Sylwia Korsak

I made a thing, or two this weekend. Thanks to the amazing leadership and guidance of Alice Shields from the @clayshedbristol – I cannot stop thinking about her way of teaching and guiding us: professional, steady, so well informed but also trusting, stepping in exactly when we needed it. The work is the result of our and HER attention. Learned a lot from her way of teaching and working. So kind too. As for the pottery process: such a wonderful metaphor for trauma work: stabilise, be mindful, ground and steady yourself but be confident, center, and only then, when ready, help the client build steady walls and rebuild their new experience of the world. Results are not always perfect but steady enough to keep us going, maybe even nurture.

Today I remembered how I define my belongings: it’s places and people that foster my authentic self. And so, I do not belong to one country, or two. In fact, countries, citizenships are my Stopping Places. So is each and every person who actively respects me for who I am and keeps me safe, nurtured. Without those kind people, groups, belongings, I would not be able to do the work I do and help others. The last book was blooming hard to read but now I have time to learn this new Stopping Place of mine. Marvellous book!!!

Happy Diwali to my friends who celebrate. Oh, what a sublime day! Started with posting to support people with anxiety and depression across the country, sending out my newsletter, then pre-ordering a book of poetry from a magnificent friend (so cannot wait!!!), planning walks with friends, posts for my own company (fun), watching my other daughter celebrate Diwali in India, collecting leaves in the park, reporting from COP26, submitting school assignment (again…), the final session of trauma training, and an incredible day 1 of the Hope Summit. For a person who had to study about books and wait for them for weeks to arrive from a library, it will always feel incredible to be able to finish the day with Dr.Dan Siegel leading an embodied integration exercise in my home office. Lush!!! Ever so grateful for wonderful people, autumnal nature, and the free training opportunities the web allows us. All of the above without stress, with gratitude. Softly. (And with cheesecake too;)) Today I learned that feeling hopeful extends our life.. so… off to practice. What a time to live. #hopeful #grateful #inspired #awe #diwali #positivepsychology #ecoanxiety #trauma #work #studies📚 (update: posted this and realized it might sound quite naive so just to clarify: I am fully aware we might be on the verge of extinction soon, but that is why we need to act, build a better future and almost certainly not shut down) #doingthework

On my Nameday, I feel such a mix of emotions. I used to celebrate it with my Dad but he is now gone and has been for many years. I used to celebrate it a lot on my own, in my own quiet way, reconnecting with my Roman name, Tatar roots, Polish Lithuanian ancestors. Each year is somewhat different but since 2019 it is also the Birthday of my business. @VoxelHubOrg is the third digital start-up I am building and it is slowly shaping up. This year feels so much steadier, richer. But the work, it goes back a bit. Pretty much since 2014-2015 I was preparing, testing, making space, intentionally arranging life in such a way that now I can build this baby in a balanced way, without stress or rushing it off. We go softly. We build the foundations and every 3rd of November, check-in. We invest in impact. But, it takes a village. So it’s the day of saying thanks to people who make this work possible. And a day of reflecting on its mission too. Hence the book, a stark reminder of what is ahead of us and how we need to stay awake, work hard, reconnect with each other, build alliances and bridges. We need to guard the progress we are making. One step, one person at a time. Thank you to every person who is with me. I am standing on the shoulders of you, giants who came before me and who walk alongside me now. We do this for the giants who are growing up and will take over from us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Tree selfie today. Discovered a lovely walk opportunity in Kingswood today.

A quiet celebration of a small milestone on my counseling journey. This space is such a healing, blissful office for my therapy work. Eternally grateful to every single person who supported and continues to support me.

On the road again. Not ideal but trying to stay as positive as I can. Still, I am astonished how reckless is the impact of the negative bias towards tech on our lives these days. So much work could be done online and safely if we finally believed that online reality is as real as the grounded one. We should not have to face impossible choices like this but here we are.

This weekend I have discovered a narrative in my mind which is very disrespectful of nature. So I spent all my free time re-connecting, apologizing to trees, and holding my shame in front of my face: this bias is real, we do look down on nature and the conviction grows deep. Not as deep as the roots of this oak tree but deep enough to hide even from my rather eco-friendly habits on the surface. Those who know me might find this a bit of a surprise, I’m the one preaching of nature and the power of technology to save the planet and our humanity… yet, there, hiding deep in my collective human narrative was the idea of complexity and dominance. Now, I see it, so it’s time to weed it out. Wish me luck. This is deep work.

I read a lot of books this summer, many wonderful ones, some not-so-good ones, however, reading @shafakelif – this particular new book of hers was a healing balm to my soul, mind, and body. As a youth therapist and first wave immigrant, from Poland which is suffering so much, a parent who had to guide my half-British son and Eastern-European husband, and myself tbh through horrible racism of Brexit U.K. I needed to read this so much. Very few authors take on Brexit-related issues, very few still talk about the climate crisis. (For me too nature was the Healer) She does it all and brings healing in the process.

Travel feels so different now. At a train station. Thinking about all the things that have changed around us and in us. Sad to see empty food shelves even at Starbucks but not surprised. Covid is shielding the impact of Brexit. How on Earth are we going to heal from all of this? Where do we even start?