Month: October 2022
Warning: This post will be discussing mental health items, terms, and situations. If you believe this content will trigger unwanted feelings and emotions please refrain from reading any further. Also, if you have an immediate emergency need for help with mental or emotional concerns feel comfortable calling 911. Lastly, if you or someone you know is battling recurring suicidal thoughts feel comfortable reaching out to the Suicide Prevention Center Hotline: 988 24/7.
In a matter of two or three short days, there were reports of two noteworthy individuals that felt helpless, hopeless, or in a state of overwhelm that they exercised a permanent and irreversible means to end their turmoil in the form of suicide. No judgment here. The focus will not be on a salacious tone. Instead, the preference is to go back to the glaringly obvious solutions and how The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries is the salve towards providing healing in our local community.
There is an old African proverb that states it takes a village to fill in the blank. The most popular iteration of this quote is child-rearing. However, it can be applied to virtually anything where there is a recognition of the need for community.
Let’s dive right into both incidents, what we know, and most importantly how we can apply the solutions to our own lives (or the lives of those we care about).
Bed Bath & Beyond CFO, Gustavo Arnal jumped to his death from a high-rise apartment in Manhattan. At the age of 52, he enjoyed a storied and enviable professional career that included traveling worldwide in various aspects and industries in financial capacities. So, what’s the backstory? What happened that led to this? Per the CNN article referenced below, Arnal was named as a defendant in a class action lawsuit accusing him, Ryan Cohen, and other large shareholders of engaging in a “pump and dump” scheme to artificially inflate the price of the company’s stock.
While Arnal may be deemed to be on an island both literally and figuratively one thing is relatable and shared by all of us: The Human Experience. The Amplified Bible states in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that, “ No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]: but God is faithful [to His word — He is compassionate and trustworthy] and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding and will overcome temptation with joy].
This particular passage of Scripture along with the recurring apparent need of addressing mental and emotional health challenges in our local community compelled The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries to implement a few programs.
Let’s begin with:
Mental and Behavioral Health Counseling
(Non-Faith Based and Faith-Based)
Partnered with Heart and Soul Collaboratives Inc.
Group Counseling, Family Counseling, 1-to-1 Counseling
https://fruitnhands.org/counseling
There are also several coaching programs with focuses designed to meet particular and specific needs:
https://fruitnhands.org/life-coaching
There was another incident that occurred with a girlfriend of a rapper. Full disclosure, I have no idea who either of these individuals is. However, I include them in this post for obvious and less obvious reasons. You see, our youth is enamored by the lifestyle of the celebrated. Also referred to as celebrities and the rich and famous. It is not uncommon for a goal of a young lady to hitch her wagon to the rising star of an athlete, or in this case, a rapper.
In researching this heartbreaking story I was struck by the length of time that this young lady had been struggling with mental health issues. It’s stories like these that are a cautionary tale for all of us when we hear seemingly off-handed comments of struggle. In addition, we should be on the lookout for a lack of individual self-identity. There are catchphrases, moods, behaviors, and much more that need attention. Referring back to the power of a community or a village is paramount in seeing lasting change. The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries is doing just that with the above-referenced counseling and coaching programs.
Below is the link to the above-referenced story:
https://www.tmz.com/2022/09/06/600breezy-girlfriend-dead-died-suicide/
Feel comfortable going to these pages and filling out the form(s) or calling to schedule an initial exploratory consultation.
951-289-9808
https://fruitnhands.org/counseling
https://fruitnhands.org/life-coaching
If you have a mental health emergency contact feel comfortable calling 911. Lastly, if you or someone you know is battling recurring suicidal thoughts feel comfortable reaching out to the Suicide Prevention Center Hotline: 988 24/7.
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Read time 1:35
Let’s talk about what we should talk about: Mourning + Grief. Although this is a natural occurrence, it’s still a touchy subject. Having now experienced both mourning and grief, I get it!
dictionary.com describes mourning as:
verb (used without object)
to feel or express sorrow or grief.
to grieve or lament for the dead.
to show the conventional or usual signs of sorrow over a person’s death.
verb (used with object)
to feel or express sorrow or grief over (misfortune, loss, or anything regretted); deplore.
to grieve or lament over (the dead).
to utter in a sorrowful manner.
Ironically, they use the terms interchangeably. Suffice it to say, when you’re going through it, in the midst of it it can be tough. The length of time and experience is compounded when you do not have an adequate support system. In reflecting upon this I expanded my thought and realized that The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries is a support system for you to get through, around, over, endure and become victorious in spite of bouts and stages of mourning and grief! In the most challenging times is when we lean toward isolation. Isolation feeds upon more isolation which can make the individual feel alone and helpless. Having someone to speak to and get things off of your chest and mind frees up space for victories. It also is not lost on me that dictionary.com displays these states both attached to objects and not.
One day recently it felt like death announcements were coming through traditional news portals, social media and news feeds in rapid succession. Although the individuals mentioned are celebrated, it was a reminder of how the notification of death, loss, or misfortune can spark negative and melancholy emotions. Watching those close to these individuals emotionally express their grief can be uncomfortable. Watching someone else cry is similar to when someone yawns and you find yourself yawning. Vicariously experiencing their expression of loss can oftentimes cause your mind to drift back to your experiences of loss. Let’s face it sometimes it is difficult to go through things with your own grit. In those times when you need support, The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries is a resource to get you through to the other side of pain and discomfort. They will remind you that you are not alone. If you are in the middle of tackling an uncomfortable level of grief make a phone call today to get things in motion to change your state of mind. Call 951-289-9808 to begin your journey of feeling and being better!
The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries understands the power of one meaningful conversation. Too often we look at the BIG picture. While this is both necessary and important, there is also a long-term benefit in breaking things down into bite-size pieces. A popular quote/question attributed to self-improvement guru, Brian Tracy is: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Let’s expand that thought in the light of receiving the desired outcome by one interaction. Imagine. One right word at the right time can change your life. There was a compilation storybook titled, The Right Word At The Right Time spearheaded by Marlo Thomas. In one conversation, one book, one encounter your entire perspective can shift.
Full disclosure, I’ve had the pleasure of watching dancing eyes filled with hope exiting a confidential consultation. It’s a consistent look of relief, expectancy, empowerment, and resoluteness. You know the look. It’s the look of a mom who rediscovers her lost self. Or, perhaps, it’s the look of a retired wife and mother that excelled in her vocation and is struggling to feel viable. Then as she is debriefing her experience in the communal area you can see the sparks of light permeate her face. Or the gentleman that envisioned his life going in one direction only to be blindsided by his employer. Feeling helpless and hopeless he reaches out to The Fruit Of Our Hands Ministries and is now empowered to bet on himself. Then there is the woman who believed and internalized virtually all the negative words spoken over her and to her about why she couldn’t make a positive outlook. Well, thanks to both Mental and Behavioral Counseling and Quality of Life Improvement Coaching, she is well on her way to victory. The best part is that the victory she is experiencing has inspired her to impart victory and hope to others.
The Bible says Hope deferred makes the heart sick. However, the second part of that passage says that when the desire comes it’s like a life-giving tree. Many become weak and weary while on the journey to accomplishment. These are the times when you need someone to bounce ideas off of, seek wisdom and learn your next best steps. Through the portals of counseling and coaching, you’re investing in yourself to walk out of hopelessness to hopefulness. The first step you’ll need to take to hopefulness is to fill out this form and submit it:
https://fruitnhands.org/assets/forms/Client_Contact_Information.pdf
Or, you can feel comfortable calling us to schedule your confidential initial consultation here: 951-289-8908.