i LOVE Speak Up and Jessica Tartaro

until i joined Speak Up,
i didn’t know how deeply i yearned for
deep human connectedness,
how little i had,
and how my practice of keeping safe
isolated me from others and myself…

i had ‘friends’, but i knew
little about making authentic connections…
i relied on my carefully-scripted cover stories,
and being agreeable, hiding parts of me that
felt shameful,
to feel protected and safe…
this did not make for strongly connected friendships!

when i began going to Speak Up,
just thinking about dropping my ‘cover’
and being ‘open’ and truthful in a group of strangers,
set in panic!
i pasted on a big smile and slammed my lips tight!
my history had formed me…
human closeness and exposing myself,
meant only one thing…
if i showed too much of my true self,
there was punishment and correction…
no parent or elder supported me
to be true to my desires
or unique in any way…
i lived in stories i dreamed up about how my life could be,
not the cruel reality of it…

~Elisabet Skyhawk

“I went to my first SpeakUP session last night and I am so glad I did. Jessica Tartaro, your presence exuded healing. The evening felt like a perfect blend of gravity and levity, nurture and challenge. I kept thinking how the experience of two whole hours of meaningful human interaction is something almost no one engages in anymore. I happened to arrive to the session feeling on the brink of a panic attack after a very challenging week. So, it took a while for me to settle in, but as soon as I got deep into the process of what it means to speak honestly, especially in front of people I didn’t know, my focus drew away from what was bothering me and into the present moment–which was a lot calmer. Thank you so much. The work you do is so important and I’m sure everyone who gets the opportunity to work with you is a better person for it, I know I am!” ~Bonnie Obremski, Founder, Storyborne