Counseling offers a space to clarify your parental role, find comfort in your values, and build confidence in the choices you make for your family. When approached with intention, choosing Motherhood or Fatherhood—whether full‑time or alongside work (parents can take turns)—can be a profoundly empowering decision for the entire family. 

Prioritizing parenthood over a professional career is not a step backward. It is a conscious act of stewardship. It strengthens attachment, reduces stress, and supports the mental and emotional well‑being of both parents and children. 

Feminist thought affirms that caregiving is labor, that raising children is a contribution to society, and that parents deserve respect—not judgment—for choosing the path that aligns with their values, capacities, and season of life.

Living Within Your Means and Creating Stability

A minimalist, intentional lifestyle—living within or below one’s financial means—can bring balance, stability, and freedom. Families have access to a range of supports that make this possible, including:

• Educational vouchers
• Homeschooling options
• Adult education and training opportunities

These choices allow families to design a life that reflects their priorities rather than external pressures.

The Early Years Matter

The early years of a child’s development are deeply shaped by parental presence, attunement, and consistency. Many child and family advocates support extended parental leave and supplemental government assistance for stay‑at‑home parents caring for young children up to the age of five. These policies honor the emotional, psychological, and developmental needs of children—and the right of families to choose what works best for them.  

Let's explore with our representatives how we can keep our children home for the first five years of their lives. And push for a healthier alternative to institutional day care centers where overcrowding and fewer loving caretakers are available.  

❤Resources for Strengthening Family Life

• Explore budgeting guidance such as Dave Ramsey’s “Budget Percentages Explained (2021 Edition)” and other financial tools.
• Contact your local school district to learn whether a school voucher is available to place your child of 5 and older in an environment aligned with your family values.
• Read Dr. Henry Cloud’s Raising Great Kids and other works on children, boundaries, and healthy development.
• Look into homeschooling resources that support both structure and flexibility.

If you live in a politically free and economically stable country such as the United States, you have access to a wide range of family and educational choices. 

Whether you choose homeschooling, a professional career, stay‑at‑home parenting, or a blend of these roles, it helps to remember a simple truth about life’s seasons:

“You can have it all, but not all at once.”

This is not a limitation—it’s an invitation to live with intention, clarity, and dignity, honoring the season you are in and the loving family you are building.

Identity exploration counseling offers you the opportunity to delve into your true self, fostering a deeper understanding and a sense of wholeness. If you find yourself pondering, “Who am I?”—let’s open that conversation together.   

Each of us holds within a core identity waiting to be revealed. This core forms the bedrock of your being: the values that reside deep within, shaping your capacity to love and be loved.   

Broadly, identity encompasses the tapestry of memories, experiences, relationships, and values that collectively forge your sense of self.  This amalgamation provides a steady foundation—an enduring thread of who you are—even as you grow and add new dimensions to your identity over time (Psychology Today, Identity Self-Image, Self Concept). 

Renowned developmental psychologist Erik Erikson asserted that “identity formation is most acute during adolescence, but the process doesn’t stop after the teen years.” Through his theory of life’s stages, Erikson introduced the pivotal concept of the “identity crisis,” illustrating that self-discovery is a lifelong pursuit. His own journey through these questions led to his Pulitzer Prize-winning work, Gandhi’s Truth (1969), which charts Gandhi’s later-life exploration of identity.   

Social identity encompasses aspects such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, age, religion or spirituality, nationality, and both visible and invisible abilities or disabilities. 

Challenges or anxieties around social identity may arise from major life transitions, historical trauma, isolation, depression, alienation, developmental stages, or other stressors.   

It is both rude and sometimes hurtful to highlight another person’s social identity or distinguishing characteristics—such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, national origin, or abilities—especially when done in a prejudiced or exclusionary manner. When someone wishes to discuss any aspect of their social identity, that choice is theirs alone to make.     

Childhood Encounter with Prejudice I remember a time when, as a child growing up in my quiet neighborhood, another child asked me for my last name. My curiosity was piqued—why did she want to know my surname, and why was she asking other children the same question.  

In adulthood, I realized that her questions were driven by certain prejudices. She harbored anxieties toward anyone who did not share her ethnicity, and this affected the way she interacted with her peers in childhood and adulthood.  

So, If you ever feel pressured to disclose your religion, pronouns, last name, gender, or any other facet of your identity, remember: you have the right to step away from that conversation.  

Gender identity is a meaningful and integral part of who we are. Whether you are exploring, questioning, adult transitioning, or de-transitioning, I am here to offer compassionate counseling and support on your journey.   

Although I do not advocate or support children under the age of 18 undergoing gender hormone therapy and medical transition including the use of puberty blockers, I offer guidance and counseling to children and their parents. My services also include counseling for children who are going through detransition, ensuring advocacy and counseling support is available for every stage of their journey.  

Conversion therapy is widely recognized as a form of alienation, both socially and psychologically. It isolates LGBT individuals from their authentic identities, communities, and support systems, often leading to long-term harm.  

Here's how conversion therapy functions as alienation: 

Psychological Alienation Denial of identity: Conversion therapy attempts to suppress or change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, which alienates them from their true self. Internalized shame: These practices often instill guilt and self-hatred, leading individuals to feel estranged from their own emotions and desires. 

Mental health consequences: Survivors frequently report depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation — all signs of deep psychological distress and disconnection. 

Social Alienation Family and community rejection: Many undergo conversion therapy due to pressure from family or religious communities, which can fracture relationships and isolate individuals from their support networks. 

Social Rejection: The practice reinforces feelings and beliefs against LGBT identities, pushing individuals into isolation and preventing them from being a part of our society; being less accepted. 

Institutional Alienation Discredited by science: Major health organizations, including the American Psychological Association and the 

National Alliance on Mental Illness, have condemned conversion therapy as pseudoscientific and harmful. 

Legal bans and advocacy: Many governments and advocacy groups are working to ban conversion therapy, recognizing it as a violation of human rights and a form of systemic alienation.  

This practice is not acceptable for anyone regardless. In essence, conversion therapy doesn't just aim to change behavior — it fractures identity, erodes trust, and severs connection to self and society. It’s not just ineffective; it’s deeply alienating and painful.  If you’re exploring this issue further, I can help you reduce the effects of alienation.   

PORNOGRAPHY & NUDITY I’ve always believed that children deserve to feel safe and protected from anything that could harm them. A few years ago, I remember hearing about a couple driving down the highway who saw a billboard with a nude male image from a clothing company. They felt it was inappropriate, especially with kids passing by, so they filed a complaint—and the billboard was taken down. I had a similar experience myself when I walked past a photography store on Main Street and saw a nude painting displayed in the window. I reported it, and it too was removed. For me, the issue isn’t nudity itself—it can be art, and art has its place. 

