January is a very exciting month for the Breaking Free Foundation, not just because we're looking ahead at all the great things to come in 2016, but because we welcomed a new member to the BFF family—Shandra Carlson. Shandra joins our team in the official capacity of Foundation Administrator, and since you'll be seeing more of her, we wanted to give you a little insight on who she is.
Q: What attracted you to BFF?
A: I first heard about BFF as a result of the Victor Walk that started a couple years ago. Truthfully I think what attracted me about both the Walk and BFF is having observed Theo Fleury over the past few years. He has worked hard on his own 'stuff', he's been transparent with his process and his desire to help others work through their own trauma makes it easy to want to participate and support the cause.
Q: What are you most excited to be a part of with the BFF team?
A: What excites me is to be a part of a team, a group of individuals with a heartfelt focus on assisting people in their healing process. One of my favourite sayings is, "No one of us has it all together, but all of us together, have it all." Not one of us has overcome our challenges without the involvement of others. We can't do life alone, and it's a wonderful thing to be part of an organization that truly wants to support healing, not just coping.
Q: What's the most important thing you think people should understand about trauma?
A: One of the keys I think, is to recognize that each of us processes life differently and therefore, each of us experiences and processes trauma individually. There is no pat answer when it comes to healing, what works for one may not work for another. I think sometimes we humans have a tendency to think if we find and apply a formula it should just work. As unique as our fingerprints are, is as unique as working through our trauma is.
Q: What's something you learned about BFF after you joined the team?
A: One of the first things I learned was how dedicated the team is to finding ways to connect people to one another in order to initiate the healing journey for our grant applicants. I also learned that we have a long way to go in bringing mental health to the forefront of the healthcare system, primarily the premise that if our minds are healthy and strong, it will automatically cause a ripple effect in experiencing healthy bodies, relationships and lives. The brain is a many splendored and complex thing that impacts every part of who we are!
Q: How do you like to spend your spare time?
A: I saw a cartoon recently that made me laugh, it read, "It always makes me uncomfortable when people ask me what my hobbies are…I mean, what do they want? I'm a mother. I enjoy trips to the bathroom alone, naps and silence." I'm still looking forward to that moment when a trip to the bathroom isn't met by banging on the door – and my kids are teenagers! I do love to read, and write, and my friends. I describe coffee as my comfort food, and anything personal development related usually gets my attention. I'm a bit of an adventurer too and my motto is, "live now, never wait." Whitewater rafting has to be one of my all-time favourite experiences, especially at Kicking Horse. Can chocolate be described as a hobby? Watching a good hockey game is in my DNA as well!
Q: What gets you up and excited in the morning?
A: My cat usually gets me up in the morning, but what gets me excited is my first cup of coffee. Seriously though, watching people come fully alive is where my happy place is. What I mean by that is, when I'm able to participate in a discussion or work through a situation with someone and they have that light bulb moment, that's what stirs me. I am a lifer when it comes to learning, so when I have the opportunity to discover something new, that also gets me excited.
Q: A perfect day to you, looks like what?
A: Depends on the day! I never dreamed I'd call myself a morning person, but now that my kids are older and stay up later, my 5:30 am start gives me the alone time I require to support my sanity. On weekdays I am happiest when I get to be there as my kids get ready and leave for school. Starting their days off on a positive note – and making sure they take their lunches – sounds simple, but it gets my day off to a great start as well. I really am pretty simple when it comes to describing a perfect day. If I get to watch a sunrise or a sunset, see the mountains on a clear day or stare up at the stars, I feel like I've been given a rare gift. Adding swimming with dolphins or sea turtles to my adventures would describe a pretty perfect day as well!
We are thrilled to have Shandra a part of the BFF team! You can check out the rest of the BFF family here.