In today’s world, it feels impossible to move through daily life without brushing against collective trauma. If we are paying attention and tuned into the news cycle, we are confronted with an overwhelming cascade of loss, injustice, and grief.

There is so much pain.
There is so much loss.
There is so much injustice.
There is so much inhumanity.

I feel this deeply in my heart and my own nervous system. At times, I find myself cycling between freeze and flight responses— wanting to run and hide or cocoon away from the pain — overwhelmed, raw, and heartbroken. Maybe you’ve felt this, too? Wherever you are on that spectrum, I’m sending love to the ways your mind, body, and spirit are navigating this new level of awful.

And yet—on the flip side of grief—I’ve found that community can hold us, nourish us, and even serve as resistance.

Finding Safety and Creativity in Community

This past May, I had the privilege of experiencing two profound community gatherings that offered safety, visibility, creativity, and connection. These weren’t just events on my calendar—they were sustenance.

At the beginning of the month, I attended The Family Narrative, one of my favorite photography conferences, which took place in Philadelphia this year.

At the end of the month, I co-hosted Finding heART in Portland with Iris Hu, our third annual photography workshop designed to nurture creativity in safe and open-hearted spaces.

For a few beautiful days at each, I felt blissfully unaware of the ways in which our world seemed to be unraveling.

Why Community Matters for Creative Resistance

Of course, I want to stay informed—and I do. But I’m also playing the long game. In the midst of atrocities, political unrest, and injustice, I’ve learned that my best resistance to fear and numbness is rooted in creative community.

For me, that means:

• Staying present instead of shutting down.
• Living creatively as a refusal to be silenced.
• Gathering with like-hearted artists, where inspiration and resilience can grow.
• Nourishing my nervous system, so I can keep showing up for the work ahead.

Spaces like The Family Narrative and Finding heART are not just professional gatherings—they’re forms of creative resistance. They are warm hugs, wells of inspiration, and reminders that we are not alone.

Looking Ahead: The Artist’s Retreat in Costa Rica

Another space where I feel this deep nourishment is through epic nature and curious travel. This is why I am so excited to host The Artist’s Retreat in Costa Rica in May 17th – 21st, 2025.

Imagine this with me:

🌿 Daily creative practices to reconnect with your artistry
🌿 Safe community to hold and uplift you
🌿 Epic natural landscapes of Costa Rica as your backdrop
🌿 Space for rest, replenishment, and inspiration

If you’re craving adventure, connection, and creative renewal, this retreat may be exactly what your nervous system and spirit need. I would love for you to join me. If you’re curious, reach out—I’d be happy to connect and answer questions.

Building Our Collective Toolkit

Finally, I’d love to invite you into a small act of creative resistance together. What are your sanity savers right now?

It could be a song, a book, a quote, a recipe, a walk outside, or even a simple ritual that grounds you. If you’d like to share, I’d be honored to gather these into a collective resource—a reminder of the many ways we can keep showing up for ourselves and each other.

The world can feel unbearably heavy at times. But gathering in community, nourishing our nervous systems, and leaning into creativity are powerful tools of resistance. They remind us that beauty, connection, and love are still possible—and necessary.

Here’s to safe spaces, creative living, and collective resilience.

If you are looking for more musings on creativity, self-expression and healing, check out this blog I wrote about how photography has been an essential tool on my own healing journey.