The real concern is when nudity is displayed publicly in ways that children can’t avoid. That crosses into pornography, and it’s not appropriate. Protecting kids from that kind of exposure is what matters most. Please document, contact your local police department, file a complaint and be sure pornography and nudity is removed where children may be exposed to it. 

Nudity itself is not inherently wrong, but exposing children to sexualized or exploitative nudity in public or private spaces i.e., clubs, is sexual abuse that is harmful and illegal. Reporting ensures protection and accountability. 

My book I Want To Be Just Like My Daddy is a respectful way to support gender identity development. 10 % of the proceeds will be used to buy my book for another child and family.   ENGLISH COPY of I Want To Be Just Like My Daddy TO PURCHASE <iframe width="450" height="335"  src="https://www.bookemon.com/book-embed/982125/want-to-be-just-like-my-daddy" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>  

SPANISH COPY of Quero Ser Como Mi Papa TO PURCHASE <iframe width="450" height="335"  src="https://www.bookemon.com/book-embed/977053/quiero-ser-como-mi-pap%C3%A1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>   

If you are seeking information on minors thinking of transitioning, the following resources may be helpful:  

Psychology Today, Does Affirmative Treatment Impair Sexual Responses in Trans Youth? Sexual health and orgasmic naivete in trans youth, Author David J. Ley Ph.D.  

https://www.camft.org/Resources/Legal-Articles/Chronological-Article-List/affirming-care DOJ Commercial Vendors: See the Order Regarding Section 4 of Executive Order 14187, which addresses the protection of children regarding medical procedures.  

Parental Support and Advocacy: For articles and resources on racism, discrimination, and legal issues concerning gender-affirming care for minors, contact the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR) – Montclair NJ Chapter.  

Further Learning and Policy Information: Watch the House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearings on gender-affirming surgeries for minors and policy discussions (July 27, 2023, and July 19, 2023).  

Read “Gender Ideology and Medical Experiment on Our Children” by Miriam Grossman.  

Support for Homeless and LGBT Youth: Support organizations like Covenant House that assist homeless youth, including homeless transgender youth. 

Learn more about issues facing homeless LGBT youth by reading “‘Pose’ Stars Make Poignant Plea on Behalf of Homeless LGB and T Youth.” Donations can be made to TRUE COLORS UNITED.   

For adults considering transitioning please listen to -Self-Acceptance and Identity: “We will discover our real identities by loving and accepting ourselves.” (The Adult Children of Alcoholics Promises) and “Self Awareness: Understanding Your Core Identity. Who Are You at the Core?” by Wacuka Stephen   

If you need further assistance or guidance on any of the above issues, please contact this office.

Counseling can help individuals and families make informed reproductive choices—whether deciding to have children while in school, living independently, or managing with a modest income. Loving a child does not depend on wealth, education, or owning a home.

While reproductive technologies exist, it is important to consider both the mental health and medical implications before using them. Counseling is available for anyone navigating pregnancy‑related concerns, choosing birth control, reproductive technologies, or exploring parenthood after trauma or difficult life experiences.

My Philosophy of Care

A narrative rooted in dignity, privacy, and emotional safety

My work is guided by a simple belief: reproductive decisions are sacred. They deserve quiet, privacy, and deep respect — not exposure, pressure, or performance. I offer a space where individuals and couples can slow down, breathe, and make choices that honor their values and protect their emotional well‑being.

I hold a conservative, dignity‑centered view of reproduction. When choosing IVF and other technologies, I do not support trait selection, cosmetic embryo ranking, or any approach that treats early life as a product. 

I also do not encourage sharing IVF journeys online or telling children stories that reduce their beginnings to procedures. I encourage choosing to share to a select few trusting individuals. Your story is yours. Your child’s story is theirs. Privacy protects both. 

My work is trauma‑informed, which means I pay close attention to pacing, pressure, and the nervous system. I help clients set humane limits — on treatment cycles, emotional load, and the kinds of interventions they feel aligned with. Boundaries are not barriers; they are acts of care.

I work with individuals as well as couples who want to move through this together, with honesty and respect. I do not take on situations where partners are intentionally excluded or where clarity is met with hostility. This work requires steadiness, openness, and mutual regard.

Not every option is meant for every family. Just because something is medically possible does not mean it is right for you. My role is to help you discern what aligns with your values, your spirit, and your child’s dignity.

This is a quiet, grounded, principled space. If this philosophy resonates with you, you will feel at home here.

Early IVF was emotionally intense, but ethically simple.

There was:

• no embryo testing
• no discarding
• no ranking
• no pressure to choose
• no moral burden placed on parents

A trauma‑informed reading sees this as:

• low cognitive load
• low moral injury
• low risk of retraumatization
• no forced decisions about life and death

Parents were not asked to evaluate embryos or make impossible choices.

Modern IVF introduces layers of potential trauma triggers:

Parents must decide:

• which embryos to keep
• which to discard
• whether to test
• whether to freeze
• whether to select for sex, eye color

These decisions can feel like:

• choosing between children
• deciding who gets a chance at life
• participating in elimination

Terms like:

• “abnormal”
• “poor quality”
• “non‑viable”

can echo earlier experiences of:

• being judged
• being dismissed
• being labeled
• being told one is “not enough”

When embryos are discarded or labeled, parents may feel:

• guilt
• shame
• grief
• confusion
• spiritual conflict

Trauma‑informed ethics recognizes this as a site of emotional risk, not a neutral medical step.

Parents may feel pushed toward:

• genetic testing
• add‑ons
• “best embryo” logic
• decisions they don’t fully understand

Trauma‑informed care asks: Is the patient truly choosing, or are they being steered?

Earlier IVF:

• minimized moral burden
• avoided selection
• avoided elimination
• supported emotional safety
• aligned with non‑maleficence

Modern IVF:

• introduces decisions that can feel like life‑and‑death choices
• risks retraumatizing people with histories of loss, abandonment, or medical trauma
• can create moral injury
• requires far more emotional scaffolding

A trauma‑informed approach insists on:

• slowing down
• reducing pressure
• naming the emotional stakes
• protecting patients from coercion
• honoring grief
• centering dignity at every step

Egg‑donor implantation began in the 1980s as a medical option, but as it grew into an industry, the emotional consequences became clearer. Many donors — often very young — later described feeling unprepared for the psychological weight of the process. Some felt financially pressured; others felt treated like a means to an end. When clinics move quickly, donors can walk away with emotional wounds that were never acknowledged.

