AIM January 2024 : simplebooklet.com

AlwaysDear Readers, Happy New Year! It feels like in a blink of an eye, 2024 arrived! In my quest to feel and dobetter, I’ve provided some of my goals for the new year to feel my best. Try one per month, tryone for the year or pick and choose as you like. Either way, one little step towards wellness,goes a long way. This year I am introducing a few monthly contributors the the Authentic Insider Family. If youhaven’t already been acquainted with our parenting POV, expert, Tina Hamilton, I suggestchecking out her December piece about your inner child. This month, she breaks down whyhealing your inner child is important.Our newest monthly contributor, Jennifer Chesak, will be sharing her expertise in Psychedelics.This month she discusses psychedelics and interconnectedness.It’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month and our Prosecutor POV contributor, Kathryn Marshbreaks down what it is? What to look for and how we can put a stop to it.From Trophy Wife to Cosmetic Surgeon, how contributor Dr. Victoria Johnson escaped anabusive marriage to find independence as a doctor.Workplace Harassment is a difficult situation to manage but what if you are Human Resourcesand YOU are the one being harassed? Contributor Kimberly Williams shares how she managedher harassment case.Trauma Educator, Author, Artist, and former University president Karen Gross questionsMorality vs. Legality and whether recent University presidents failed to lead.And as in every issue, we have our monthly AIM A New You Playlist, along with my picks forchildren and adult books about mental health. Plus, check out Joy Larkin's Twin Flame Readingsto see what's in store for you as we start the New Year.Happy Reading!Lorilee BinstockAuthentic Insider | Page 02editor's noteLorilee BinstockEditor in Chief

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Experts recommend that adults sleepbetween 7 and 9 hours a night. Sleeprestores the body and improvesenergy levels, so waking up well-restedcan have a positive impact on anindividual’s mood. It also promotesheart health and helps regulate insulinlevels.Get a healthy amount of sleepDrink plenty of waterThe U.S. National Academies of Sciences,Engineering, and Medicine determinedthat an adequate daily fluid intake is:About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a dayfor men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) offluids a day for women.12 STEPS FOR EACH MONTH OF THE NEW YEAR TO BE THE BEST YOU ike I always say, if you don’t take the time outto take care of yourself, your body will force youto do it. And it’s usually at the most inopportunetime. Last year, I made an attempt to drink plenty ofwater. The difference I felt was significant. I didn’twake up groggy. My headaches were less frequent.And I felt like I moved better post-ACL surgery. Ialso felt more energized. It wasn’t until I slippedup and went back to my regular routine of feelingsick from dehydration. Even a little bit of self-care goes a long way. Sohere are a few of my top self-care tips I plan ondigging into in the new year. Here’s to being thebest you, you can be!L

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Find a balance between work & playReducing screen time andbeing mindful of the toxicityof social media can haveprofound benefits for ourphysical and mental health.By consciously disconnectingfrom screens and socialmedia, we can enjoyimproved sleep, reduced eyestrain, and enhanced posture.Authentic Insider | Page 09Start a Skincare RoutineStretch moreGive yourself a time limit withtechnologyStart an exercise routine Add healthier foods to your dietMoisturizing daily and protecting your skinfrom the sun with a daily SPF will provide longterm benefits. The largest barrier between theoutside world and the body, skin has animportant job. Not only does skin protect thebody from the elements, but the state of aperson’s skin also projects what is going oninternally. A good skin care routine is simple,and the benefits may end up being surprising.Being physically active can improve your brainhealth, help manage weight, reduce the risk ofdisease, strengthen bones and muscles, andimprove your ability to do everyday activities.Fruits and vegetables contain importantvitamins, minerals and plant chemicals. Theyalso contain fibre. There are many varieties offruit and vegetables available and many waysto prepare, cook and serve them. A diet highin fruit and vegetables can help protect youagainst cancer, diabetes and heart disease.Almost everyone has to work butcombining that with time to rest and dothings you love will feed the soul. If you canfind a good balance between work andother demands, you are likely to behappier, more productive, and take fewersick days.It's thought thatstretching mayalso releaseendorphins thathelp to reducepain and enhanceyour mood.Besides feelinggood and helpingto relieve muscletension andstress, stretchingcan also increase your flexibility andcirculation, boost your athletic performance,and improve your posture

