Welcome to the UPside

The idea for UPside started as a conversation between myself and a coworker. The two of us wanted to find a way to reach more people with the information that we have found to be so life changing for ourselves and the clients we work with.

We are dreamers. We are full of ideas.

We talked about sharing the UPside of life. We talked about the beauty found in trauma and healing. We talked about Michaelangelo and the way he brought his sculptures to life by accentuating what was already within the marble. We discussed chiaroscuro and the idea that in order to paint light, one must understand shadows. We talked about kintsugi, the Japanese pottery repair technique in which gold is used to repair cracks, creating an even more beautiful vessel by highlighting the scar. We talked about finding wonder in our pain and increasing our capacity for joy.

What we failed to talk about were the concrete details of how to share these things with the world. We've both started books that we haven't finished. Because we're people people. We are energized in face to face conversations. Remembering and organizing information into a readable format is not as much fun as sitting down with someone who is in pain and helping them reshape their outlook on life.

But sitting down one on one isn't enough. We see the hurt that is rampant in the world. We see the need. The ache. And we want to help. We want to allow God to reach more people through us.

We explored the idea of a subscription box. And considered a podcast. (Both of which could still happen at some point in the future). And then, I started getting requests from schools. And the pieces fell into place.

I am a born teacher, from a long family line of teachers. Granted, I took a detour, tried medschool before dropping out and teaching preschool science before going back and getting a Master's degree and becoming a mental health counselor. But even now, sitting in my office counseling one on one, I am a teacher. I have an innate gift, a capacity for language that allows me to transform complex ideas into simple terms and metaphors. And I have a talent for reading my listeners, and gauging understanding.

For this reason, UPside's primary focus, at least in these early stages, is an educational model. We want to take what we know and teach others. To go into schools and churches and teach children, parents, couples, pastors, teachers, and community members the principles of Biblically sound mental health. We will then build upon those classes, workshops and lectures and begin offering intensive weekends and camps for more complex issues, integrating education and therapy.

We're already gathering a network of providers who want to help offer services, and churches and schools with facilities to host events. If you feel like God might be calling you to join the UPside movement, please reach out and let us know how we can help you meet your mental health goals.