Awakening Wellness Professional Corporation - Marion Gittings, LCSW

11/22/2021

Are you a scholar, school-based mental health professional, caregiver or young adult who identifies as Black and has some knowledge/experience with the mental health of Black youth?

12/12/2020

Today my partner, Ted, graduates from UNCW with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This represents 33 years of exploring and discovering what direction to take in pursuing a purpose that brings a sense of accomplishment and joy. We share many privileges as cisgender, straight, white people living on occupied land. Acknowledging all of this does not diminish Ted's accomplishment or make light of the sacrifices made to afford him this opportunity. Let us all take the courageous steps needed to pursue our purpose and acknowledge how we have made life's dreams come true and the support we received with and without consent. Let us also do our part support others who are on the journey, after all, we all continue to grow and need ongoing support too.

11/06/2020

It has been many days since I last posted here. I am pausing this evening and want to acknowledge the privilege I have been unjustly afforded to live here on occupied land taken from the Siouan People. This land I live on is situated on Howe Creek watershed and about three miles, as the crow flies, from this spot captured in this picture. I was reminded of how acknowledging my privilege honors what is and raises our awareness of ourselves and others. From this place of consciousness I can begin to decide how I will be in the world with others. I am grateful for the invitation I received from the Concussion Awareness Support Group out of Montreal to speak on Su***de Prevention and Recovery. It was in preparation to speak today that I began to flesh these thoughts out. I am grateful for the people who are active in this group, for the privilege afforded to me to bear witness to the loving kindness shared in this community seeking to heal. This is what we are here to be, to share. So beautiful!!!

06/06/2020

I am sorry for not speaking about this sooner. Know that I am outraged by the violence and injustice that has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people of color in this country. I stand with many others who are ready to listen to people of color and hold space to develop a deeper understanding of how I can better support people of color and create an culture that truly demonstrates equality and justice for all! These images are by an artist named Mona Chalabi who I was made aware of by fellow graduate of St. Gertrude, Bridget Todd, who I am a fan of on Instagram. Both of these young women are inspiring. Please check them out!!!

01/20/2020

May we remember and celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. well today. His preaching, presence and call to action were based on principles necessary for healthy relationships with ourselves, those who are intimately connected to us, our communities, our country and the world at large. May we be well. May we be at peace.

01/11/2020

It has been a while since I have shared and this is worth sharing! It is an incredibly beautiful example of how we share life and connection. And today when we need a reminder of all the goodness there is to behold , of all the love there is to share, this hit me in my heart and I wanted to share it with you all! ❤

Canada’s government once pressured Inuit women to travel south to give birth. Now, they can have their babies at a hometown maternity clinic led by Inuit midwives.

11/18/2019

Letting go of the need or illusion of perfection requires courage and often a witness to our process, a doula to remind us that we got this.....

09/14/2019

Very pleased to announce this event! If your schedule allows this promises to be a wonderful opportunity to deepen the discussion around suicidality, mental illness, the need for compassion and improvement in access to care!

09/09/2019

I am reposting this because I realize the previous post was difficult to follow. I am reposting these with permission from Patience Salgado, aka on Instagram, and want very much to call your attention to the connection captured in these beautiful pictures. It is EVERYTHING we are here to share. And it is extremely important that these images are out in the universe because they challenge the images promoted of people of color. Birth and death are the ultimate equalizers and are how all beings are transformed. When I have had the privilege of being with people as they labored to bring forth their babies or themselves in the course of psychotherapy I have witnessed what cannot be described in words and which is so beautifully captured here. Look around you today and take a moment to be aware of the power of connection to yourself and those around you. This is the beginning and the infinite.

09/06/2019

08/30/2019

you inspired me!!!! ❤ this and you! We are here to share food, music and Love.

08/22/2019

We need time in nature. It reminds us of how connected we are to all living beings. It provides us with an opportunity to reset. So glad I grabbed that chance this past week!

08/08/2019

It is normal to experience despair when confronted with what appears to be a state of powerlessness and given the tremendous loss of life in our country this past weekend I too admit to feeling helpless. A dear friend turned me on to this song and I want to share in the hopes that it reminds each us to recall the power of relationship and that given time, space, support and encouragement we can solve almost any problem. Peace be with each of you!

Official lyric video for "Take Your Time" by Humbear "Take Your Time" is available to download and stream now! iTunes: https://apple.co/2LWfg1i Spotify: http...

07/14/2019

https://onbeing.org/programs/esther-perel-the-erotic-is-an-antidote-to-death/

Link for podcast featuring Esther Perel. Very
much worth listening to!

07/10/2019

Today is my youngest brother's birthday. He would be 39 today. He died after a long battle with bipolar disorder. Josh taught me many things during his time on this planet. He continues to teach me much. Barbara Kingsolver wrote in Prodigal Summer of grief, "you learn to love the space they left behind." In my work before and especially since Josh's death I have practiced leaving space, holding space for love. Loving well is truly what living is about. Today I will practice loving well.

