November Kitty Konnections
November Kitty Konnection!
In solidarity with love and gentleness and anger and pain
This week has spoken volumes; however, many of us are not surprised. We are angry and hurt and tired. We are also strong and empowered and bold. We are gentle and mighty. We are people who feel and there are so many feelings to go through right now. We are together coming from all different backgrounds. We are the people who have guided real change and we aren't the type to give up- no matter who tries to take our power. We fight in shifts to give space for others to rest and to take the time we need to keep us going. We don't crumble and we don't fall. We take the space we need to honor ourselves and our own well-being in whatever way that looks like to us and when we are ready, we get back up.
Its okay to be numb right now. Its okay to be panicked. Its okay to struggle and its okay if you find yourself surprisingly okay at some moments but not others. Its okay to cry. Its okay to scream. Its okay to distract ourselves. Its okay to take a break. Its okay to be energized into immediate action when others are not ready and its okay to take the next shift if you find yourself unable to do that.
Please take time to truly give yourself intentional space for feeling however you may be feeling. Sit with that instead of pushing it away. Allow all of the feelings space to be heard. Support that part of you. Empathize with all parts of you feeling differently. Provide safety for your feelings and self. Know that in this very moment when you are reading this, you are safe. Notice your surroundings. When you get trapped spiraling in the larger fears and "what ifs/what is to come," breathe and notice your body. Notice the colors around you, the temperature, the textures, the smells, the sounds, your clothing, your breath. Bring yourself back to you and when you are ready, gently expand your view with each exhale.
One of my favorite coping skills is something I call Rainbow Breathing
Close your eyes and notice how you are emotionally and physically feeling.
Identify a color that comes up with that feeling- it could be whatever color pops into your mind first. Some are able to visualize the color and others can't and that's okay.
Now, identify a color that is calming to you, close your eyes, imagine that color and deepen your exhale.
Inhale the calm color by visualizing or thinking of that color entering your body starting at the top of your head.
Exhale longer than you inhale and imagine blowing the upsetting color out of your body.
As you inhale, imagine this calm color is replacing the upsetting color throughout your body. Let your body relax as the colors transition.
Breathe in and out for as long as you need to in order to fill your body only with the calm color.
When you think you are done, shake your body out and inhale/exhale at least once more to make sure any blockages can be released. Allow yourself to release.
*If you struggle with visualizing, consider inhaling with an affirming and healing statement and exhaling with the upsetting thought.
*If you struggle with silence or stillness, hum or play light music in the background and/or rock back and forth/side to side and/or tap across your body on your shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, or legs. Honor your sensory needs.
*Its okay if you struggle maintaining this right away or notice more irritation. That is normal. Let your body feel how it does because it is communicating to you what it needs. Don't shame or punish it for responding naturally. Its likely the resistance stems from protection built up over time. Acknowledge the strength in that protection and be gentle with yourself. Breathing exercises and any mindful exercises take practice. Mindfulness just means to be intentional about what you are doing in that moment- it can be any activity. Determine what is healthy for you.
This isn't meant to be a message of hope or defeat. This is for you, for us, for our community of people and living things on Earth. Take care of yourself and take a step back as needed to ground yourself. Splash cold water on your face, hold an ice cube, eat a frozen treat, drink a warm beverage, eat something spicy or citrusy. Honor your senses to come back to yourself.
There are a lot of incredible people and groups gathering together resources to unify us and provide sanctuaries and spaces of action for us. Look for mental health providers and support groups to engage in or use resources on your own. I will continue posting the resources that are available in Virginia and nationally (if virtual) on instagram: princekittycollc along with mental health messages from Yin Yang, Dewart, and Galelea. There are post election resources in the Collective Trauma section of www.tinyurl.com/AngelicasSelfCareSpace in addition to resources in each room corresponding to the room. Just about everything is clickable and it may take a second to load, but the pictures/items should take you directly to the resource or should open it up in a separate tab/window. Some devices may not work as well - if anyone has expertise with generating a website like I have created outside of a google slides presentation, I would very much love to chat to expand access and resources without slowing down the site.
This upcoming weekend is the Transgender Information & Empowerment Summit on Saturday, November 16. There will be a lot of information and empowering presentations, activities, and clinics so don't miss out. This event is happening at a crucial time to help you find the resources and information that you will need.
Prince Kitty Co (Angelica Gehlich, LCSW) will be presenting a trauma workshop called "We Are" in collaboration with Nicole Morgan, PsyD. I will also be participating on a panel about mental health and gender affirmation AND providing time slots for open clinic sessions.