Parents, too, can feel pressure and comparison, especially when their friends’ paths looked simpler. That pressure can shape how they think about telling their child. And this is where privacy — not secrecy — becomes essential. Privacy protects the parent’s dignity, the donor’s humanity, and the child’s emotional world.

Whether to tell a child is not a moral emergency. A child does not need this information to grow up healthy, secure, or attached. Many families choose to wait until adulthood, when the person has the emotional maturity to understand genetics without feeling responsible for anyone’s pain. Others choose not to disclose at all, especially when the story carries medical, financial, or emotional complexities that belong to the adults, not the child.

For donor‑conceived adults, questions about identity may arise later in life. If disclosure happens, it is often gentler and more stabilizing when the person is grown, grounded, and able to hold nuance. The timing matters as much as the content.

Across all sides — donor, parent, and child — the mental‑health theme is the same: reproductive technology carries emotional weight that no one expects. Privacy, careful boundaries, and thoughtful timing protect everyone’s dignity and well‑being.

Pregnancy loss—through miscarriage, stillbirth, or other circumstances—can be deeply traumatic. Grief may include shock, guilt, sadness, and isolation, and these feelings can last long after the physical event. Support matters. Counseling and grief groups can help individuals and families prepare for healing and future pregnancies.

Abortion loss, whether due to medical necessity or personal decision, can bring complex emotions such as grief, guilt, anger, or depression. These feelings are real and deserve compassion. No one should be coerced into abortion or pressured to use reproductive technologies. Every person has the right to make decisions free from intimidation, shame, or mistreatment.

Healing often requires spaces that honor your experience—not political debate. Counseling and post‑abortion support groups can provide validation and care. Families experiencing abortion loss are encouraged to seek grief counseling before future pregnancies.

Children under 18 must be protected from incest, rape, and any resulting pregnancy or abortion. Teachers, healthcare providers, and counselors are mandated reporters and must take immediate action when such abuse is disclosed. Reporting ensures safety, legal protection, and access to resources for the minor involved.

Counseling offers a confidential, compassionate environment to process pregnancy loss, infant loss, or abortion‑related trauma. Up to 10 free sessions are available for individuals without insurance or financial means.

Clients are encouraged to consult medical professionals when considering birth control or medications, as some options carry significant risks. Ethical care requires transparency, informed consent, and respect for personal autonomy.

Additional Support

Pregnancy centers can assist with education, transportation, housing, and practical needs for those continuing a pregnancy. Linda is a nonviolent feminist counselor advocating for safety, dignity, and nonviolent reproductive rights.

Project Rachel Ministries: HopeAfterAbotion.org  

Goodbye, Little Bird – A Story of Love, Loss, and Remembering   A gentle resource for families navigating pregnancy or sibling loss. https://www.bookemon.com/book_read_flip.php?s=1&book_id=1058461&check=19437cdd3c58231526199ecb309bd56aCo (bookemon.com in Bing)

Seeking counseling can be a powerful and stabilizing choice for anyone working toward a more justice society. 

Whether you are navigating discrimination, racism, sexism, hate crimes, family separation, harassment, or other forms of social harm, support gives you space to process what you’ve witnessed, strengthen your boundaries, and stay aligned with your values. 

Activism requires clarity, courage, and emotional steadiness—and counseling helps you maintain all three.

Activist burnout is real, and it often develops slowly. It can show up as exhaustion, irritability, loss of compassion, isolation, or a sense that nothing will ever change. You may find yourself withdrawing from loved ones, feeling overwhelmed by negativity, or losing sight of your original purpose. 

These reactions are not signs of weakness—they are signs that you’ve been carrying too much for too long. Counseling offers a place to sort through these feelings, challenge distorted thinking patterns, and reconnect with your sense of meaning so you can continue your work without losing yourself in the process.

Working for justice requires a commitment to nonviolence and ethical behavior, even when emotions run high. One of the clearest examples of how grief can distort judgment is the Blue Eyes–Brown Eyes experiment.

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April 1968, the nation was shaken. His death created a wave of grief, fear, and anger—especially among those who believed deeply in his message of nonviolence and equality. In this climate of national trauma, a fourth‑grade teacher named Jane Elliott created the “Blue Eyes–Brown Eyes” exercise.

Her intention was to teach children about racism by dividing her class according to eye color and assigning superiority to one group and inferiority to the other. She encouraged children to treat each other differently based solely on this arbitrary trait. Although she believed she was teaching empathy, the method caused real psychological harm. Children were shamed, frightened, and turned against one another.

Her response to Dr. King’s death was driven by grief, but it crossed ethical boundaries. Instead of modeling Dr. King’s principles of dignity and nonviolence, the experiment recreated the very dynamics of oppression it claimed to expose. It stands as a reminder that harm cannot be used to teach justice, and that grief must never be channeled into cruelty—especially toward children.

Children learn justice through love, fairness, and compassion—not humiliation or fear.

Demonstrating responsibility for your behavior is essential in all forms of activism. It is never lawful to confront, threaten, or interfere with police or authorities.   

This includes:

• not approaching officers aggressively
• not blocking police vehicles
• not driving toward police officers
• not driving toward or into moving police cars

These actions endanger everyone involved, escalate risk, and carry serious legal consequences. Nonviolence is not passivity—it is a disciplined, protective stance that keeps you, the police, your community, and bystanders safe.

Anyone can cause or experience harm. Reporting crimes and abuses—regardless of who commits them—is essential for accountability and justice.

If you experience harm in public, at work, in school, in church, in your synagogue or in your community, the safest response is to avoid violence whenever possible. Walk away, run away, protect children, and contact authorities. Self‑defense is appropriate only when responding to immediate danger, and even then, the goal is survival—not retaliation.

After any harmful incident, seeking medical, legal, psychological, or spiritual support helps you regain stability and ensures your rights are protected.

Changing the world can feel overwhelming, especially when you witness suffering or injustice on a regular basis. But meaningful change rarely comes from dramatic gestures—it comes from consistent, nonviolent actions that strengthen families, classrooms, and communities.

If you find it difficult to step away from harmful environments—whether you are protecting people from domestic violence, family alienation, community alienation, or community violence—you are not alone. Many people in caregiving or advocacy roles feel pressured to stay silent. You may carry guilt, shame, or fear that speaking up will make things worse or put you at risk. These reactions are common, especially when you’ve been holding responsibility for others’ safety.  But these feelings do not define you. 

Counseling offers a grounded, confidential space to explore what safety truly looks like, understand who you can trust, and rebuild your sense of agency. It supports you in protecting yourself while still caring for others, so you don’t have to navigate danger or responsibility alone.

