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We are back after a brief hiatus! This episode features a conversation with Konnie Vissers and Wendy Cabell, two contributors to the Spring (2024) issue of The Canadian Journal of Mental Health, Disability, and Theology: Trauma and Resistance.

Find Konnie's piece "Sexual Abuse Trauma, Mental Health, and Theology: Why Theology in Practice Matters to Survivors" here: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/42977

Find Wendy's piece "So How Are You Today?" here: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/42985

To watch on YouTube with closed captions, visit: https://youtu.be/uFirLQStqCw

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Join Amy and Miriam as they talk with Allen Jorgenson and Laura MacGregor about their recent book: "Beyond Saints and Superheroes: Supporting Parents Raising Children with Disabilities - A Practical Guide for Faith Communities." Proudly published by The Mad and Crip Theology Press (Amy Panton, Founder/Publisher).

Available with captions on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/4-uwXfrG7wU

The authors are available to speak with your faith community about this project. Get in touch with author Laura MacGregor by emailing Amy at the Press at [email protected]. Contact author Allen Jorgenson at his email at Martin Luther University College at [email protected]

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This month we talk with Anonymous about their piece, "On Care and Control." Read the full piece: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/40814

We talk about interdependency, care as control, care as mutual, and the desire to be mediocre and celebrate mediocracy!  Have a listen/watch!

Check out 10 Principles of Disability Justice by Sins Invalid: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bed3674f8370ad8c02efd9a/t/5f1f0783916d8a179c46126d/1595869064521/10_Principles_of_DJ-2ndEd.pdf

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Join Amy and Miriam in their conversation with Anita Belliveau and Conni Cartlidge as they reflect on caring for their parents and all the emotions/relationship dynamics of that time of life.

We encourage you to read, reflect on, and discuss both of their pieces in the Spring 2023 issue:  https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd

Let us know what conversations / ideas this episode stirs up for you!

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Join us for an episode featuring Emily Duggan and Keith Reynolds, clergy in The United Church of Canada.  They reflect with Amy and Miriam on experiences of caregiving and care-receiving: Emily with her daughter and Keith with a member of Avondale United in Stratford. Watch on Youtube with subtitles here: https://youtu.be/t-aKY4Kacyo

We encourage you to read, reflect on, and discuss both of their pieces in the Spring 2023 issue:  https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd

Let us know what conversations / ideas this episode stirs up for you!

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On this episode, we speak with Susan Fish, Laszlo and Elly Sarkany about their experiences with caregiving for their parents.  Their pieces and our conversation weaves together stories filled with grief, joy, connection and love.  We encourage you to read their stories and listen to their reflections.

Susan's piece on reading Watership Down to her father is here: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/40826

Laszlo and Elly write about caregiving for Laszlo's mom with brain cancer here:
https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/40830

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On this episode we talk with Heather Morgan and Dorothy Palmer about disability justice, creating a WhatsApp group to support parents raising children with disabilities, politics related to disability and how it feels to be a Canadian senior who lives with disabilities both now and during the pandemic.

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Amy & Miriam speak with Erin Raffety, author of "From Inclusion to Justice: Disability, Ministry, and Congregational Leadership." She is joined by her daughter, Lucia.

To purchase the book, visit https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481316941/from-inclusion-to-justice/

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On this episode, Amy and Miriam speak with Elena Goldak on her article: They Shall Surely Be Put to Death: A Critical Disability Reading of Queer Conversion Violence.  

Elena writes,
"This essay is an inquiry into the relationship between queer conversion violence (QCV) and forms of suicidal violence. I am particularly interested in the ways that queer people come to participate in projects of debility which target queer people. I term this violence community suicide. Drawing from Jasbir Puar’s notion of debility, I critique the Christian fundamentalist “ex-gay” movement depicted in the Netflix documentary Pray Away to articulate the concept of community suicide. Following this, I use Alexandre Baril’s theory of suicidism to understand the ways that Christian fundamentalist discourses on queerness and suicide are related — a relation which creates conditions for community suicide. I argue that contemporary Christian QCV relies on a specific religious queerphobia that likens queer life to suicidal death, and by design, further reproduces suicide as part of a project in debility."

Read the full article here: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/39545

Watch with captions on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u_DVXSmsU94 

As well, here are some queer-affirming Christian spaces/communities
Affirm United (affiliated with The United Church of Canada) https://affirmunited.ause.ca
Student Christian Movement Canada https://scmcanada.org
The Presbyterian Church of Canada https://presbyterian.ca/justice/social-action/gender-sexuality-inclusion/
The Anglican Church of Canada https://www.anglican.ca/faith/focus/hs/

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On this episode, Amy and Miriam speak with Daryna Skybina about her paper published in the Fall 2022 issue of The Canadian Journal of Theology, Mental Health, and Disability: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Discussing Karma in Buddhism. You can find more about Daryna's psychotherapy practice at www.darynaskybina.com or via Instagram @darynaskybinapsychotherapy Read the full paper here: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/39547

For closed captions, watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dp3lLsFWQTQ

Here's an abstract: In recent years there has been a rise of individuals from Western cultures turning to Eastern spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, for mental health support. Given the prevalence of trauma, it would be helpful for these communities to discuss spiritual teachings in a trauma-informed manner. Some teachings, including the teaching of karma, have at times been taught through a lens that stigmatizes trauma survivors. Karma is a complex topic, yet a crucial element of Buddhist ethics and morality. This paper is a preliminary theoretical exploration of how the teaching of karma in Buddhism can be examined in a manner that considers the complexity of trauma. It also discusses how a care provider can turn to the Buddhist teaching of skillful compassion to help them better practice trauma-informed care.

Some resources Daryna recommends:
Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger by Lama Rod Owens https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608716/love-and-rage-by-lama-rod-owens/
When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/96404/when-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-by-harold-s-kushner/9781400034727

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