Chrysalis Society - Women Helping Women Heal

Congratulations to our Intake Coordinator, Kayla Pouliot, on her 4 years today! Nothing exemplifies '𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧' better than a before-and-after photo 🦋

Congratulations Kayla from the team at Chrysalis!! Thank you ❤️

What a beautiful day for the 16th annual Fair in the Square 🌈😎🦋 Thank you ❤️

'Scientists call the stomach the “second brain” for a reason. There’s a vast neural network of 100 million neurons lining your entire digestive tract. That’s more neurons than are found in the spinal cord, which points to the gut’s incredible processing abilities.'

'Your brain works in tandem with your gut to quickly assess all your memories, past learnings, personal needs, and preferences and then makes the wisest decision given the context. In this way, intuition is a form of emotional and experiential data.' ~ Melody Wilding

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Coping with Mother's Day can be challenging for various reasons, whether it's due to the loss of a mother, strained relationships, or other personal circumstances. Here are seven ways that may help to cope with the day:

1. Express Your Emotions: Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up, whether it's sadness, anger, or nostalgia. Acknowledging and expressing your feelings is an essential part of the healing process.
2. Create Meaningful Rituals: Establishing rituals or traditions to honor your mother's memory can provide comfort and connection. This could involve lighting a candle, visiting her favorite place, or sharing stories about her with loved ones.
3. Reach Out for Support: Lean on friends, family members, or support groups for emotional support and understanding. Connecting with others who have experienced similar loss can provide comfort and validation.
4. Focus on Self-Care: Take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether it's spending time outdoors, practicing mindfulness, or indulging in a favorite hobby.
5. Set Boundaries: If participating in Mother's Day celebrations feels too overwhelming, don't be afraid to set boundaries. It's okay to decline invitations or modify plans to prioritize your well-being.
6. Celebrate Other Mother Figures: Honor the other maternal figures in your life, such as grandmothers, aunts, or mentors, who have played a significant role in your life. Expressing gratitude and appreciation for their love and support can help shift the focus away from grief.
7. Engage in Acts of Kindness: Channel your emotions into acts of kindness and generosity. Consider volunteering your time or donating to a cause that was meaningful to your mother or embodies her values.
8. Remember the Good Times: Take time to reflect on the positive memories you shared with your mother. Looking through old photographs, listening to her favorite music, or revisiting special places can evoke fond memories and provide comfort.
9. Seek Professional Help if Needed: If you're struggling to cope with grief or find it challenging to manage your emotions, consider seeking support from a therapist or counselor. Professional help can provide guidance and strategies for navigating difficult emotions.
10. Give Yourself Grace: Above all, be gentle with yourself and allow yourself the space to grieve in your own way and at your own pace. Healing takes time, and it's essential to be patient and compassionate with yourself as you navigate Mother's Day and the days that follow.

Remember that everyone copes with grief and loss differently, so it's essential to find coping strategies that resonate with you personally. Be gentle with yourself and give yourself permission to navigate Mother's Day in a way that feels right for you.

The Annual Mother's Day Pow Wow, Honouring the Matriarchs, begins this evening and runs all weekend til Sunday, May 12th at the Trout Lake Community Centre.

We'll be sponsoring the Two Spirit Special tomorrow, May 11th at 7:30pm:
1st prize $200.00
2nd prize $150.00
3rd prize $100.00

If you have any questions about the Two Spirit Special prizes please email Tammy at [email protected]

Chrysalis Society has a new web site!
Check out our new look. We now have all the referral information for our homes ready to download plus lots of resources for those seeking information about recovery. 😊

https://www.chrysalissociety.com/

We remember 💔

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A beautiful bright light, Jacqueline Whittaker, taken too soon ⭐✨✨

Chrysalis sends love and strength to Jacqui's mother Tracy, her brother Seth, and the entire family ❤️💔❤️

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Jacqueline Whittaker Obituary - Victoria, BC Celebrate the life of Jacqueline Whittaker, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of First Memorial Funeral Services & Garden of Memories.

