ABOVE PHOTO: Michele Lawrence
By Kendall Alexander
@SteezieKBreezie
“If you are that determined to be here today, you need to keep that pressing spirit to start healing. It’s a safe space and the women in this space honor the safety. We respect one another, we honor that ‘I am here to grow closer and to walk worthy of my calling and that I am not here for the nonsense.’”
Those were among the words that community and business leader Michele Lawrence offers profound words of inspiration to women who attended her two-day conference and workshop series November 17-18 entitled “Women It’s Time to Heal.”
Held at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital’s Alumni Hall, the workshop series utilized panel discussions, interactive informative sessions on health and wellness, and delved into stressors, giving women a holistic approach to their healing process and to accept the journey for what it is in order to move forward with their life’s purpose.
As natural nurturers, women are taught to put everything and everyone before themselves, so much so that often they forget how to heal and nurture themselves. This being the case, Lawrence made it a point for women to become comfortable the first day and understand why their bodies may feel a certain way while ripping off the Band-Aid day two and addressing the major issues going on in their lives in order to feel and understand pain and stress preventing them from reaching their full potential.
A plethora of involved and heavily accoladed women offered their experience up for the women in attendance including communications specialist and personality Syreeta Martin who led the panel discussion entitled “Taking Care of Me” with speakers Dr. Hansie Mathelier, Dr. Shawn L. Blue, and Pearl Trewick; “Identify Your Stressor” with Dr. Tracy Trice; “Strength in the Stretch” with yoga specialist Kierra Winters; “A Made Up Mind” with Pearl Trewick, and reflections and closing remarks offered at the end of each day by Ms. Lawrence herself. Hearing her speak is healing in itself!
Attending this workshop series was an opportunity for women of all backgrounds to come out of their shells and hear from women who may not be traveling the same path, but understand the obstacles in each other’s journey. Women were invited to dig deep inside themselves and redefine what it means to love and forgive themselves, take time for self-care, and the types of love that should be acceptable in order to grow, heal, and build.
Both parts of Lawrence’s talk — which was entitled ‘From Hole to Whole’ — were not only motivational, but feel-good and relatable through comedy, a warm spirit, and the awesome analogy of pigeons vs. eagles.
“Eagles don’t hang around pigeons, and if they do, they don’t know they are eagles, that they are able to soar,” Lawrence said. “Eagles have their own path and will meet each other at the destination, but they will not fly together.”
The two-day series was both empowering and informative as the slogan for the series was ‘expose, medicate and rehabilitate’. Women will want to follow Lawrence’s moves and be on the lookout for her next series.
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