When Hope Seems Lost By: Marla Berger, LMHC, ATR, RPT-S “There is such a thing as too much loss. Too much has been taken from you both - taken and taken and taken, until there's nothing left but hope, and you've given that up because it hurts too much.” ~ N.K. Jemisin For many of us, last week brought us right back to February 2018. Our community has been fighting back from fear and grief for so long, only for it to come flooding back. Hope seemed lost. “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” ~ Desmond Tutu And yet...we have grown in these last four years. We have cultivated strategies to help ourselves and others heal during terrible times. We have built a community that holds space and supports each other. We have sought and received help from caring professionals. We have taken an irreparable experience and created foundations to spread change. We nurture the memories, stories and bonds with the 17, so their lives will never be forgotten. “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ~ Barack Obama When our community was besieged by grief and despair, we looked for the helpers. The foundation of Professionals United For Parkland was laid on February 15th. Its' mission was to bring trauma-trained therapists together to offer their services, often free of charge. For four years we have shared resources, education and support to our community. We will continue, now and for all the years to come. “The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.” – ~ Barbara Kingsolver We all have something that we can do to give back, to make a difference - both in our backyard and beyond. As summer begins, make a contribution of your time, knowledge or funds to help bring healing to those in need. When we do something to spread light and hope, we become the helpers. “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh It can be scary to hope again. To try to make a change in this world. We know that life will try to knock us down, but when we have hope, a goal, a mission, we can do amazing things. In the following days, take time to find joy in simple things, build healthy routines of exercise, sleep and eating that will nurture your mind and heart, reach out for support when you need it. Hope can sometimes feel lost, but it is always there, waiting to come back out into the sunshine.
If you should find yourself or someone you know in immediate crisis or need for help, dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Some other resources for immediate crisis support include:
211 – In Florida, and many areas, most counties will have a dedicated 211 resource hotline. Dial 211 from your phone to be connected to your local 211 branch. This may depend on where you’re calling from if it’s from your Cell Phone.
Crisis Text Line – Text any word (Help, Talk, etc.) to 741741 to be connected via text to a trained crisis counselor.
Paational Suicide Prevention Hotline – Until the 3-digit hotline number is active later in 2022, the original number will still be the one to use – 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).P al. al. al a Our Mission “Professionals United for Parkland was created to identify and meet the short and long-term needs related to mental health/well-being of the South Florida community in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy through evidence-based services including education for the general community and professionals, clinical training, clinical services, support for clinicians, and more. We work alongside other local organizations and groups to ensure that we identify gaps in current services and that the needs of our community are being adequately addressed. We are entirely non-political.
Professionals United For Parkland Honors the 17
Professionals United for Parkland remembers Coach Aaron Feis. The Coach Aaron Feis Foundation is aimed to continue his passion & his everyday life of helping the underserved & struggling youth through Education, Sports, Nutrition & Clothing. So these young Students can have the tools & means to excel through life and have a better future. The Coach Aaron Feis Foundation is a 501c3 Non-Profit that receives donations from the public to help our under-served youth with Education, Clothing & Nutrition.
To learn more: https://coachfeisfoundation.org/
PU4P Updates Interested in joining our trauma trained therapists (licensed only) - please take a few moments of your time and join the PU4P referral directory. The MSD community will need services for the long run. PU4P links those in need with a vetted list of trauma therapists. We ask for a commitment of 2 pro-bono clients a year. For more information or questions, please contact info@pu4p.org. Please support PU4P by designating it as your charity with The AmazonSmile Foundation. They will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible smile.amazon.com purchases. Don't forget to check our Facebook page for the most current events, updates, and information about PU4P! Thank you for your support of PU4P and your dedication to the Parkland community.
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