WellnessWithHolli

On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, my beloved son-in-law David B. Peterson passed away after suffering a complication incurred from a previous stroke. Over the weekend of May 23-25, David was honored with a Celebration of Life.  In their desire to further honor David's life, family and friends established the   David B. Peterson Memorial  through the Craig Foundation,  ( providing unparalleled neurorehabilitation and support for people who have sustained a life-altering brain and/or spinal cord injury by providing a safety net for patients and families whose financial means are inadequate to meet the financial burdens associated with ‘going home.’  Your contributions are welcomed and appreciated.  For twenty-two years, it was an honor to have David as a part of our family. We miss him. We love him. Through a Mother’s Eyes Remembering My Son-In-Law DAVID B. PETERSON   A sparkle emerged Landed in my daughter’s eyes Yes, love at first sight  ...

  Family Is Important and So Am I:  Part Three - Choose Your Sources of Respectful Support  and Loving Connection Today's blog is Part Three of three-part series: Family Is Important and So Am I. If you have not already read  Part One and Part Two , please do so and then return here. It is important to Choose Your Truth and Choose Your Health so that you can establish a solid foundation from which to Choose Your Sources of Respectful Support and Loving Connection.  This series is for individuals who have worked on their wellness, or for those who are currently embracing a path of recovery, or for those who have chosen an intentional healthy way of being which is much different from their family of origin.  And in spite of their levels of wellness, these individuals find themselve s  still injured by family members .   Although we cannot change the unhealthy behaviors of others, we can choose our response to them.     L...

Family Is Important and So Am I – Part One: Choose Your Truth Today's blog is Part One of three-part series: Family Is Important and So Am I Family.  A complicated topic.   Some are healthy. Some are not. Many treat one another with unconditional positive regard, love, acceptance, and belonging. Many do not.  Most families face all kinds of difficulties and life-altering disturbances. Compassionate and empathic family members come together, supporting one another and finding a way through their challenges. Sadly, there are many families who choose not to. This series is for individuals who have worked on their wellness, or for those who are currently embracing a path of recovery, or for those who have chosen an intentional healthy way of being which is much different from their family of origin.  And in spite of their levels of wellness, these individuals find themselve s  still injured by family members .  Because families are quite comp...

Opening On February 14, 2018,  "Daughters Betrayed By Their Mothers: Moving From Brokenness To Wholeness"  was released. During the past year, one of the questions I’ve been asked is, “Holli, why would you write a book about mothers, daughters, and betrayal?” Others have inquired, “Are you angry with your mother?” My response is always the same.   It is because I am in a place of acceptance with my mom that I wrote this book.   It is because I’ve done the hard work of   healing many injuries and injustices in my life that I wrote this book. And, most importantly, it is because this book is not about blaming or bashing mothers. It is about Daughters. It is about Daughters who chose wellness over victimhood. It is about Daughters who did not get bitter; they got better. And in doing so, they came to a place of peace and acceptance – first with themselves and then with their mothers. One of the many lessons in  "Daughters Betrayed By Th...

Secrets.  Just the word sparks our interest. Why? Because something is being kept from us or we are concealing something from others.  Although the word "secret" feels light and airy, it carries with it a mysterious weightiness which only its holder can attest to.  For today's blog, we are going to explore the anatomy of secrets - differentiating the good secrets from the bad, and more importantly, exposing the unspoken destructive characteristics which accompany a lengthy hibernation.  Lastly, I'm going to encourage you to respond to a few writing prompts. Because secrets are uniquely personal and private, we often learn best from our own experiences. The Good Secrets, of course, can be good.   They can be fun! It's planning a surprise baby-shower for a friend; it's not telling the rest of the family about your plans to propose to your partner (so no one else will spoil it); it's making the effort to show up at a special event for your be...

Amidst an escalating environment of anger, blame, and chaos of the past several years, folks are hesitate  to turn on the TV, or view their Facebook page, or see what is trending on Twitter. Although we want to stay informed, many of us feel overwhelming sadness over the ongoing traumas such as environmental disasters, mass shootings, and chronic political turmoil which  are continually being replayed, re-tweeted, re-posted, etc. And with a cloud of anxiety hovering over us, we are wondering when the next tragedy is going to happen and how folks will cope. Cautiously surfing through the TV stations one evening, I stumbled across a calm rational news contributor who reported on the "collective trauma" we are all experiencing. She acknowledged that although the recent as well as past political divisions and crises, combined with the plethora of killings and devastating hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes which have become almost a "norm" in our society, familiarity ...