Working with all things

"A witch works with all things." -- Karina BlackHeart
 
This past year had brought me many places I never expected to be -- I am now teaching at a college in Victoria, BC, across a continent and a national border from the place I thought I would always call home.   I arrived here at the end of a winding journey across North America that required that I muster power and resources I never imagined I had.

But none of the events of the past year challenged my sense of who and how I am in the world more than my visit to a medical clinic in northwestern Washington in late August to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my face.

In late October I will go back for a second procedure to (hopefully) remove the last of the cancer.

Before August, I hadn't set foot in a doctor's office for over five years.

For the first thirty three years of my life, I had depended on pharmaceuticals to manage my asthma, in the process ravaging my adrenal glands and spiking my cortisol levels.   I had dealt with doctors who made me feel ashamed of my body, throwing me into a cycle of brief attempts to bully my body into health with scattershot changes in my diet,  followed by crashes into feelings of guilt, failure, and hopelessness.   I was struggling with depression and well on my way to diabetes and heart disease and convinced there was nothing I could do to change it.

And then I met an herbalist and an herb (Elecampane) who would change my ideas of health and healing, my experience of living in my body.  Feeling the way Elecampane cleared my lungs and the grief they held allowed me to feel my body's capacity to heal and change itself with the support of a plant's living medicine. 

I grew more and more uncomfortable with pharmaceuticals manufactured through toxic processes and with approaches to medicine rooted in a mechanistic model of human biology.   And as my trust in plants and in my own body deepened, I reached a point where I felt like I needed to entirely renounce a medical system that seemed like it had only alienation and frustration to offer me. 

I was rejecting the dogma that health care is a service performed on people by doctors in favor of a belief in medicine rooted in rich relationships between people and plants and a belief in the intelligence of the vital force that animates us. 

There was power in that renunciation to be sure -- it sharpened and deepened my dedication to the Craft that I was beginning to recognize as my calling.

But in time it hardened into a personal dogma.

It was the mirror image of the mindset I was rebelling against -- and it was flawed in exactly the same ways.  I was rightly angry at the refusal of so many in the medical system to acknowledge the value of any approach to healing that was outside their own realm of experience and expertise.   But I was imitating that same closed mindedness by insisting that there was nothing worthwhile for me to find within the realm of conventional medicine.

And like any dogma, it stopped me from thinking and feeling and questioning in crucial ways.

And for the better part of a year and half it kept me from addressing my skin cancer.    I explained it away with partial truths.   I told myself that it was going away when, in fact, it was growing.    But, finally, I was forced to admit that it was a cancer and that it needed to be cut away.   And that I needed a doctor to do that.

When someone I love and trust finally pushed me to see what I was refusing to see, I was lucky to find a doctor willing and able to quickly schedule surgery for me, an uninsured patient with no primary care physician.   Smart, compassionate, and skilled, he got most of the cancer on the first attempt.   And when the lab work came back showing that the margins weren't clear, he was quick to contact me and help me figure out the next steps.  I was lucky that way.

In the end, my medical care will cost me roughly what I usually make in two months of teaching and seeing clients -- a lot more than I can afford to pay, but far better than the medical bills many people in the U.S. are dealing with.

In some ways, the process has reinforced my critique of the medical system in the U.S.

At no point in the process has there been any discussion of why I have this cancer, what other problems it may point to, or what I can do to prevent its recurrence -- all of that is outside the scope and purview of the treatment generally offered to people going to doctors for basal cell carcinoma.  Conventional medicine tends to view this kind of carcinoma as a discrete event.  To be sure, thankfully, it is not life threatening and this kind of cancer is not known to metastasise.   But its also clear to me that no health problem, let alone any cancer, exists in a vacuum.   And to contextualize what is happening, and develop strategies to keep moving my body toward health, I will have to look outside conventional medicine.

But its also clear to me that I need this doctor's knowledge and surgical skill to "remove the obstacle to cure" by cutting away the cancerous cells.   My body can better heal itself, with the support of plants, once it no longer has to deal with the carcinoma.

Matthew Wood writes that

"Whatever people say they believe in terms of spirituality and religion, what they do when they are sick and in need reveals the true basis of their belief system."

I would say that what this brush with cancer has revealed for me is that I believe in working with all things -- with my own knowledge, with my body's own intelligence, with my beloved healing plants, and with other people, herbalists and doctors, licensed and unlicensed, who can see things I can't see from inside myself, and in some cases do things I can't do -- like performing surgery.

Painted Woodies: See what everyone's been talking about!

It’s the art project that has everyone talking. A few weeks ago, we called on local personalities and international celebrities to “Paint a Woody”.

 

Mike Morrison, Carly Myers and Fraser Tuff show off
their masterpieces at our Woody Painting Party

We weren’t really sure how people would respond to our odd request, but we’ve been surprised and thrilled with the support we’ve received.

