Creatively Healing Mind, Body, & Spirit

Welcome to Bonnie’s Healing through Writing and Creativity blog!  If you are looking for Bonnie’s private practice website please go here: Bonnie McKeegan, LCSW Psychotherapy

I started this blog to explore healing through writing while honing my writing skills. Fictional stories and touches of poetry poured forth as I began the creative writing chapter of my life. 

When I started this blog, I could not write directly about what was happening in my life. My mother was dying of breast cancer and out of respect for her privacy, I did not speak or write about it publicly. 

At the same time, I was reconciling myself to the realities Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other significant losses have played in my life.  Through grief, trauma, and parenting I have found, lost, and regained my self-identity as a social worker, sister, daughter, and mother. Each situation, each leg of the journey, has been fraught with pain, and growth opportunities when I was ready.

My mother died in February 2018. You can see her Medical-Aid-In-Dying story on Compassion & Choices. The fictional stories still live within me and in the files, and get attention when the muse insists, however, now, it is mostly memoir about my mother and me, and my social work career that pours forth into digital files and composition books.

I started this blog to support my creative writing interest, and it is indeed an adventure. As the days roll by, I never know where it’ll take me. Here you will find:

• Quotes of Wisdom – a Friday at 9am (Pacific Time Zone) series offering Wisdom, Feel Good, Inspirational and Thought-provoking Quotes.  Sometimes with links and most likely, with too many thoughts of my own included. 
• 5 Things to Expect When Your Mother Dies series
• “Why I Write” series When I started my blog I looked back at different types of writing I’ve done – because I didn’t know what else to write. Turns out I write because I have to or I’ll lose my mind. It’s a simple as that.
• some of my poetry, short stories, and origins of a few of my stories as well as random musings along the way.

The “author” in my URL and email address expresses intention, and when created was not intended to represent myself as having published a book, as the definition of “author” is commonly described. I followed a recommendation in blogville somewhere (to my annoyance I can’t remember where) to start out with a URL that expresses your future.

I later learned that the use of “author” before having published a book could be perceived as misleading or bad etiquette (disrepect for published authors). I chose to keep going with my intention to achieve “author status” rather than start over with a new URL. Starting a blog is not easy! If you are a published author, please understand I am the author of my own story, and that is what it’s about for me. No disrespect intended.

I do not have a degree in writing.  I have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

• Writer? Check.
• Blogger? Check.  x2 now, OHMYGOSH! https://www.privatepracticenavigator.coach/navigator-news-blog/
• Author of my life? Check. 
• Author of a published book?  #futureauthor

I believe engaging in creativity of any sort supports healing processes. This blog is a display of my personal process. It is not intended as a professional opinion or recommendation (writing can give you carpal tunnel syndrome or low self-esteem if your head is in the wrong place, LOL). If you are a client or potential client, please talk to me directly before following or reading my work.

I have always been up to some sort of creative project e.g., learning to watercolor and acrylic paint, creating handmade “Steiner dolls” – last count was 24 of the lovely little dolls (each custom made for specific children), knitting and crocheting projects, various DIY home and furniture projects, gardening, envisioning projects for my husband and dad to get busy on, etc.

My mom’s creative spirit and my dad’s ability to manifest my visions for projects that are outside of my skill set have supported my creative urges for years. I am writing, in part, for my parents. 

Writing is a natural phase at this time in my life. Carving out time for it, well, let’s just say it is not easy. If you are a writer or creative person with a day job and other life responsibilities, you know what I am talking about.

My family and twin boys give profound meaning to my life and are Numero Uno.

If my writing touches your truth in some way, well then, I will have accomplished something meaningful, outside of myself, on my Healing Through Writing & Creativity journey.

Until next time!  Namaste

Jonathan Livingston Seagull The Complete Edition on Amazon