
An Evening of Light, Love, & Hope
We offer this evening to illuminate the issues faced by families and individuals touched by mental health and substance use. We are here to shine the light of hope and possibility for those who may be lost in confusion, sadness, and despair. Come be part of a powerful evening where you can leave feeling re-energized. Let our stories draw us together, lift us up, and encourage us onward.
Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022
6:30 - 9 PM
ONE Wellness Center - 2349 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY
- Join local authors
We invite you to join us for a peaceful evening that will inspire and ignite your spirit! Four local authors share their walk down paths they never imagined, which rocked them to their core, yet they have each managed to turn their pain into passion. As parents of beautiful, sensitive, creative, kind, and loving young people who have also struggled with substance use and other mental health challenges, they have experienced how often the journey alongside a loved one is stigmatized and misunderstood. They know that family members may feel judged and alone, carrying their stories in shame and silence. They know what it is to feel depleted and to lose sight of their own well-being.
Let’s break the silence and talk about an enduring love that can sustain us through unimaginable pain, chaos, loss, and grief. Let’s talk about hope that shines through, even in the darkest days.
Jennifer Collins, Barb Klein, and Linda & Jack Mazur have all turned to writing as a way to process the realities of parenting children with mental health struggles. Writing has provided a way to heal, to share and to uplift their readers. Each of these people has found their way to live with pain, struggle, and grief, while also stepping into possibility. They have found a way to live fulfilling lives that matter. They know how critical family members are to recovery and how vital it is that they honor their own well-being.
Barb Klein is the author of the inspirational reflective book, 111 Invitations: Step into the Full Richness of Life -
collection of prose poems, reflections, and prayers. Barb is also the founder of Inspired Possibility.
The founder of Inspired Possibility, Barb Klein is a Possibilitator, life coach, recovery coach, Invitation to Change facilitator, retreat leader, meditation instructor, and the author of 111 Invitations: Step into the Full Richness of Life..Barb is a certified recovery coach, life coach, Invitation to Change group facilitator, meditation instructor, retreat leader, and writer. Barb is also mom to two young men, one of whom struggles with substance use disorder and other mental health challenges. In the recovery world, Barb continues her education in programs like CRAFT, Motivational Interviewing, Invitation to Change, and Tai Chi for Recovery.
As a mom who has navigated life through her son’s substance use and eating disorders for more than a decade, she is creating something positive and meaningful out of this experience. Barb works with people who have lost connection with their inner wisdom and guidance to reconnect with themselves as they recover and reclaim their lives. She also walks alongside family members and individuals impacted by addiction, changing the way they live and love. Barb’s work is grounded in compassion, mindfulness, self-care, and self-compassion. Barb is determined to bring compassion and break the silence that exists around mental health. She is currently working on her second book which will be a companion for family members dealing with these complex issues.
Linda and Jack Mazur, founders of The Emilee Connection, are the authors of the heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir,
Emilee: The Story of a Girl and her Family Hijacked by Anorexia.
Linda Mazur LPC, RMT, President of The Emilee Connection, Inc.is a Professional Cosmetologist, business owner, Reiki Master and Teacher. She has been serving the Rochester community for nearly four decades.
John/Jack Mazur RPh, Treasurer of The Emilee Connection Inc.has been employed as a pharmacist in various capacities serving the Rochester community for over forty years. He is a former member of The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, and a past board member for The Pharmacy Society of Rochester.
Linda and Jack published their book Emilee: The Story of a Girl and Her Family Hijacked by Anorexia after the devastating loss of their 35 year old daughter, Emilee. Their advocacy mission includes spreading awareness, understanding, and compassion for individuals who suffer from anorexia, eating disorders, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, and all mental illnesses.
Linda and Jack, co-host the podcast, Once Shattered: Picking Up the Pieces
which focuses on eating disorders and all mental health conditions.
They recently formed a nonprofit 501(c)(3) The Emilee Connection to provide peer connection and community support for adults with eating disorders, and for their loved ones. Linda and Jack serve on the community advisory board for the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders. They advocate for comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, improved insurance coverage, funding, and research in Rochester, New York, in Albany, New York, and in Washington, D.C. They also serve on the Rochester Regional Homecare and Hospice Advisory Committee.
Jennifer Collins is the author of two beautiful novels infused with the complexity of love and loss -
Comfort in the Wings and Wonders in the Waves which are available through Words in the Wings Press.
Jennifer Collins, PT, EdD, MPA, is a retired physical therapist and college professor whose career spanned more than forty years.
She held many titles during those years, but “Mom” was the one that brought her the most joy and pride.
Her debut novel, Comfort in the Wings, emerged from the author’s own devastating experiences with loss of immediate family members, including two of her children within a few months. Overcome with her own loss, she found herself in awe at the outpouring of stories from others who had lost loved ones. A drive to incorporate those voices into fiction and create a platform for discussion of emotions around grief has become a compelling force for writing. Encouraged by readers’ response to Comfort in the Wings, she is excited to continue the story of Larissa and her loved ones with Wonders in the Waves.
The healing power of being near the water is a prevailing theme in both books.
Collins now spends her time writing, connecting with others who experience child loss, and running a family business alongside her eldest son. She does both from two residences - her long-time family home in upstate New York and Hutchinson Island in Florida.
This evening is for you if you:
Are a family member of someone who struggles with mental health challenges
Have been touched by substance use disorder, eating disorders, or other mental health challenges
Know what it feels like to be fatigued, overwhelmed or burnt out.
Long to know that you are not alone... and that there is hope.
Please join us.
Let’s open up conversations that carry love and pain, struggle and hope.
Light snacks will be served.
Signed copies of books will be available for purchase and make great holiday gifts!
Space is limited
Program is free but registration is required.
Date:
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Time:
6:30 - 9:00 PM
Location: ONE Wellness Center - Rochester, NY
If you are unable to join us after you’ve been enrolled, please let us know right away.
We will then be able to offer your spot to someone else.
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Time:
6:30 - 9:00 PM
Location: ONE Wellness Center - Rochester, NY
If you are unable to join us after you’ve been enrolled, please let us know right away.
We will then be able to offer your spot to someone else.
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