Love (and pain and the whole damn thing)

Plenty, originally uploaded by The River Thief. Copyright Ruth Seeley

I have always claimed that neither the unexamined nor the over-examined life is worth living. It’s all about striking that ephemeral and constantly shifting balance between taking a long hard look at yourself so you don’t make the same mistakes over and over and over again, and driving yourself crazy by never letting a popsicle just be a popsicle.

To say that I was thrilled to be invited to the first of Edel Walsh’s Interactive Seminars on February 15, 2007, is an understatement. Edel is launching her firm, Attitudes Consulting, with a series of six interactive seminars at Rhodes Wellness College in Vancouver. Appropriately, the February topic is love – or am I the only one who thinks that’s the best possible topic for the month? Coming on the heels of one of the most artificial ‘special days’ on the calendar, the post-Valentine’s Day seminar will be a two-hour interactive exploration of an issue that affects our personal, family and work relationships.

For me, February has been a tough month for a long time. My mother’s birthday is at the end of the month, and my father died on Valentine’s Day. It’s rare for me to not spend the first six weeks of the new year feeling somewhat anxious, as issues relating to my family of origin resurface. And then there’s the whole Valentine’s Day issue – although observing the anniversary of your father’s death is the world’s best excuse for not having a date. (Why do I feel I need an excuse for February 14 but not for any other day of the year? Perhaps I’ll figure that out at the seminar.) Last year I decided to do a photo essay to honour the 15th anniversary of my dad’s death, a quite deliberate self-directed form of art therapy. It was intense and absorbing, and a tribute he would have appreciated. I dedicated the series to all my male friends, past and present, virtual and real, because I know my father is the yardstick against which they are all being measured. And I also know that it’s in my choice of male friends that I feel my father’s spirit live on.

But enough about me. Edel Walsh is a dynamic, talented counselor, coach, and facilitator. I met her as part of the New Ventures Network self employment program (see my post ‘Beginnings’ in this blog’s October 2006 archives). We talked a lot about what she hopes to do with her new venture. As a veteran of many corporate workplaces seeking to effect change – or needing desperately to change and not having a clue how to go about it effectively, her goal - to help progressive companies and committed individuals develop dynamic relationships in all areas of their lives – struck a chord in me. This series of seminars will be held the third Thursday of every month, and topics will include love, fear, purpose, spirituality, sex, emotional intimacy, pain, success, money, anxiety, joy, depression, wounds, anger, ego, addictions, and peace.

From Edel Walsh’s brochure for the series:

If relationships were working, most of us would have no need for counselling, coaching, and support groups. We would be walking through them with confidence, clarity and peace. But relationships often bring up unresolved issues, resulting in pain, anxiety, and fear; when we understand what is being asked of us in our relationship challenges, we can rise to meet them and grow in the process.

Contact her to attend – 778-895-8983 – and look for her soon-to-be launched web site, www.attitudesconsulting.ca.