You do not need to be Gandhi or Dr. King to make a difference. They were bigger than life and changed countries and the world. But every act of compassion, every refusal to participate in harm, and every moment of integrity contributes to a more just world. Little steps accumulate and before you know it, life is better for the steps you took.

Counseling supports you in staying grounded, purposeful, and emotionally resilient. It helps you hold onto your humanity while working for change, and it reminds you that your well‑being matters just as much as the causes you care about.

When Activism Becomes an Industry

Over the past several decades, activism has changed. What was once a community‑driven effort rooted in service, sacrifice, and nonviolence has increasingly become a professionalized industry. Large organizations, fundraising structures, branding strategies, and media incentives have reshaped the landscape. In some cases, activism has drifted away from its original purpose—protecting people, strengthening communities, and advancing justice through disciplined, ethical action.

When activism becomes a source of income, influence, or personal branding, it can take on a life of its own. Outrage becomes a commodity. Conflict becomes a strategy. And the work shifts from healing communities to maintaining visibility, generating donations, or sustaining a public persona. This is not the path modeled by the leaders who built the movements we honor.

News reporting has also contributed to this shift. Sensational coverage, selective framing, and the constant search for conflict can distort public understanding of justice work. Instead of highlighting progress, collaboration, or community healing, media outlets often amplify the most extreme voices and the most dramatic moments.

Perfect Example: 

Recent Events: Why Ethical Boundaries Matter

A recent protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul illustrates how quickly activism can cross legal and ethical lines. This is not Justice.

Regardless of political views, entering a place of worship to confront leaders or disrupt services is unlawful and places everyone at risk. Nonviolence is not passivity—it is a protective stance that keeps communities and people safe and prevents escalation.

This creates a feedback loop:

• activists escalate to gain coverage
• media rewards escalation
• the public receives a distorted picture of what justice work truly is

This cycle undermines the quiet, steady, nonviolent work that actually changes lives.

Despite the noise, the truth is that our country has made real progress. Rates of overt racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination have decreased hugely over the decades—not because of outrage cycles, but because of the disciplined, principled work of leaders who insisted on dignity and nonviolence.

We stand on the shoulders of people like:

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who transformed the nation through moral courage and nonviolent resistance
• César Chávez, whose humility and discipline shaped entire movements for labor rights
• Susan B. Anthony, who fought tirelessly for women’s suffrage through lawful, strategic, nonviolent action
• Dolores Huerta, who organized communities with clarity, compassion, and unwavering resolve

Their work changed laws, transformed hearts, and reshaped institutions. Their legacy deserves to be honored—not overshadowed by performative activism or media‑driven conflict.

Ethical activism is not a performance. It is not a brand. It is not a revenue stream. It is a commitment to:

• nonviolence
• truth
• dignity
• responsibility
• community protection
• and the courage to act without harming others

This is the lineage I stand in; I was shaped by leaders I worked alongside, including César Chávez, and strengthened by the moral clarity of figures like Susan B. Anthony and Dr. King.

When we acknowledge progress, we strengthen hope. When we reject harmful tactics, we protect our communities. When we return to nonviolence, we return to the heart of justice and LOVE.

Delving into spirituality through counseling allows individuals not only to discover their unique path, but also to make conscious choices about engaging with respected spiritual teachings and communities. 

These journeys often include practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques, all set within a nurturing environment that fosters peace, respect for diversity, and the freedom of personal expression. 

Within these safe spaces, participants are encouraged to embrace autonomy, unity, compassion, inclusivity, acceptance, forgiveness, and—when it contributes to healing—reconciliation. 

Exploring the lives and wisdom of revered spiritual leaders—Jesus, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Mary, Pope John XXIII, Mahatma Gandhi, among others—offers profound lessons in love, forgiveness, courage, integrity, empowerment, humility, and the deeper dimensions of the spiritual life. 

Their examples illuminate the practice of self-acceptance and the extension of love to others, whether that springs from faith in God, a higher power, or a commitment to universal values. 

Spirituality, at its heart, is a journey of compassion, authenticity, responsibility, and the ongoing quest for understanding and connection both within ourselves and with the world around us. 

Spiritual abuse: recognizing the signs and the role of separation in healing

Spiritual abuse, also known as religious abuse, involves using spiritual or religious beliefs to hurt, scare, or control someone. It can manifest as manipulation, exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship, coercion to conform, and isolation. 

Recognizing the signs of spiritual abuse

• Manipulation of beliefs: Abusers may twist religious teachings to control and manipulate others, using fear, guilt, or shame. For example, they might use scriptures out of context to justify their demands.
• Control of behavior: This can include dictating clothing, relationships, finances, parenting, or even thought processes, according to The Mend Project. A leader might tell you how to dress, who to befriend, or claim to have special divine knowledge about your life.
• Isolation and shame: Abusers often isolate victims from external support and information, creating dependence on the abuser for spiritual guidance and emotional support. They might criticize other belief systems, making the victim feel that their faith depends on adhering to the abuser's ideology. Victims may experience a chronic sense of inadequacy and shame for not living up to unrealistic expectations, leading to self-doubt and fear of abandonment.
• Fear of consequences: Victims may live in fear of spiritual or emotional harm, and even physical consequences if they don't comply with the abuser's demands. This can include threats of divine punishment, excommunication, or community rejection.
• Unrealistic expectations: Abusers may demand impossible achievements or unreasonable sacrifices, presenting them as tests of faith. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and reinforce the abuse.
• Gaslighting: This involves the abuser making the victim doubt their own perceptions and sanity, making it harder to recognize or address the abuse. 

The role of separation in healing

Separation from the abuser and the abusive environment can be a crucial step in the healing process. 

• Safety: Separation creates physical and emotional distance from the abuser, allowing the victim to feel safer and begin the healing process.
• Clarity: It provides space to reflect, think clearly, and evaluate the situation without the ongoing influence of the abuser, notes Dr. David Hawkins.
• Healing: Separation can help calm the nervous system and create an environment conducive to processing trauma and rebuilding a sense of self.
• Redefining spirituality: Leaving a toxic environment allows individuals to redefine their spirituality and beliefs on their own terms, seeking healthy, supportive communities or engaging in self-exploration. 

Healing from spiritual abuse

• Seek therapy and counseling: Working with a trauma-informed therapist is essential for processing the emotional damage caused by spiritual abuse. Helping therapies such as CBT.
• Find a supportive community: Whether within or outside of a faith context, connecting with a healthy and supportive community that offers love and acceptance can be incredibly healing.
• Self-care and mindfulness: Engaging in self-care routines, exercise, and mindfulness practices can help regulate the nervous system and promote physical and emotional well-being.
• Reclaiming autonomy and truth-telling: One key step in recovery is recognizing the abuse, understanding its dynamics, and sharing your story with safe individuals. This can be a powerful act of reclaiming agency and challenging the abuser's control. 