As part of our year-long 40^th anniversary celebrations, we invited a select group of "featured artists" to raise their brushes to creatively paint a "woody"- a wooden demonstration tool that our sexuality educators use to teach youth how to use a condom and practice safe sex. 
 
Woody Painting Kits were sent far and wide, with many beloved local personalities and revered celebrities taking on the challenge. 

Here's just a few of the names we'll drop:

     ► Rick Mercer, political humourist

     ► Sue Johanson, sex educator

     ► W. Brett Wilson, entrepreneur and philanthropist

     ► Mike Morrison, blogger at Mike's Bloggity Blog

     ► Carly Myers and Fraser Tuff, X92.9 FM

     ► Julie Van Rosendaal, food afficienado
 
     ► Jon Montgomery, Olympic gold medalist

     ► Jill Belland, BT morning show

     ► Mandy Stobo, Bad Portrait Project artist

     ► Sarah Crosbie, Q107 FM



The woodies will be auctioned at our 40th anniversary gala celebration on October 25, 2012 in Calgary at Belgo.



Rick Mercer's woodie is true to his political stylings!

To celebrate four decades of service in Calgary - and to look forward to many more - we will bring together long-time supporters and new friends for a playful and thought-provoking celebration.

With the theme of "A Revolutionary Retrospective", our guests will enjoy a playful exposé of how society's views on gender, sexual orientation and reproductive health has shifted over the past four decades, and how CSHC has responded.

The sexual revolution will be played out - and mirrored by the cocktails, music and legends of the times. Then we'll toast our future as we dance the night away at our after-party.



W. Brett Wilson's woodie makes us proud!

You can also get in on the bidding early with our online auction for the woodies at: http://auction.calgarysexualhealth.org

We will continue to add more Woodies to the online auction over the days ahead - so be sure to check back often!
 

Want to know more? Check out this great article by Avenue Magazine about our Woodies and our 40th anniversary.

To stay connected with the latest pics and buzz about our Paint a Woody artists, follow us on Twitter at @YYCSexualHealth! 


 



Get to Know Us at WSKEO 100

As part of our year-long 40th anniversary celebrations, we are so excited to be taking part in the 100th instalment of the wildly popular "We Should Know Each Other" (WSKEO) party!  

The social mixer is taking place on September 29 and 30 at the former King Edward School.  The event will kick off the building's unveiling as an Arts Hub courtesy of the cSPACE Project.

For more info about the WSKEO event and to learn about other participating groups, please visit the WSKEO Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/wskeo


We will be hosting a series of FREE sex ed workshops and discussions that will have everyone talking!  Please check out the workshops below and register for any that catch your interest!

Talking With Your Kids

10:00-10:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

This workshop is designed to give parents a brief intro to talking to their kids about human sexuality. Parents will learn about ages and development stages of children and what is maybe appropriate to talk about at each stage. For many parents this may be an awkward topic so we’ll talk about ways to break the ice and participate in a lifelong conversation around healthy sexuality.

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4355441242/eorg

Trans and Queer Identities 101

11:00-11:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

The gender binary, transgender, genderqueer, two-spirit… These are terms and concepts that are being discussed more and more often in our society. This will be an opportunity to better understand the complexities of different gender identities and how the gender binary might be a thing of the past.

To register: http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357132300/eorg

To Be A Feminist

1:00-1:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

Join us as we talk about the other “F” word. The feminist perspective deeply informs the work that we do at the CSHC. We want to hear what Feminism means to you and the impact this important movement has had on your life.

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357381044/eorg

Masculinity 101

2:00-2:30pm Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

Are men today having a crisis of masculinity? Our society, with its use of media, language and social influence, puts a lot of pressure on guys to “Be a Man.” Join us in a discussion about masculinity in today’s culture where we’ll challenge you to think outside the “Man Box.”

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357326882/eorg

Know Your "O" Part One

3:00-3:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

What turns you on? In part one of two workshops, we will be talking about the anatomical and physiological responses our bodies have to stimulation. No matter what body you have, understanding what turns you on can lead to a healthier, happier sex life.

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357449248/eorg

Know Your "O" Part Two

4:00-4:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

So you know what turns you on and gets you going… how do you communicate that to a partner? In part two of Know Your “O” we’ll be focusing on the more personal side of arousal. We have a fun activity that will get people talking about their fantasies and turn-ons and practice saying yes or no to sexual scenarios.

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357491374/eorg

Ask The Sexperts Q&A

5:00-5:30 Sat, Sept. 29th, 2012

Not everyone has someone they know and can trust to ask sexual health related questions. As sexual health educators one of the most fun things we do is answer those questions! We’ve heard from Grade 7,8,9 and 11 students and now we want to hear from you! What’s the wildest question we’ve ever been asked? You won’t know unless you come to the workshop! Don’t worry, there are no silly questions!

To register:  http://www.eventbrite.ca/event/4357533500/eorg

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The full range of our upcoming events can be found at:

http://calgarysexualhealth.eventbrite.ca/

Head Back to School with our Training Centre!

