We’ve all heard of fight or flight, that is, the two ways of dealing with existential threats. Running towards a problem in order to confront it and running away from a problem in order to avoid it, are both physical in nature and employ physiological and hormonal changes. If you’ve ever dealt with a highly … More Fight, Flight, and Sitting Tight: The Spectrum of Trauma
Part 1: Serial Suicide The first time I committed suicide, I was eight years old. Before I knew I was supposed to be self conscious about it, my nanny, Harriet, braided my hair. I loved the cornrows she decorated with beads. Bright pink. Neon green. Fluorescent orange. Swinging my head from side to side, the … More The Upside of Suicide
“Ring a ring o’ roses, A pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes, We all fall down.” -Nursery Rhyme Camaraderie. Courage. Coping. A fractured society raises broken children and traumatized adults. Without a sense of connection, we humans fumble into the future, uprooted, unguided, and unstable. In his book Tribe, acclaimed journalist Sebastian Junger explores the … More The Circle Dance
Happy holiday season! I read M Scott Peck’s The Road Less Travelled. In it, he challenges the reader to explore what it means to live and love. The book pushed me to examine my habits, and now I wonder: Why do I repeat behaviors that I know are unhealthy? Chances are, you fall into certain … More Get Lit with Kit – December 2019
I became a classroom teacher in 2000 and a personal trainer and weightlifting coach in 2007. Through the years, I have worked with adults and children, helping them meet various and multiple goals. It’s always rewarding, and my experiences have informed the way I approach formal instruction. As parents and educators, we want our kids … More Student Success: Stress, Tests, and Mindfulness
Books Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks fed my thirst for science. The intricately crafted plot touches on issues of epigenetics, morality, and humanity as the two protagonists delve into the world of medicine in an effort to discover the source and ease the suffering of the mentally insane. What fascinated me was the vastly different social … More Get Lit with Kit – August 2019
This month has been on FIRE! Books: Vincent and Theo was a revealing look at the younger years of the esteemed artist. I learned so much about the role religion played, the extent of his mental distress, and the unfailing support of his younger brother, Theo. Deborah Heiligman did her due diligence while researching this fabulous … More Get Lit with Kit – July 2019
I read a great collection of short stories, Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh. If you’re a fan of Joyce Carol Oates, you’ll enjoy this American author as she explores the dark side of human nature. Also consumed was Robert Green’s Laws of Human Nature, a fascinating dissection of psychology and power dynamics. I particularly relished Green’s … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of January 2019
Earlier this month, I attended a conference at The Running School in London. The topic was biomechanics + neuromuscular repatterning as it relates to movement and pain management after injury or trauma. What was interesting was how multi-faceted the process is, especially considering the role that nutrition and sleep play in recovery. These are two … More Holistic Health: Applying Best Practices to Optimize Performance for Students
This month’s fiction is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. It was one of those rare novels that actually made me pause before turning pages for fear of what I might find on the next one. If you are a fan of Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth, then I highly recommend reading Pachinko, set in Korea and Japan in … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of December
Find the balance. 