It is important to remember that healing is a process, not a linear journey, and it's okay to seek professional help and support. The National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-SAFE or text START to 88788) can provide support and resources. 

For additional information, consider the following resources: 

• Listen to Lisa A. Romano’s YouTube presentation, *Embracing the Validity of Our Thoughts and Feelings*. 
• View *How Narcissists Spread Spiritual Disease* by The Royal We on YouTube. 
• Professional counseling can offer individuals and families a supportive environment to explore concepts of safety, identify trustworthy individuals, and learn methods to protect oneself and others. 
• For further understanding, view the YouTube video *What is a Cult and How Does it Work?* by Margaret Singer, published by the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) on October 12, 2014. 
• It is also advisable to attend professional development events, such as *How to Integrate Spirituality and Psychotherapy in Clinical Practice*, presented by Donald Meichenbaum, PhD., and sponsored by CE-Go. This presentation promotes the integration of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation when appropriate. 
• To gain insight into loving behaviour and the process of reconciliation, listen to Thich Nhat Hanh’s audio works, *Reconciliation* and *Transforming Suffering* (2022, Audio Buddha). 
• Additionally, for a scholarly perspective on forgiveness and collective responsibility, refer to *Forgiveness and Collective Guilt Assignment to Historical Perpetrator Groups Depend on Level of Social Category Inclusiveness* by Michael Wohl and Nyla Branscombe. 
• TheMendProject Https://themendproject.com › spiritual-abuse

Counseling helps us find clarity and purpose, and my own understanding of purpose is rooted in the stories of my family. My mother’s cousins grew up in Puerto Rico in the 1930s and 40s, living in simple wooden homes without electricity or running water. Yet their lives were filled with hope, dignity, and love.

As opportunities expanded in the 1950s through the 1970s, many—including my relatives—rose into financial stability. My great uncle Bado worked the land with devotion, while my great aunt, Tia Carmen, a proud Taíno woman, devoted herself to raising her children and healing from historical trauma. Counseling helped her make sense of early losses, and her belief in emotional healing shaped the generations that followed. Three of her children became social workers, and another built a thriving business. Her love planted “the seed of purpose” in all of us.

My family’s roots stretch back to Spanish and French ancestors who settled in Puerto Rico in the 1600s, joining immigrants from more than fifty nations. Though materially “poor,” they lived with abundance of spirit—proving that true wealth is found in safety, love, and having one’s basic needs met.

Today, we benefit from their endurance, faith, and sacrifices. Their resilience inspires my work as a trauma therapist and grief counselor, and it reminds us all to honor the past as we shape the future.

Puerto Rican identity is beautifully complex—woven from White European, Black African, Taíno Indigenous, biracial, tri racial, and multiethnic lineages. Puerto Rican is a nationality, not a race, and the island holds communities from all these backgrounds. Children of these unions may identify in many ways, but above all, they are Puerto Rican.

To explore Puerto Rican culture and the respect we share for one another, enjoy performances such as:

• Baile Cultura Puerto Rico – Felix Jose
• Bomba Eh – Atencion Atencion (children’s songs)
• Puerto Rico is Music (children dancing bomba)
• Gíbaro de Puerto Rico – Karaskatiski
• Bomba Puertorriqueña para tu boda
• Semana de la Puertorriqueñidad – Baile en Puerto Rico
• History of Bomba PR – Music of the Americas

Puerto Rico consistently ranks among the happiest places in the world. True identity flourishes when we embrace every part of our story—our heritage, our challenges, and our hopes. Celebrate who you are, and honor every thread that makes you whole.

Counseling offers a safe space to examine the financial beliefs you’ve inherited—beliefs that may quietly shape how you view money, success, and possibility. When you release harmful narratives like the “poverty mentality,” you open the door to stability, confidence, and financial wellness.

Poverty is often defined as a lack of resources, but the deeper issue is systemic alienation: institutions that enforce failure, deny dignity, and normalize exclusion. This alienation is not only imposed from the outside—it is often reproduced within schools, agencies, and communities themselves.

Children in unsafe poverty are not failing because of lack of intelligence. They are failed by systems that expect little, tolerate unsafe housing, and normalize violence. When children move into environments that insist on success, they thrive. Poverty does not predetermine failure—alienation does.

Safe Poverty   – Basic needs met – Housing secure – Communities peaceful – Families retain agency – Simplicity chosen, not imposed

Unsafe Poverty   – Unsafe housing – Violence tolerated – Schools enforce low expectations – Children denied dignity and opportunity

Sometimes exclusion is real; sometimes it is perceived. When people internalize narratives of oppression—whether imposed or imagined—they may withdraw, limit themselves, or adopt an outsider identity. The psychological impact is real even when the external force is not. Alienation, not scarcity, is the true danger.

Adults who grew up in alienating systems may unconsciously reproduce them. Schools may reward compliance over transformation. Leaders may confuse abuse with “toughness.” Systems may pressure insiders to maintain the status quo. These patterns keep communities trapped in cycles of failure.

Policing carries both protection and paradox. Many officers risk their lives to keep communities safe, yet institutional pressures, fear, and mistrust can distort their role. To honor the complexity, we must acknowledge both the safety police provide and the ways broader systems can turn protectors into instruments of alienation.

Naming harm clearly—without euphemism—restores dignity. When communities reject gaslighting and speak truth, they reclaim belonging. Systemic alienation is not natural; it is manufactured. And it can be dismantled.

Financial wellness begins with meeting essential needs—food, shelter, rest, healthcare, education, and meaningful work. When safety is out of reach, community resources should be accessible until stability is restored.

Practical steps include: – Letting go of shame – Creating a weekly budget – Building an emergency fund – Living within or below your means – Saving regularly – Reducing debt – Planning for retirement – Respecting wealth rather than resenting it – Giving back when able

Your mindset matters. You can rewrite your financial story.

Minimalism is not poverty—it is intentional living. It means focusing on what matters: your children, your creativity, your work, your well‑being. Decluttering your home and mind reduces stress, saves money, and increases time for what you love. Minimalism brings clarity, freedom, and peace.

“I appreciate money. I welcome it into my life and use it thoughtfully and responsibly. Money moves freely through my hands—I send it out with gratitude and it returns to me multiplied. Abundance flows to me in generous waves, and I use my resources for good.” — Linda Diaz

Addiction is the condition in which a person becomes dependent on a particular substance and/or activity and/or failure and/or other person's mind control-Alienation.

