This month reminded me that sometimes what we're missing isn't rest, it's reconnection.
Late July and August were especially meaningful because I returned to the YMCA camp that helped shape so much of who I am. It is a place woven into nearly every chapter of my life. I first arrived there as a ten-year-old camper, later became a counselor and then a director. Years later, I raised my own children there. Camp isn't simply somewhere I spent time; it is part of our family's story, our traditions, and many of our most treasured memories. After being away for a while, stepping back into a service role felt like coming home.
What I didn't fully realize before returning was just how much I needed it. The past year has been filled with meaningful work, exciting opportunities, and significant responsibilities, but also long hours, constant demands, and very little downtime. Somewhere along the way, I began feeling burned out and, if I'm being honest, a little resentful. I felt disconnected from the part of myself that is most fulfilled when serving others.
One of the foundations of camp is the Ragger program, a counseling and mentoring tradition that encourages self-reflection, personal growth, community service, and living according to one's highest values. Through intentional conversations and relationships, raggers are challenged to examine who they are, who they hope to become, and how they can positively impact the world around them. Looking back, I can clearly see how much that experience shaped the course of my life.
Long before I became a therapist, the Rag program taught me the profound impact of being present with another person in their growth journey. It showed me the power of listening deeply, offering encouragement, holding space for hard truths, and witnessing transformation. In many ways, those experiences planted the seeds for the work I do today. The values I learned through the Rag program became the foundation of my therapeutic approach long before I ever stepped into graduate school.
My journey through the program continued into adulthood. Part of earning my White Rag, which represents a lifetime of Christian service, involved deeply considering how I was being called to serve others. That reflection was one of the influences that prompted me to pursue graduate school and ultimately become a therapist. When I look back now, I can draw a direct line from those campfires, counseling circles, and mentoring relationships to the work I do every day helping people heal and grow.
Being back at camp reminded me of all of that. Running Ragger ceremonies, being silly with the kids, spending time in arts and crafts, and even conquering the ropes course for the very first time, despite being completely terrified, awakened something I had been missing. One line from the Ragger Creed has stayed with me for decades: "I would be giving and forget the gift." Returning to that place and hearing those words again helped reset my intentions. It reminded me what it feels like to give freely, without expectations, and to find joy in service itself.
One of the greatest gifts of the summer was serving alongside one of my dearest friends, Kate. Equally special was the honor of tying my son's Purple Rag. The counseling process remains one of the most meaningful traditions I know. To be invited into someone's journey of self-discovery and personal growth is a profound privilege, and witnessing my son continue that tradition was a moment I will never forget.
Life accelerated quickly once camp ended. Since returning home, there has been very little downtime as we've been preparing for EMDRIA. This year feels especially significant because I'll be wearing many different hats. In addition to exhibiting with both Infinite Learning and Therapist Genie, I'll also be presenting on Generative AI and EMDR Ethics, a topic that sits at the intersection of my clinical work, my passion for innovation, and my commitment to ethical practice.
Standing on the verge of this presentation feels like an important milestone in my professional development. Much like the lessons I learned through the Rag program years ago, this work asks us to consider how powerful tools can be used in service of people, growth, healing, and human connection. It is an honor to contribute to a conversation that will help shape how our field thoughtfully navigates emerging technologies while remaining grounded in the values that matter most.
We are also incredibly excited to finally introduce Therapist Genie to the EMDR community. Alongside it, we'll be sharing the work of Infinite Learning, another project born from a deep desire to support clinicians in meaningful ways. Both endeavors represent years of passion, creativity, learning, investment, and perseverance. We are proud of what they are becoming and grateful to finally share them with the community we've built them for.
In the midst of it all, we've managed to pepper in a little fun and laughter with the grandkids, though never quite as much as we'd like. Those moments continue to remind me that while meaningful work matters, so do the people we love.
If there's a lesson I'm carrying forward this month, it's this: when you feel depleted, don't always look for rest first. Sometimes what you're missing is reconnection. Reconnection to your purpose, your values, your community, your faith, or the parts of yourself that have been buried beneath the weight of responsibility. Often what restores us isn't doing less, it's remembering who we are and why we started in the first place.
As we move into the next season, I hope you find your way back to whatever feels like home for your soul. You might be surprised by how much it restores.
Much Love,
Kelly
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