Mental Health Takes a Village | Curt Thompson & Jill Stratton
Jan 25, 2024
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Curt Thompson, a psychiatrist, and Jill Stratton, the "Dean of Joy" at Vanderbilt, discuss the role of community in shaping our identity, living with vulnerability, and the power of being seen. They also explore the connection between desire, trauma, and collaboration for creating beauty and goodness. The significance of spirituality in healing and the benefits of gratitude and supportive communities are highlighted.
Our relationships significantly contribute to our understanding of ourselves and the shaping of our identity.
Embracing vulnerability and asking for help should be seen as signs of strength and trust within a supportive community.
Deep dives
The Nature of Identity and Community
Our lives are like group projects that help us better understand who we are. We often feel the temptation to do everything ourselves, but vulnerability and collaboration with others play a crucial role in shaping our identity. Our relationships, both past and present, significantly contribute to how we perceive ourselves. The mind is an embodied and relational process that develops through interaction with others. Our vulnerability is not a weakness but a strength that allows us to co-create beauty and goodness in the world. Therefore, it is essential to surround ourselves with a community that asks questions about our identity and supports our personal growth.
Chasing Accomplishments vs. Chasing Intentional Dreams
In our pursuit of success, we often prioritize accomplishments rather than chasing intentional dreams. Society encourages us to focus on external benchmarks and achievements, leading us to believe that our worth and identity are tied to what we accomplish. However, true fulfillment lies in pursuing heart moments, meaningful connections, and co-creating beauty and goodness. Our vocational pursuits should align with our passions and the world's great needs, leading to a sense of purpose and joy. Embracing vulnerability and asking for help should be seen as signs of strength and trust within a supportive community.
The Role of Desire and Spirituality in Healing
Desire is an innate aspect of being human. It drives us to seek connection, pursue vocational callings, and co-create beauty and goodness. However, when desire becomes entangled with trauma, it can lead to destructive behaviors and misuse of beauty and goodness. Healing requires attention to our desires and an understanding that vulnerability is not a liability but a necessary component of finding comfort and confidence in our own skin. Spirituality, deeply connected to our identity, offers healing by providing a framework for exploring desires, embracing gratitude, and seeking connection with others. We are hardwired for spirituality, and it plays a vital role in our overall well-being.
Gratitude, Vulnerability, and Healing
Gratitude is a transformative practice that shifts our attention and helps us notice the goodness in our lives. By intentionally cultivating gratitude, we become more aware of the positive aspects and opportunities for healing. Embracing vulnerability and seeking help from others are signs of strength and trust within a community. In times of deep grief and suffering, it is important to acknowledge the pain while also holding onto resilience and hope. Healing requires time, space, and the support of others. Christianity offers a unique perspective on healing, emphasizing the need for community, vulnerability, and the redemptive work of Jesus.
The "group projects" of high school and college never fully go away. Even outside of the classroom, we still have to depend on people who may disappoint us, wade through tricky relational dynamics, and face goals that can’t be accomplished on our own.
One of the speakers in today’s episode invites us to embrace these group projects. In fact, he suggests that they're what we’re made for and that, ultimately, they help us better know who we are.
You’ll hear from Curt Thompson, a practicing psychiatrist, and Jill Stratton, the self-described “Dean of Joy” at Vanderbilt. Drawing from their own work, experience, and faith traditions, Curt and Jill explore the question “Who am I… really?” Their conversation touches on the role of community in identity, how to live with vulnerability, and what redemption might look like.
This conversation was held at Vanderbilt University in Spring 2023 and moderated by student moderator Alexys Ahn. Thank you to the Forum planning team at Vanderbilt for making this event possible.