There are numerous reasons why individuals turn to substances or certain behaviors for relief. Some of the most common include:

· Escaping trauma and effects such as alienation trauma, domestic violence, or child abuse

· Coping with pain and grief

· Seeking pleasure and euphoria

· Peer pressure and social influences

· Managing mental distress or illness

· Curiosity and experimentation, sometimes encouraged or accepted by society

· Genetic and biological factors

· Lack of guidance or education

· Dealing with aging and life transitions

Many substances and behaviors can become addictive and harmful, including:

· Prescription drugs

· Street drugs

· Alcohol

· Virtue Signaling (all talk and no action)

· Cigarettes and vaping

· Hallucinogens

· Self Injurious behavior

· Marijuana

· Exercise

· Illegal behavior 

· gambling

· Activism, violence, or hatred

· Athletics 

· Illegal behavior

· Gambling

· People Pleasing

· behaviors such as sex, pornography, or fantasy

How can addiction be identified?

Indicators may consist of impaired self-regulation, recurrent engagement in harmful or maladaptive behaviors despite available alternatives, progressive increases in substance or alcohol use, development of tolerance, and the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms when abstaining from the substance or activity.

Relapse Prevention

· Seek guidance or support from your higher power, faith, or spiritual practices.

· Prepare an emergency contact list of trusted individuals and safe locations, including your sponsor and counselor, to reach out to when necessary.

· Identify personal triggers, such as past experiences of childhood abuse or parental alienation.

· Practice breathing techniques or mindfulness meditation to promote emotional regulation.

· Engage in self-care activities, for example, spending time in nature, staying hydrated, praying, or expressing creativity through drawing.

· Get therapy with an educated therapist who understands addiction, attachment and alienation (negative voices who want you to fail)

WATCH 3 Blocks to Narcissistic Abuse Recovery (w/advise for the therapist), by Richard Grannon

WATCH The Cure Complex: How treatment systems keep people trapped in cycles of dependency, by John Medina Jr, Represent Justice 

WATCH What's Wrong with Marijuana? 5 minute videos w/ PragerU and Dr. Drew 

Father and son said, "Attending therapy helped us feel as if we had built a kaleidoscope as the animals and insects in the story had done after the storm. 

We have picked up the pieces of broken glass, built our kaleidoscope and saw a new way to care for ourselves by attending another school which encouraged success (many schools deliberately encourage failure for more gov money and to create dependency on gov resources throughout your life), nonviolence (as opposed to encouraging and ignoring violence, bullying and hatred) and respect for parental rights (not creating parental and family alienation) and help to see opportunities to move on with our lives."  

-Grady and Jamal

I realized in therapy, "I may be wounded like the wounded yellow butterfly, but I too can still fly even after the domestic and sexual abuse. I found that once I redefined the language that kept me stuck in the Self Blame/Guilt and Shame Cycle after abuse,  I was able to heal and protect myself.  I stopped believing I was 'guilty' for a crime I did not commit.  I learned to redefine the term 'guilt' as a legal term reserved for the perpetrator of abuse or a crime and not about me at all. 

I began to understand trauma bonding/Stockholm Syndrome and Narcissistic abuse and how this affected me, made me defend and return to my abuser. I also learned to use a Venn Diagram to show when a problem is mine, when a problem belongs to someone else, and when a problem belongs to me and another person. 

After learning whose problem it was, I was able to defend and protect myself and my children by calling the police.  I had been afraid my abuser would act out toward the police too and go to jail and it would be my fault, if my abuser got hurt or went to jail.  In reality everyone is responsible for themselves and the consequences that follow." - Anya

"Therapy helped me find peace and love living in two homes just like the butterfly, the animals and insects rebuilt and found peace in their garden." -Rachel

"Losing my pet was like going through the terrible storm like in the story, The Wounded Yellow Butterfly.  But I feel better today. Therapy helped me through the sad days and to remember the happy days just like the garden insects and animals remembered things in the past and look to the future." - Christina 

“Therapy helped me understand that I am worthy of love and possess an inherent value that my childhood never reflected. Even after enduring neglect and abuse from parents who chose not to heal, I learned to forgive.

Today, I am surrounded by a new family, and each morning feels like a fresh beginning—like a once‑wounded yellow butterfly finding safety among rainbow‑colored butterflies and a nurturing bird family. I, too, have been given a second chance at life.” – Tommy

“Therapy helped me see that much of my grief came from the pain of my adoption. My name was changed, and poverty separated me from my biological mother, even though financial sponsorship could have kept us together.

I never stopped saying, ‘I love my mother and want to return to her.  My hope remains that one day I will find her. I share my story for others who long to rebuild after loss—just as the animals and insects rebuilt their world after a terrible storm.” – Jada

“Counseling gave me the space to express my sorrow and anger about being adopted. I believe I could have stayed with my mother if she had been supported instead of abandoned because she was poor. Instead of helping her become self‑sufficient, the world forced her to give me up so I could survive.

Losing my Indian name was deeply painful, and being ‘granted permission’ to reconnect with my biological mother felt like another wound. Today, I am reunited with my original family, just as the creatures of the garden found each other after the storm. I have reclaimed my Indigenous name—and with it, my sense of self.” – Zyana

Across Central and Latin America, mothers in counseling have shared painful accounts from recent decades: infants and children kidnapped, sold for organs, or placed into adoption for profit while governments looked away. In response, some communities have taken extraordinary measures to protect their children, even restricting entry to outsiders—including police—to prevent further kidnappings and illegal adoptions.

Adoption is a profound, lifelong commitment—not a symbol, a statement, or a performance. At its heart, adoption is about love, responsibility, and the well‑being of a child. But in recent years, public conversations about adoption—especially when wealthy or famous individuals are involved—have often overlooked the deeper realities that lead families to be separated in the first place.

Some high‑profile adoptions are framed as acts of rescue or charity, with media coverage centering the adoptive parent rather than the child. This can unintentionally turn adoption into a form of virtue signaling, where the appearance of compassion becomes more visible than the long‑term responsibilities of parenting. Children are not symbols. They are not proof of goodness. They are not meant to be part of anyone’s public image.

Ignoring the complexities of transracial or international adoption raises an essential ethical question:  If the goal is love, safety, and stability, why not support families so they can remain together?

Most children placed for adoption are not orphans. Many families face separation because of poverty, lack of resources, political instability, or social stigma—conditions that could be addressed with support rather than removal.

Family preservation is often the most loving option. Supporting a family to stay intact may involve:

• access to housing or food
• medical or mental health care
• legal advocacy
• childcare support
• education or employment resources
• strengthening extended family networks

These interventions cost far less than international adoption fees and honor the child’s identity, culture, and history.

