Hello beautiful people,

Its hard for me to believe this is my first newsletter of 2025. I am reaching out to say hello, to offer a few reflections on carework in this culture, and to uplift the message that we are here for one another.

I can't keep my eyes and ears open to the world without my heart breaking. I can feel the weight of suffering daily and the immense grief and rage so many of us are holding for humanity.

My sessions with clients contain layers of individual and collective processing: we are reckoning with the scale of violence, the echo of history, ongoing genocide, more frequent climate emergencies, and growing American nationalism, militarism and state violence.

I have the deep privilege of feeling anchored by my work as a therapist. It is my lifeline and so often the tether that keeps me centered in reverence of the human condition.

I am a huge fan of my clients. They teach me a great deal about connection, selfhood, love, and responsibility. Our work is nuanced and web-like, shedding light on connections hiding in the shadows or swept under the rug.

We attune to the fullness, the contradiction. We feel our way through tension and we honor resistance as sensation and communication. We explore the individual within personal and collective history as well as the ways that culture, identity, embodiment and emotional wellness are interconnected.

The moments I find myself sitting in silence with another, after witnessing an outpouring of emotional expression, are becoming more and more frequent. Words fail me. Tears well. We breathe - together. Holding this pain, these scars, these memories - together.

Oftentimes, the only thing I have to say is: I am here with you. You don't face this alone.

So - dear reader - here are a few reminders that have been buoying me:

• We need one another. Our power is in our unity. Our strength is in our presence, something we access when we show up for one another - and when others show up for us.
• Care is our greatest currency. Our strength is in our connectivity, our interdependence. Our power is found in our solidarity with one another, our willingness to be with our neighbors, to share lessons learned with others walking in the same direction (the majority of us).
• The grief and rage we feel connect us to our heart. Our work is to dismantle the defenses we have built against feeling the depths of our grief. This pain is evidence of love for the human family, for this planet.
• Intentional adaptation is a necessity. This moment challenges us to stretch and adapt to show up for one another in ways that preserve our humanity. Remaining in right relationship with the Earth and one another requires us to transform conditions of injustice. As Adrienne Maree Brown asks in Emergent Strategy "how does one transform oneself in order to bring about that transformation?"
• Love is our most valuable resource. "Love and ever more love is the solution to every problem that comes up...It is love that will make us want to do great things for each other. No sacrifice and no suffering will then seem too much.”

On Tuesday, my wife and I joined hundreds of others in downtown Chicago in protest of Trump’s authoritarianism. We called for the abolition of ICE, the protection of due process, and a refusal to normalize cruelty and oppression.

Motivated by intersecting injustices, individuals across our country are gathering in community to voice pain, rage, and collective responsibility. I was moved by how many people showed up on short notice, on a workday, willing to trade convenience for conscience. These gatherings of resistance are declarations of care. Proof of love. They remind my nervous system that we are not alone, we are witnessing these atrocities together - and not looking away.

This Saturday, "No Kings" marches will take place across the country. If you choose to participate, please stay safe. Move in community. Bring water and stay hydrated, wear masks, and look out for each other. No matter where you are - marching, resting, doing the inner work at home - Thank you for meeting this moment however you can.

A HUMBLE REQUEST ABOUT MY BOOK

​Intention: 10 Ways to Manifest a More Purposeful Life was published in the summer of 2023 - we are approaching its 2 year birthday!

I'm filled with joy knowing that just one copy of "Intention" can be shared among many within a library system.

Would you request a copy at your library? Click the button below for all the details and a step-by-step guide. It wont take more than a few minutes and would really help increase access to this little book of mine. Bonus points cause you're utilizing your local library system!

Thank you so very much for your support with this!

WHEN YOU'RE READY, HERE'S HOW I CAN HELP

My range of services include individual, couples and family therapy; 1:1 or relationship coaching and professional consultations. I have also begun offering Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for individuals in FL and IL.

I have a few openings and I'm accepting new clients looking to heal within an affirming therapeutic relationship. My practice is trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and LGBTQIA+ centered.

I offer free consultations to explore your goals and the rightness of fit! Schedule a free consultation here.

Last but not least - I want to say happy pride. Here is a picture of 2 cakes I decorated with this month in mind:

I hope there is a rainbow treat with your name on it somewhere in your near future 🌈🧁

May this month bring us opportunities to wrap ourselves and our people in as much care as we can muster.

That’s all for now, folks.​
Feel free to reply directly if you have questions about working together—or just want to say hello 🩵

With much love,
Dani

Dani Sullivan, LCSW (they/them)

Licensed Therapist, Coach & Author

Founder and CEO, Intentions Therapy​