September means its time to head back to school!  Our Comprehensive Sexual Education team is busy with in-class sessions in junior and senior high schools, and our educators are connecting with and supporting Gay Straight Alliances in schools across our city.

But that's not all.

Our Training Centre is also revving up for a busy fall session, inviting professionals and service providers to head Back to School.

We have the following upcoming workshops scheduled for this fall:

1. Creating a Culture of Respect for LGBT Individuals

In this workshop participants explore the reality of heterosexism in society and its impact on client service delivery models and practices. Myths, language and definitions are clarified and strategies to create safe and supportive environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients and coworkers are practiced.

When:   Thur, Oct 11, 2012 (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

Where:   Calgary Sexual Health Centre, #304, 301-14 St NE
Fee:   $50.00 per person, including workshop materials

2. Taking Sexy Back: Helping Clients Reclaim Healthy Sexuality

Unfortunately, many people have experienced sex and sexuality in a negative way, through harmful cultural messages or abuse. In this workshop, you will examine the impact of trauma on the sexual response cycle and explore a framework for healthy sex.

As well, you will learn strategies and tools to help clients reframe sex and sexuality and experience sexual well being.

When:   Fri, Nov 23, 2012 (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

Where:   Calgary Sexual Health Centre, #304, 301-14 St NE
Fee:   $50.00 per person, including workshop materials

3. Supporting Older Adults and Sexual Health
Designed for those working with older adults, you will increase your confidence and comfort talking with clients about sexuality.

Receive practical suggestions, tips and resources to start talking about sexual health and advocating for sexual wellbeing with your older adult clients.

When:   Wed, Dec 5, 2012 (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

Where:   Calgary Sexual Health Centre, #304, 301-14 St NE
Fee:   $50.00 per person, including workshop materials

To register for any of these workshops:

Contact Valerie Barr at 403.283.5580 ext. 317 or vbarr@calgarysexualhealth.ca.

Please note:  Level 'A' Alberta Social Work Continuing Education Credits are available for attendance at these workshops via a partnership with the Calgary Counselling Centre.  General public are also welcome to attend.

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Ticket Sales Now OPEN: A Revolutionary Retrospective

Tickets are now on sale for our 40th Anniversary Gala Celebration!

To celebrate four decades of service in Calgary - and to look forward to many more - we will bring together long-time supporters and new friends for a playful and thought-provoking celebration.

With the theme of "A Revolutionary Retrospective", our guests will enjoy a playful exposé of how society's views on gender, sexual orientation and reproductive health has shifted over the past four decades, and how CSHC has responded.

The sexual revolution will be played out - and mirrored by the cocktails, music and legends of the times. Then we'll toast our future as we dance the night away at our after-party.

Our silent auction will include a far-out selection of "woodies" (wooden props we use for condom demonstrations) - custom painted by local personalities and a few celebrities that will take our guests by surprise!

(Check the article in Metro for a sneek peek!)

October 25, 2012

Belgo

501 - 8 Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta

Tickets $75

Online Ticketing for CSHC 40th Anniversary Gala: A Revolutionary Retrospective powered by Eventbrite

What Colour is your Woodie?

We're 40 and fabulous! We're celebrating our 40th anniversary of serving the Calgary community with sexual and reproductive health programs and services.

 

We’ve always believed in showing our true colours – and we're inviting some surprise celebrities and local personalities to show theirs with our fun and easy creative project!


Our select group of "featured artists" will be raising their brushes to creatively paint a "woodie" - a wooden demonstration tool used by our sexuality educators to teach youth how to use a condom and practice safe sex. 


The woodies will be auctioned online and at our 40th anniversary gala celebration on October 25, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta.



Have you received a Woodie Painting Kit from us, but need help getting started?

Its easy! Here’s how:

 

 1. Prep your Woodie.

• Use the sandpaper to prep the Woodie’s surface for painting.

2. Paint your Woodie.

• Use the paints and brushes to personalize your Woodie. (Or use your own paint materials if you prefer.)
• You may wish to use a finishing glaze to protect your finished art piece.

3. Return your Woodie.

• Once your Woodie is completely dry, send your Woodie back to us with the return postage and package provided.

 
Any questions, please feel free to contact us!

Pam Krause, Executive Director
pkrause@calgarysexualhealth.ca
403-283-5580  ext 314

Calgary Gay-Straight Alliance BBQ

Join us at this pre-Pride social event!


Presented by the Calgary Gay-Straight Alliance Roundtable.

This social community meeting is for students, teachers, education staff, community members and their families who care about supporting LGBTQ youth in our school communities!


Free burgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided.

Please bring lawn chairs, sun screen, and a positive attitude!

Wednesday, August 29^th 2012

6:00 to 9:00 pm







Riley Park

10th Street and 5th Ave, just a few minutes walk from the Sunnyside C-Train station




RSVP to:

Lee Allard at 403. 283. 5580 ext. 310
lallard@calgarysexualhealth.ca