SILENCE

Many birth parents, kinship caregivers, and extended families remain silent because of fear, shame, or pressure. Counseling helps them reclaim their voice and understand their rights.Society often romanticizes adoption and ignores adoptees’ bodies

People talk about adoption as if it erases everything that came before. But adoptees grow up, become adults, and face real physical, emotional, and relational challenges that deserve care—not silence.

Ethical adoption centers the child—not the parent, not the narrative, not the public image. It requires:

• humility
• trauma‑informed care
• cultural respect
• long‑term support
• privacy
• accountability
• a commitment to honoring the child’s full story

Adoption should never be the first solution to a family’s hardship. It should be the last.

In my practice, I support:

• birth parents navigating difficult decisions
• adoptive parents seeking ethical, grounded guidance
• adoptees exploring identity, belonging, and loss
• families working to stay together whenever safely possible

My work is rooted in dignity, nonviolence, and the belief that families deserve every opportunity to remain whole.

For further reflection: 

– The Unacknowledged Grief and Adoption – The Ollie Foundation – Supreme Court Favors Law That Keeps Native American Children… – ABC News – Supreme Court Preserves Indian Child Welfare Act – 9News

I may repeat information to emphasis the severity and necessity to understand the facts for your safety and well being! 

1. Public Messaging and Community Fear 

Many families tell me that they feel confused or frightened by statements from politicians, public figures, case managers, therapists and even federal agencies. Always ask your lawyer and rely on their legal advice! While these institutions and individuals often intend to communicate policy or legal updates, the language used can sometimes be broad, dramatic, or unclear. This can unintentionally increase anxiety among immigrant families who are not the targets of enforcement.
 

How Public Messaging Can Create Fear 

• Announcements about “crackdowns” or “operations” are often general statements, not descriptions of local activity.
   
• Policy updates may be framed in ways that sound urgent or threatening, even when they do not apply to most families.
   
• Complex legal information is sometimes presented without context, making it difficult for families to understand what is relevant to them.
   
• Public debates about immigration can use strong political language that feels alarming, even when the underlying policies remain unchanged.
   
• The Role of the Department of Justice (DOJ) 

The DOJ issues legal guidance and policy statements, but these documents are written for courts, attorneys, and law-enforcement agencies — not for families. As a result: 

• The language can be technical and intimidating.  
• It may describe worst-case scenarios or enforcement authorities that rarely apply in everyday situations.  
• Without explanation, these statements can be misinterpreted as immediate threats.
   

Why This Matters
When public messaging is unclear or emotionally charged, families may: 

• Avoid calling the police during emergencies 
• Withdraw from school, work, or medical care  
• Assume they are at risk even when they are not enforcement priorities  
• Rely on rumors instead of verified information. These reactions are understandable — but they can create real harm.
   

Commitment
My goal is to translate complex, high-level government messaging into clear, accurate, and practical information that families can use to stay safe, informed, and connected to their communities.  My focus is on facts, not fear.
 

Law Enforcement, Safety, and Community Misunderstandings 

Many immigrant families avoid contacting the police even in emergencies because they fear that any interaction with law enforcement could lead to immigration consequences. This fear is understandable, but it is based on misinformation. 

Police and ICE Are Separate
Local police departments do not work for ICE. Their primary role is public safety — responding to emergencies, preventing harm, and protecting residents regardless of immigration status. 

When Police Contact ICE
The only routine point of contact occurs inside jails, not in the community. A jail may notify ICE when: 

• An individual with a serious criminal conviction is being released
• The person already has a final removal order 
• The individual is part of an ongoing federal investigation  

This process applies to specific criminal cases, not to families living their daily lives.
 

Why This Matters
Because of misinformation and the heightened fear created around protests, some families now avoid: 

• Calling 911 during violence or medical emergencies  
• Reporting domestic abuse  
• Seeking help when a child is in danger  
• Cooperating with police when they are victims of a crime  

This puts vulnerable families at greater risk, even though they are not the targets of ICE enforcement.
 

Impact of Recent Protests on Vulnerable Families 

Recent protest activity directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has created an atmosphere of heightened fear within many immigrant and nonimmigrant communities. Although these families are not the targets of enforcement, the intensity and visibility of the demonstrations have led to significant unintended consequences: 

• Parents keeping children home from school 
• Adults avoiding work, medical appointments, and community programs 
• Families withdrawing from public spaces and essential services 
• Individuals hesitating to seek help during emergencies 

These reactions are understandable — families are responding to fear, not wrongdoing. But the environment created around the protests, combined with widespread misinformation, has produced avoidable harm for households already managing medical, psychological, or economic challenges.
 

My concern is not with the families. 

My concern is with the protest (illegal defiance of the nations laws and physical violence toward law enforcement) dynamics that have amplified anxiety and disrupted daily life.
 

Who ICE Actually Targets
Contrary to many rumors, ICE does not target all undocumented immigrants. Their enforcement priorities are defined by federal law and agency policy and focus on specific categories:
Primary Enforcement Priorities 

• Individuals with certain criminal convictions  
• People considered public-safety risks  
• Individuals with final orders of removal issued by immigration courts  
• Recent border crossers  
• Individuals involved in federal investigations (e.g., trafficking, smuggling, document fraud) 

Who ICE Is Not Targeting 

• Families with pending asylum or immigration cases  
• Parents taking children to school  
• Individuals attending medical appointments or community programs 
• People with no criminal history and no removal order 
• Vulnerable families receiving services or support 

These groups are not enforcement priorities, and in practice, they are rarely the focus of operations. 

Police, ICE, and the Jail System: Understanding the Difference
Many families fear that any interaction with police could lead to immigration consequences. This fear is understandable — but it is based on misinformation.
 

Local Police Do Not Work for ICE
Police departments focus on public safety: responding to emergencies, preventing harm, and protecting residents regardless of immigration status.
 

When Police Contact ICE
The only routine point of contact occurs inside jails, not in the community. A jail may notify ICE when: 

• An individual with a serious criminal conviction is being released  
• The person already has a final removal order  
• The individual is part of an ongoing federal investigation This process applies to specific criminal cases, not to families living their daily lives. 

Why This Matters
Because of fear and unclear public messaging, some families now avoid:  

• Calling 911 during violence or medical emergencies  
• Reporting domestic abuse  
• Seeking help when a child is in danger  
• Cooperating with police when they are victims of a crime 

These choices put vulnerable families at greater risk, even though they are not the targets of ICE enforcement. 