07/04/2019

When we are not allowing what we are really experiencing to be acknowledged we appear awkward, something is a skew....we are not attuned as Dr. John Gottman has described. This is what it looks like. If we are fortunate we do have people in our lives who are supportive and help direct us back to center.

07/01/2019

Sometimes we just need a place where we can we lay it all out there and let go.

06/27/2019

What is holding you back from diving in or deeper?

06/06/2019

So excited about my new website! Please check it out!
www.awakeningwellnesspc.com

05/22/2019

Excited to share some updates over the next few weeks! Stay tuned!

04/19/2019

This article beautifully captures what I love and appreciate about Transactional Analysis and how it powerfully enables us to move to deeper connection.

Considering this will give you insight into which state you tend to lead from in times of stress.

04/04/2019

This is so wonderfully written! So grateful for the folks out there working to help support those struggling with suicidality and those who are putting pieces back together. If this applies to you, know you do not have to go it alone. Reach out if you need support, I would love to explore how I might help!

An entire community can be changed by a su***de. This is why it's essential that support is available for everyone impacted in the wake of a su***de loss, and that we continue to work towards prevention.

03/21/2019

For anyone supporting someone who has suffered a tremendous loss or is surviving a tremendous loss, this is invaluable. Thank you Karla!

The teachings of yoga provide an excellent guide for practicing kindness to ourselves and to others who are in pain and grief. When practiced, this model works in absolutely all situations. Like mindfulness, the model is simple, but not easy.

03/15/2019

An incredibly creative way to step up your road mapping skills! Make a playlist!

Music is known as the language of love. A shared musical taste is one of the most important aspects in romance and, arguably, whether or not there is a shared interest in genres can make or break a relationship.

02/18/2019

One simple way to build your love map with your partner or child is to take the 5 Love Languages Quiz. Follow this link and check out the quiz under profile!
www.5lovelanguages.com

09/02/2018

06/08/2018

What a tough week folks. Today I am grateful for the American Association of Suicidology and for the all those who are diligently working tirelessly to reach zero su***des.

Storyteller’s Death Highlights Disproportionate Su***de Risk for Middle-aged Men

06/01/2018

Happy Friday Folks! Because it is Friday and I am thankful I thought I would share a win for a client that I was able to witness and celebrate. This win relates to the "escape hatches" I discussed on Wednesday, the 3rd door specifically, "get someone to kill you." A client I worked with many, many years ago was married to an extremely abusive partner. My client's self-worth, long damaged by neglect as a child was virtually nonexistent. After lots of patient presence my client came to understand their worth and the need to alter this generational pattern as to liberate their children. Borrowing courage from those that cared for my client, my client left their marriage and after exploring their options they have established their own place in the world. The physical transformation has been incredible to watch and it is like a Phoenix rising. The outside matches the inside, to borrow a phrase from the "rooms." I am thankful for the privilege and honor of being a part of this journey. I feel so fortunate to get to be a part of life's sacred moments.

05/30/2018

Happy Wednesday! If you are anything like me you are ready for a break from the rain. And the mention of work seems uninspiring! I get it. And I am really fortunate to be in a profession that I love and one that I sometimes forget is work. And sometimes I KNOW it is work and when I experience "this is WORK" I have to stop and reflect about the contract i have established with my client.

One of the most exciting aspects of my work is developing a relationship and setting the parameters about how a client and I will work together. Having studied, practiced and engaged in transactional analysis and redecision therapy, I have adopted the practice of establishing a therapeutic collaborative contract. The first part of the contract is about how we will show up. I ask my clients to imagine that the room we are in has 5 doors. If you go through any of these doors we will not be able to work together. I explain that these doors are shut for me and that I will not go through any of these doors. The first door is kill yourself, the second door is kill someone else, the third door is get someone to kill you, the fourth door is go crazy and the fifth door is run away. The exploration of these escape hatches allows my client and I to address choices and power and to establish that the therapeutic relationship is a collaborative one, one where we are equals. What are your thoughts about this first part of the collaborative contract I have described? What do you experience as you read this?

01/31/2018

Here is an easy way to start to change your life! It is not easy to create lasting change and this reiterates what Shaw Anchor talked about in the last article I posted referencing his work! Start y our day with prayer or meditation and let gratitude set the tone.

Life is busy. It can feel impossible to move toward your dreams. If you have a full-time job and kids, it’s even harder.

01/19/2018

If you are a woman, in relationship with a woman are raising a woman you need to read this. A woman who has taught me a tremendous amount about how to be with others in labor, pain and transition has said, wisely and long before this, "the way to World Peace is through peaceful birth." It is about honoring women's voices and their power.....not power over another, power in collaboration with another.

‘Don’t say that to me, don’t do that to me. I hate it.’ I armed my daughters with these words to deal with harassment, says writer Barbara Kingsolver