The mission of Heal My Voice is “to support women and girls to reclaim personal power and step into greater leadership in their lives”.
Many non-profit organizations I have engaged with over the years struggle to live and actualize their mission. Heal My Voice, through the vision and leadership of founder and director Andrea Hylen, has not been one of them. As I read the mission of Heal My Voice, I feel like a living testament to it. I know I’m not alone in this. I believe every woman who has stepped into a Heal My Voice program has had some experience of reclaiming their personal power and stepping into greater leadership. And many other women, and men, have been inspired by hearing the voices of women through the stories that Heal My Voice has helped to birth and release into the world through books, radio show and social media over the last 11 years.
When Andrea asked me to facilitate a program to help bring Heal My Voice to a completion at the end of this year, I felt a lot of emotions. There was a sadness in knowing this organization, which has been a foundational part of my personal and professional growth over the last 9 years, would be ending. And, yet as Seneca said so beautifully,
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
As Andrea and I came together to vision what would be a meaningful and intentional ending, I was already in the midst of a few big things in my life moving to completion. This started with a major period of caregiving, loss, and grief that began in mid-2018 as I supported my father in navigating the end of life and was immediately followed by walking with my dearest friend, Bud, on the last leg of his journey as he transitioned in January 2020. During this time of letting go, I had found an anchor in graduate school, finally at age 54, and I was moving toward graduation as we entered 2021. I was also completing a facilitator program in one of my core spiritual practices, Feeding Your Demons®. Although I felt very full energetically and emotionally, Andrea’s invitation stirred something deeply in my heart and soul. When I entered my first Heal My Voice program, Inspired Voices, in 2012, I did not consider myself a leader in any way, shape, or form, but as the mission states – I had learned to step into greater leadership through this journey. I was coming full circle!
Circles have always been at the heart of Heal My Voice programs. And, so it felt fitting to come together in circle as a foundational element for our closing ritual. In 2019, after participating and leading many circles over the years in holistic and spiritual programs, including Heal My Voice, I was introduced to the field of restorative practices; this became the focus of my graduate studies. “Restorative practices is an emerging social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within communities…though new to the social sciences, restorative practices has deep roots within indigenous communities throughout the world (IIRP Website, 2021).”
Diving into a graduate program in restorative practices allowed me to reflect on and deepen into my own experiences and understanding of the power of community and the circle process itself. I was introduced to the term “Co-Visioning” by my advisor and professor, Frida Rundell. “Co-vision is a fluid and dynamic process that is dependent on reflective-practitioner context and the group’s intent; it supports how “I-would-be-in-the-world’ and is an invitation to be in relation to others in a genuine and equal way (Rundell, 2020).” It was clear that Heal My Voice had an organic process of co-visioning that was a major part of the power of this program. Heal My Voice circles have always offered an experience of safety, and a container of sacred space where vulnerability and authenticity emerge organically. Having the language and context of co-visioning, allowed our “final chapter” to become even more potent!
Our closing co-vision journey followed the nine-month Heal My Voice process, which has been time frame in our programs for envisioning and birthing our stories together. The dynamic themes for each month offer a roadmap to self-exploration and awakening. Moving through 2021 and living in such uncertain times has been challenging in many ways. Having a container for the journey allowed for each woman who participated to reconnect with themselves, spirit, and community. From my own experience, I know this was a powerful anchor. And from the richness of each woman’s sharing, I once again felt the incredible gift of coming together in community, exploring deepening connections, and allowing authenticity and vulnerability to emerge.
The theme of endings and beginnings was one that emerged strongly throughout the year. And here we are at the ending of Heal My Voice. It has been an honor and joy to walk this last leg of the Heal My Voice journey, supporting Andrea in bringing it to completion, and journeying one more time with the amazing visionary women who dance together in this heart-centered community. I know our paths will continue to intersect in many beautiful ways, through creative collaborations and future endeavors.
As we closed our last circle together, I found myself both crying and laughing. I felt a sweet sadness that often comes from endings and beginnings; it stirred up my tears. Laughter came as I reflected and remembered my very first Heal My Voice circle, when I wasn’t even sure I could show up and share my voice in a group of women. Even after many years healing, being with a group of women was still incredibly terrifying for me due to my trauma history related to my mother’s mental illness. Yet, the safety, sacredness and support of Andrea and this beautiful community of women allowed me to keep showing up and opening my heart. Now, here I was leading the final circle of Heal My Voice. Being supported in reclaiming my personal power and healing my own voice had allowed me to step into greater leadership. Mission accomplished!
I’ll leave you with a collaborative mystical poem created by the women who participated in our monthly co-vision circle this year called “Nurturing Self-Love”.
References
International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) (2015-2021). What is restorative practices? https://www.iirp.edu/restorative-practices/what-is-restorative-practices.
Rundell, F. (2020). Co-vision for caring professionals. [Unpublished article].
Beth Shekinah Terrence, MS, is a traditionally trained shaman, holistic practitioner, and restorative facilitator. She has worked in the field of transformation and healing since 1996. Beth’s vision is to create a healthier and more nurturing world by supporting those she serves in finding hope, healing, and a deeper sense of connection and belonging. She offers integrative shamanic healing sessions and programs to individuals and groups in Annapolis, MD, and virtually. Beth is also strongly committed to supporting organizations and systems in building cultures of health, well-being, and inclusivity. She is known for her engaging and experiential programming, which includes holistic workshops, retreats and trainings.
Over the last 9 years, Beth has participated in many Heal My Voice programs and has had her stories published in Inspired Voices, Harmonic Voices, Tender Voices and Feminine Voices. She has co-facilitated several programs, including Harmonic Voices and 30 Days of Writing, with HMV founder Andrea Hylen, and has served on the board of directors.
Beth lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her loving partner Mario, and their two cats, Paolo and Xena. She loves to spend her free time writing, hiking, meditating, and lying on her hammock looking up at the sky!
Contact information:
Website: bethterrence.com
Email: beth@bethterrence.com
Phone: 443-223-0848
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