Julie Hanks Workshop

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity of attending an amazing workshop presented by Julie de Azevedo Hanks entitled Preventing Emotional Burnout. I knew of Julie through her song writing and one of her most popular songs, "A Window to His Love." However, I didn't know she is also a clinical licensed social worker and both founder and site director of Wasatch Family Therapy. In the picture is my cute friend Natalie, on the left, and Julie, on the right.

She presented to the women of our stake and by the end of the evening, I don't think there wasn't a soul that wasn't touched or very many dry eyes. When talking about emotional burnout, she gave us 6 strategies. Here are some highlights:

1)Feel and express a FULL range of emotions
-There are 4 basic emotions; happy, mad, sad & scared. Branch from these and learn more emotion words to help you express daily how you feel.
-Christ had a full range of emotions, but he perfected them. Our task is to do the same, not to shut them down.

2)Give yourself permission to say "NO"
-It's important not to take on more than we can handle. When we do, we feel stressed and resentful.
-Don't give an answer right away, think it over and get back to that person.
-Use an empathetic response in a difficult situation: "I'm sorry, that's not going to work for me. Thank you for asking though and please ask me another time."
-You don't owe an explanation.
-"No" is an honorable response. Would you rather someone say "yes" and not follow through or be honest and say "no" when they know they can't?

3)Do your emotional family history
-The goal is not to have someone to blame, but to understand.
-It will help you feel more honor towards your parents, grandparents, etc. when you understand.

4)Take responsibility for your own happiness
-When you are dependant upon someone to bring you happiness, you breed resentment.
-Think about what brought you joy as a child and try to bring it back into your life.
-Take one step toward realizing a lifelong dream.

5)Practice being kind to yourself
-60-80% of what we tell ourselves is negative!!! (That's emotional abuse)
-Practice positive talk
-It isn't being prideful to acknowledge the good in each of us; only when there is competition there is pride.

6)Learning to ask for and accept help
-Help bear one another's burdens (we need not only to give but to receive as well)
-Ask for spiritual help. Christ is the Healer.

*She ended this strategy with a song she had written about it. It brought me to tears. I felt exactly like the words she was singing.

MAKE ENOUGH OF ME
Written by Julie de Azevedo

Overwhelmed and underpaid
Morning comes too soon
Running late and on my plate
A million things to do
Got a baby cryin’
Another trying to find the other shoe
When I open my eyes
The dam will break
Their need will flood my room

You made wine from water
And raised up Jairus’ daughter from her bed
From her bed
Filled the empty fishing nets
And with some loaves and fishes fed
A hungry crowd
A hungry crowd
Make enough of me to go around

My mother’s sick
And I’m late to pick up kids at school
I need to clean
Can’t fit in my jeans
The fridge gives no comfort food
You made wine from water
Raised up Jairus’ daughter from her bed
From the dead
Filled the empty fishing nets
And with some loaves and fishes
Fed a hungry crowd
I hunger now
Make enough of me to go around

Multiply and magnify
This tiny little life of mine
Enlarge me
And expand this heart
And fill it with divine
My heart is cold
Nothing grows
But thistles and some thorns
They choke the light
And shrink the vine
I need to be reborn

You made wine from water
And told a scarlet daughter
Sin no more
Sin no more
Surrendered to the garden
Through thorns and nails you pardoned
The angry crowd
The angry crowd
Make enough of me to go around
Make enough of me to go around
© 2005 Julie de Azevedo (BMI) From the CD “HOME”
www.juliedeazevedo.com
Available on iTunes