This 👇🏼

EUPHORIC RECALL and RELAPSE
via Terence Gorski...This is an irrational way of thinking in which the positive or pleasurable aspects of a past experience are exaggerated while the negative or painful aspects are denied or minimized.

Euphoric recall is what draws us back to addictive use in spite of the past pain and problems. . It is what sends us romancing and chasing the high -- trying to make it feel as good as it once did. It makes relapse seem like such a good idea before you do it and such a disappointment after it is done.

Euphoric recall often takes the form of addictive war stories, in which past drinking and drugging experiences are glorified and made to seem better than they actually were.

People can actually feel better for a moment when vividly remembering a better-than-it-was memory of past addictive use. When the memory fades it can make the reality of recovery seem boring and uneventful.

This can lead to a feeling of deprivation based upon the mistaken belief that I can never have good times or the good life while in recovery. Deprivation thinking, when firmly believed, can activate a craving or urge for addictive substances .

From Terry Gorski. Relapse Prevention.

♡☙Happy International Women's Day! ♡☙

New Dawns new therapy cat 'Storm' 🖤 Thank you VOKRA - Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association He's a real character and is finding his role within the house. We all love him! 🐈‍⬛

Wow, this is great news 🩷🤍🩵

Rise has made a statement on yesterdays legal aid expansion announcement, and written a letter to our clients on what this means for them. We also have created a detailed breakdown on what this mean for all women in BC, for those who would like to know more.

You can read them at: https://womenslegalcentre.ca/news-increase-in-access-to-legal-aid-services/

Congratulations to all of our clients, our friends at West Coast LEAF and the Centre for Family Equity, and the individuals, the lawyers, and everyone who made this possible. We are truly thrilled.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our friends and allies from everyone at Chrysalis Society. We hope you have a safe and relaxing Christmas and New Year. Thank you for supporting marginalized women in recovery!

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Interesting .. 🧠

Repeated Ketamine Use Fundamentally Changes The Brain's Dopamine System in Mice Ketamine is well known for being a dangerous recreational drug, but when properly managed it can help treat a variety of health problems.

Please support us this Christmas - https://mailchi.mp/098b81c1ec34/please-support-us-this-christmas-16087610

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

A candlelight vigil is planned at the art gallery, and volunteers will share in reading aloud the names of 320 trans people who are recorded to have died from violence worldwide in 2023, according to the Trans Murder Monitoring Report https://transrespect.org/en/trans-murder-monitoring-2023/

Outdoor candlelight vigil, 7:30 p.m., Vancouver Art Gallery

Indoor art event by Qmunity, 5 p.m., The Birdhouse, 44 West 4th Ave.




Thank you https://ok2bme.ca 🤍

Happy Halloween! 🎃

What an incredible turnout and event! We met so many people wandering around and chatting to everyone 💕 Thank you to the Last Door Recovery Society Westminster House Society and all of the volunteers that made yesterday possible 👑💖🐝🌺🌿

International Overdose Awareness Day August 31, 2023 💜💔

This past Friday, our precious Stewie crossed the Rainbow Bridge; he knew it was his time to go. Thank you, Carole, for walking him through the process and for being there with the women at New Dawn for them to say their goodbyes. Princess, Russell and Bill were awaiting his arrival on the other side ❤️ ❤️ 💔 ❤️ ❤️

Take a look at our latest Annual Report! 🦋😀

https://mailchi.mp/f45726821c53/invitation-to-our-agm-15673502

Working hard or hardly working?

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Congratulations to Rise Women's Legal Centre 🙌🏼 This $3.1M funding is critical to support women who have and continue to experience intimate partner violence

Increased federal support for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence in British Columbia Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue that has immediate and long-term impacts for victims, survivors, and their families.

Thinking of Misha today and all those she impacted ❤️🌹❤️🦋

Thank you so much to all the fabulous women who have supported Chrysalis through Facebook Birthday Fundraisers! We so appreciate your support and we hope you had a great birthday. XOX 💗🦋🥳

Another great experience at the 15 Annual Fair in the Square 🎈 Thank you Central City Foundation 💜

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