there for many years. We’re excited that this project can lead to sustainable solutions to empower these folks. As of today we have become monthly donors to 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations and specifically to this project and look forward to watching it develop and become a part of our community.

29/01/2024

Sharing a glimpse of our Safe and Sound Protocol journey. 🎨✨ My son, navigating recent challenges, found comfort and boosted nervous system processing during our session. “Is this what it’s like to be the boss?” he asked, diving into newfound creativity. In my practice, I’m here to support parents after their own SSP experience, as they navigate this journey with their kids. Transformation in progress!

15/01/2024

Sometimes the street signs in Toronto are uplifting.

09/01/2024

6 week follow up from a colleague 🤩

07/12/2023

Reflecting on a friend/colleague’s experience post-SSP. They’ve noticed a subtle yet meaningful change in parenting dynamics – feeling less irritable, more adaptable with their kids. Recently, when their little one was unwell, they managed things calmly and clearly. It’s inspiring to see these shifts firsthand. 🌟
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23/11/2023

🌟 Explore the transformative power of the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) 🌟 I’m genuinely thrilled to offer this intervention 💕 This program is designed to help re-tune your nervous system, promoting connection, resilience, and a balanced state of being. Limited spots available monthly, with personalized monitoring and collaboration. Discover more about SSP and how it could benefit you! 💫

23/01/2022

I don’t know who came up with this one (DM me for credit) but it’s so good it deserves to go on the grid. Why can’t it just be this easy? Baby goats for all!

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12/10/2021

Thank you for sharing your medicines on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Thank you for calling in therapists on working towards allyship for Indigenous folks. Thank you for teaching how to apply an AOP lens to the work that we do.

24/08/2021

After 3 years I finally have settled on the art I want to be surrounded by while I do this work.

09/05/2021

Ugh. Mother’s Day. How does it get more complex and fraught with emotion every year? Today let’s hold space for all of our experiences and know that they are normal, valid and acceptable. The feelings that come up today can be intense and I encourage you to move through them as best as you can. For some that might mean sitting with emotions, for some others distractions to help tolerate them. Please give yourself permission to move through today with self compassion and love.

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08/05/2021

•A•D•H•D• •H•A•C•K•

This can work for anyone who has a hard time staying on top of their meds and supplements, which has always been me! I have two of these monthly planners - one for morning meds/vitamins and one for bedtime. I love it because it helps me stay on top of taking what I need, and also answers the important question of “did I take my meds today?” Also helps me stay on top of when I need to refill my prescriptions in advance rather than waiting until I only have a couple days left. 💃🏻💊😎

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13/04/2021

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Necessary reminders today.

09/04/2021

Camh is providing vaccines for those diagnosed with mental illness or substance use disorders. Book now! Yipppeee!

Resources for Patients and Families

03/04/2021

NUMBING • vs • COMFORT

So many of my clients beat themselves up for eating comfort foods. But folks, food IS comfort. Food isn’t just fuel and nutrition, it’s also an opportunity to find pleasure. When we try to deprive ourselves from food that nurtures us we deny ourselves the joy of being human. Let’s embrace eating for comfort and pleasure. Let’s avoid using food to numb. Do you ever eat something that you would have liked to enjoy only to notice that you didn’t because you were distracted or too ashamed to pay attention? I always feel so cheated when this happens. So, next time you want to eat try my favourite trick: serve it to yourself with love. Eat it off a beautiful plate or out of a lovely bowl instead of the bag. Sit down to eat it rather than standing over the sink or in front of the fridge. Take a photo of your dish, post it to Instagram and tag me in it - I’ll share them! Drop a comment below to let me know how it went. It’s a small change but a beautiful one that honours every part of ourselves.
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18/03/2021

S*x Workers deserve to live.

Reposted from • If you're going to talk, post, do activism, etc, about the recent murders in Atlanta: acknowledge that these women were s*x workers. Acknowledge that they were targeted, killed, considered disposable losses in a white man's "bad day" not only because they were Asian, but because they worked in an industry that has been the punchline of "dead ho**er" jokes for decades. Say it. Say that they worked in massage parlors where they provided erotic services for money. Say that their association with white men's fantasies and "unrespectable" occupation was a part of the reason he felt that his feelings were more important than their lives. Say that the fetishization and s*xual domination of Asian women has been a foundational element of racism and colonization and empire-building for over a century. Say that mainstream "Asian activists" and "racial justice activists" and "leftist politicians" in the West are so concerned with respectability politics that they'd rather let a whole community of workers vanish and die and be policed out of existence than actually stand up and admit that s*x workers are human too. Say that s*x workers deserve to make money, have jobs, get support out loud, in public, from you. Say that s*x workers deserve to live. Say that s*x workers deserve to live. Say that s*x workers deserve to live. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it.

14/03/2021

It really won’t.

with
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just some time passing to remind you that this too shall pass 💙

01/01/2021

This year can’t be the same. We couldn’t have anticipated the decade that was 2020, but here we are. A little softer around the edges, a little more settled into this constant chaos of both everything and nothing, feeling both resigned and hopeful. We have been forced into accepting uncertainty beyond what we thought we could tolerate, and we are still here. I’ll share with you these words I must have uttered a hundred times over the past year: we did things we never thought possible, and we survived. We are way more powerful than we know. Let’s carry that forward and remind ourselves that this year can’t be the same, we’ve evolved. I’m proud of us.

21/12/2020

So much love...

Sending love to those who are finding this time of year challenging.
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