Through years of working with both families and their relatives with criminal histories, I have seen firsthand that most families have no reason to fear police contact, and that ICE involvement is limited to specific, legally defined situations and people. Although a relative and/or parent may have a criminal record and may deported, family members without criminal histories are not the targets. 

My Commitment to the Community
I am committed to: 

• Providing clear, accurate, and practical information  
• Reducing fear caused by misinformation and unclear public messaging  
• Supporting families so they can continue school, work, medical care, and daily life  
• Ensuring that vulnerable households are not harmed by confusion or unnecessary panic 
• Translating complex legal and policy information into language that families can understand

My goal is simple: Facts, not fear. Stability, not panic. Support, not confusion.
 

Myths vs. Facts: Understanding ICE, Law Enforcement, and Community Safety 

Myth 1: “ICE is targeting all undocumented families in our area.” 

Fact: ICE focuses on specific enforcement categories such as individuals with certain criminal convictions, recent border crossers, and people with final removal orders. Families attending school, work, medical care, or community programs are not enforcement priorities. 

Myth 2: “Police work directly with ICE and will report anyone they encounter.” 

Fact: Local police departments do not work for ICE. Their role is public safety. The only routine contact with ICE occurs inside jails, and only when a person with a serious criminal case or a final removal order is being released. 

Myth 3: “If I call 911, ICE will come to my home.” 

Fact: Emergency responders do not involve ICE in routine calls. Calling 911 for violence, medical emergencies, or child safety does not trigger immigration enforcement. Avoiding emergency services puts families at greater risk. 

Myth 4: “Protests mean ICE is conducting raids nearby.” 

Fact: Protest activity does not reflect ICE operations. In many cases, protests create fear even when no enforcement activity is occurring. Families often react to the environment around the protests, not to actual ICE actions. 

Myth 5: “Public statements from politicians or federal agencies mean immediate danger.”  

Fact: Political messaging is often broad, dramatic, or unclear. DOJ and federal announcements are written for legal and law-enforcement audiences, not families. These statements frequently describe national policy, not local activity. 

Myth 6: “If someone is arrested for any reason, they will automatically be deported.” 

Fact: Deportation is not automatic. ICE involvement typically occurs only when a person has a serious criminal conviction, a final removal order, or is part of a federal investigation. Many individuals complete their criminal cases with no immigration consequences. 

Myth 7: “Staying home keeps families safer.” 

Fact: Avoiding school, work, medical care, and community programs can cause significant harm — educational setbacks, lost income, untreated health issues, and increased stress. Families who are not enforcement priorities are safer staying engaged in daily life. 

Myth 8: “Everyone in the community is at equal risk.” 

Fact: Enforcement is highly targeted. The vast majority of families — especially those with pending cases, no criminal history, or long-term community ties — are not at risk of enforcement actions. 

Any violent incident — especially one in a place people consider safe, like a church — can intensify anxiety far beyond the event itself. Even if the attack had nothing to do with immigration enforcement, families will often connect it to the larger climate of uncertainty. 

The attack and the broader climate 

Events like a church attack create:
  • A sense that “danger is everywhere,” even when the causes are unrelated 

• Heightened vigilance in families who already feel targeted 
• More reluctance to leave home, attend school, or seek help 
• A stronger belief in rumors or misinformation circulating online 

For immigrant families — especially those who have lived through trauma — these events can feel like confirmation that the world around them is unsafe.

Why this matters for counseling
I am in a position where I see the real-world consequences: 

• Families withdrawing even further  
• Children missing school  
• People skipping medical care  
• Victims of violence hesitating to call police  
• Communities isolating themselves out of fear  

None of this is caused by ICE enforcement. It’s caused by fear, confusion, and the emotional impact of public events and messaging.
 

Safe Spaces and Community Well-Being 

For many immigrant families, safe spaces are essential to daily life. These are the places where people feel protected, welcomed, and connected — places where fear should never overshadow community. 

Why Safe Spaces Matter 

Safe spaces such as churches, schools, community centers, clinics, and support programs play a vital role in the lives of immigrant families. They provide: 

• emotional and spiritual support  
• trusted relationships  
• access to food, childcare, and social services 
• a sense of belonging and cultural connection 
• stability during times of uncertainty
   

When fear spreads — whether from protests, public messaging, or unrelated acts of violence — these spaces can feel threatened. Families may begin to withdraw from the very places that help them stay healthy, stable, and connected. 

The Impact of Fear on Safe Spaces
Even when incidents have no connection to immigration enforcement, families may interpret them through the lens of existing anxiety. This can lead to: 

• avoiding church services  
• skipping school or community programs  
• hesitating to attend medical appointments 
• isolating from support networks  
• increased stress and emotional strain
   

These reactions are understandable. When families have lived through trauma or uncertainty, any disruption in a trusted space can feel like a warning sign.

Reinforcing Safety Through Accurate Information
Our goal is to help families stay engaged with the places that support them. By providing clear, factual information about ICE enforcement, law-enforcement roles, and public messaging, we aim to: 

• reduce unnecessary fear  
• protect access to essential services 
• keep families connected to their communities  
• strengthen trust in safe spaces  
• support emotional and spiritual well-being  

Safe spaces remain safe. Families deserve to feel secure in the places that matter most to them. 

A Grateful Prayer for Those Who Protect Our Safe Spaces
We offer gratitude for all who work quietly and faithfully to keep our community safe. 

May peace surround our police officers, who respond to danger so others may live without fear. May strength be given to our school staff, who guide and protect children with patience and care. May comfort be granted to parents and caregivers, who carry the weight of worry and still choose hope every day. May wisdom support our community leaders, volunteers, and faith workers, who open their doors and hearts to those seeking refuge. May compassion guide all who stand watch over our churches, classrooms, clinics, and gathering places. 

May every person who protects these safe spaces be blessed with clarity, courage, and calm. And may our community continue to grow in trust, understanding, and unity.

Closing Statement
While I don't encourage anyone to violate the immigration laws, families are deserving of compassion, calm, safety and respect.  Our community is strongest when we stand together in truth, compassion, and calm. In times of uncertainty, fear can spread quickly — especially among families who have already endured hardship. But fear does not have to guide our decisions. Accurate information, supportive relationships, and trusted safe spaces give families the stability they deserve. 

We remain committed to providing clear guidance, protecting access to essential services, and strengthening the places where families gather, learn, worship, and heal. With the support of parents, educators, faith leaders, neighbors, and dedicated public-safety professionals, our community continues to show resilience and unity. 

May we move forward with clarity instead of confusion, connection instead of isolation, and hope instead of fear. Together, we can ensure that every family — regardless of background or circumstance — feels safe, supported, and valued.