Kelsie is married and has four awesome kids. She graduated summa cum laude from BYU-I with a bachelors degree in Marriage & Family studies, emphasizing in Human Services. Although not currently practicing, she is an alumna of the Institute of Healing Arts where she learned more about assisting others with trauma processing. She's a licensed massage therapist, a graduate of the Utah College of Massage Therapy. Kelsie currently works as a class coordinator at Bridle Up Hope (Mapleton branch). She's a contributing author in the books Sacred Silver Linings and Warrioress Rising and hopes to eventually write her own book pertaining to the journey one takes to healing, self-discovery & recovery. Kelsie is passionate about helping others to feel seen, heard and valued.
Ever since learning of Kintsugi, I've felt connected with the symbolism it embodies. Due to my own personal experiences and educational pursuits, I'm passionate about advocating for others who are on their own individual path to recovery. Kintsugi can teach us about learning to let go of perfectionism, find the beauty within the broken pieces, as well as embracing one's own unique journey in life.
I'm aware that life can often come with a plethora of challenges. I'm familiar with how it feels when it seems as though the world as you know it is crumbling beneath your feet. My own journey has taken me through childhood sexual abuse, depression/suicidal ideation, experiencing domestic violence as a teen, rape, losing a loved one to suicide, dealing with betrayal trauma, divorce, navigating life as a single parent, and the aftermath of living with PTSD and DDNOS.
However, what I've gained through the struggle is far greater than the scars left behind. I've learned that there is post-traumatic growth that one can reap from their challenges. My hope is for others struggling to be able to find that small shimmer of light & hope that allows them the ability to take another step and keep going. As I'm fully aware that when big challenges come, sometimes all we can do is focus on doing the next right thing, taking things one day and one moment at a time.
I believe that the symbolism in Kintsugi is a beautiful metaphor for life's journey. We may not be able to control what breakages we suffer, however, we can choose to be part of the mending process. And we can learn to recognize that we are worthy of mending (I know this can be difficult – this is something I really struggled to accept).
I promise, little by little, the pieces will find their place. Similar to Kintsugi, with patience and care we can begin mending our shattered parts (allowing ourselves to use whatever form of professional help needed for our recovery). This doesn't mean it will be simple or that things will come back together perfectly, as trauma often changes us. However, when we choose to lean into the discomfort that recovery may bring, embrace change, and begin seeing the beauty within our scars, we just might start recognizing what an irreplaceable masterpiece we truly are.
By illuminating the breakages instead of minimizing or hiding them in shame, a new level of acceptance begins. A new level of appreciation and compassion for one's unique journey is born. We can more fully recognize the resilience and growth that we are cultivating. We can become more aware of the fact that our value is innate and that no amount of breakage we suffer has the power to change that. We can love ourselves through the process of becoming, jagged pieces and all. For it's the combination of all those tiny pieces which creates the full picture. Those sharp pieces are part of our journey, just as much as the shiny unscathed ones are.
By more fully embracing our journey and all our parts, the more we can begin recognizing just how beautiful our perfectly imperfect life can be. Recovery is an ongoing process, not a destination to be reached. With time, patience, and a lot of self-love and compassion, we can begin to open ourselves up to discovering and receiving the good that can be found underneath all the rubble.