Come talk to a licensed clinical social worker/queer therapist about your questions/concerns/needs with your own mental health journey. We can put together some resources for future use and/or talk about how to get started. Happy to answer questions you may have about the process, whether they are questions about the process itself or questions you’ve been asking yourself about considering starting the process.
gender affirming care (and self-validation with making decisions in our care)
resource gathering (specific needs or general resources for mental health)
general mental health discussion
therapy process and how to find a therapist that would be a good fit
Register ahead of time to attend! Registration ends Tuesday, November 12th so don’t put this off! Scan the QR code or go to: https://bit.ly/TIES2024
In addition, I'd like to share a message from Emmin Bickford, a resident therapist at The Properties of Light:
I know that this is a time that is leaving many of us with heavy hearts. If you have capacity--please share a message for our queer and trans young people so they are able to look to words of hope as they are processing their own grief and fear in response to the recent election: tinyurl.com/hope4transyouth
You can also view the messages of hope here: words of hope
Upcoming Events
TIES (Transgender Information & Empowerment Summit): November 16 8:30am-5:30 pm
Register by November 12!!
At TIES, we’re offering a robust day of free activities focused on education, empowerment, resource expansion, and most importantly, joy. It is a celebratory space for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to come together, learn from each other, and strengthen bonds within and beyond the community.
Prince Kitty events/activities in TIES:
Prince Kitty Co, LLC (Angelica Gehlich, LCSW (she/they)) is collaborating with Nicole Morgan, PsyD (she/her) to facilitate "We Are: Therapeutic Interventions to Support Healing," a trauma intervention workshop combining psychoeducation, therapeutic self-exploration, and somatic grounding skills/nervous system regulation to promote healing through traumatic experiences and intense emotions that feel stuck in our mind/body. We will do gentle stretching to release tension from the body and learn regulating movements to help calm the nervous system.
I will also be participating on a panel about mental health and gender affirmation AND providing time slots for open clinic sessions.
Instagram Highlights
Remember to check out instagram (@princekittycollc) and facebook (Prince Kitty Co) for Which Cat Wednesday, Kitties Care, and quality shared content through the Prince Kitty highlight reels:
now added
Election Health: Shared posts of community care to get through the outcomes of this election.
Kitties Care is a new series meant to share mental health thoughts from Yin Yang, Dewart, and Galelea to you. There's deep wisdom under those purrs.
Angelica's Self Care Space
Angelica’s Self Care Space is a virtual resource library including clickable/interactive activities and resources! The purpose is to provide access to helpful resources and therapeutic suggestions without having to be currently involved with mental health services/ having to pay for support already out there. The hope is to improve accessibility in a world that has been engulfed in capitalism and service/resource segregation based on levels of privilege.
Community Highlights:
There are a lot of things to look forward to this fall season so we don't have an exhaustive list; however, here are a few community events to highlight coming up! Keep up with a lot more events in the Community Events highlight within the Princekittycollc Instagram.
Equality Virginia
TIES (Transgender Information & Empowerment Summit): November 16 8:30am-5:30 pm
(info above) register here
Written & Directed by Edwin Domachowski
Suitcase of Memories, a short film
https://suitcaseofmemories7.wixsite.com/shortfilm
In this coming-of-age story, a transgender teen returns to his hometown after being away for four years. As he reconnects with his childhood friend and love interest, he struggles to navigate the complexities of their relationship as she grapples with accepting him for who he is now. As they both struggle to come to terms with their feelings and changing identities, they must confront the past and face their uncertain future together.
Premiering December 9th at Court Square Theatre, Harrisonburg, VA
Keep an eye out for Prince Kitty Co’s collaboration with Edwin Domachowski and others who brought Suitcase of Memories to life through a panel discussion/therapeutic screenings surrounding trans identity, community, and mental health.
Sensible Tips LLC
Thriving While Trans Workshop: Safety and Action Planning
Join us in community on Saturday, Nov 23 at the Belmont Library 2:00 pm-5:00 pm for a workshop focused on safety and action planning for an uncertain future. We will provide information and support while helping you develop your own plan for safety and action plan to respond to recent political events. The following will be addressed:
· safety and action plan development
· community resources identification
· assistance filling out forms related to name and gender changes
· accessing and maintaining trans affirming care
· healthy coping strategies
RSVP here
Take action with Sunrise Richmond:
Keep up with us! Now through the end of the year, Sunrise Richmond will be quite busy. We will be meeting, organizing, and resting. We invite new folks to join us for our next public meeting and orientation meeting in November, and invite you to join us in our work across the city! Send a dm if you have any questions!
Instagram: sunriserva
Prince Kitty Co, LLC / Q-CECI has started planning different community collaborations into 2025. We love connecting with other community programs/services/businesses to come together and create an awesome workshop/event.
Prince Kitty prioritizes events that are exchange-based/non-monetary trade/sliding scale for promoting accessibility instead of capitalism.
As always, take a look around the website (links below pink line) and if anything speaks to you - or if you just want to speak to me- give me a shout!
Angelica Gehlich, LCSW (she/they)