Episode #2 - April Kaiserlian - Accidental Good Fortune

In this episode I sit down with my friend and fellow
psychotherapist, April Kaiserlian. April is a Licensed Master of
Social Work in private practice in Grand Rapids, MI and is a
Mindfulness teacher and co-founder of the Grand Rapids Center for
Mindfulness. We discuss themes of turning towards suffering
rather than numbing or avoiding. April references the poem
Birdwings by Rumi that I wanted to post here for you to read. Let
these words in:


 


Birdwings


Your grief for what you've lost lifts a mirror


up to where you're bravely working.


 


Expecting the worst, you look, and instead,


here's the joyful face you've been wanting to see.


 


Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.


If it were always a fist or always stretched open,


you would be paralyzed.


 


Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding


the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated


as birdwings.


--Rumi


 


Connect with April


Web: 


https://www.aprilkaiserlian.com/ 


https://www.grandrapidscenterformindfulness.com/


 


IG:


https://www.instagram.com/aprilkaiserlian/


 


Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical
director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also
a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic
Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for
therapists.