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Declutter your spaceA cluttered environment could be cause of acluttered mind. But by the same token,decluttering your space, could give more peaceand opportunity for organization of the mind.By decluttering, you can open up space for newideas and creative expression. Focusing your awareness on the smooth,repetitive rhythm of your breath can helpsoothe your mind and nervous system. Asnoted above, evidence suggests consciousbreathing can ease anxiety and stress incollege students, as well as anxiety, depression,and sleep issues in middle-aged adults.Write down one thing you aregrateful for everydayTake some time to notice yourbreathGet your finances in orderWriting down what we are grateful for helps usfocus on the positive aspects of life andenhances positive emotions. By reflecting onand recording experiences or people that makeus feel satisfied and grateful, we can evokefeelings of joy and happiness within ourselves.Keeping your finances in order can bring youone step closer toward financial security.Having and sticking to a budget can keep yourspending in check and assure that your savingsfor emergencies and longer-term goals, such asa comfortable retirement, stay consistent.Authentic Insider | Page 11

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LPARENTING P O V“Look what you did!” I shouted at her as shesat stunned on the kitchen counter.“Don’t you see this mess?! What were youthinking?” I continued.It wasn’t until her dad came running into thekitchen and grabbed me by the shoulders,shouting for me to take a breath before Irealized what was happening.My daughter, two at the time, was sitting onthe counter as I cut tomatoes for a salad. Shehad leaned over to grab a tomato from thebowl when she accidentally pushed the bowloff the counter with her feet.It was at that moment, when the bowlsmashed to the ground, when I snapped.Everything that followed is a blur, but I willnever forget the feeling in my body that day.The rage that consumed me. My inability tocatch a breath. The way my hands and feettingled. My racing heart.And the look on her face that will be foreverseared in my mind.She was shocked. Startled. And terrified.Her father scooped her up off the counter andwhisked her out of the kitchen.“Get a hold of yourself,” he said as he left mestanding alone in the kitchen, the redtomatoes and dark green spinach pepperedwith shards of white ceramic bowl, at my feet.WHY IS INNER WORKIMPORTANT? (ESPECIALLY AS A PARENT) WHA T DO E S H E A LI N G +PAR E N TI N G L O O K L I KETOG E T HE R ?By: Tina Hamilton

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I wish I could say that this was the moment whenI answered the call for healing. But it would takea failed relationship and single parenting beforeI recognized that something deeper was beggingfor attention.I believe there are two places in life when youwill be shown glimpses of your pain andwounding: entrepreneurship and parenting.While the path of entrepreneurship is not onethat many are called to, more than half of alladults become a parent in their lifetime.1 Andyet there is very little education or supportavailable to parents to help them navigate themajor life change.People have been doing this for millennia. Howhard could it possibly be?Turns out, much harder than people let on.When moms are pregnant, people will showerthem with the cutest baby clothes and books.Parents often spend more time preparing thenursery than they do preparing themselves forthe emotional impacts of having a child.Simultaneously, there is very rarely a discussionabout the emotional changes that accompanythe transition to parenthood. Hormonal shiftsaside, becoming a parent will trigger a flood ofunfamiliar emotions, often catching parents off-guard.It is in this deluge of emotion where parents, ifwilling, can uncover the wounds experienced inchildhood that are at the root of their adultbehaviors, thoughts, and habits.What was experienced as a child shapes the waywe see the world. As children, we learned how toact, speak, and think, by observing our parents Parents often spend moretime preparing the nurserythan they do preparingthemselves for theemotional impacts ofhaving a child.

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and caregivers. Early-life experiences providethe foundational understanding of how theworld works and how we are received andperceived by others.And all of this shapes how we show up asadults, and most importantly, in how weparent our children.Without intentionality, we will parent from theplace of these learned behaviors and thoughtpatterns. We will pass down the lessons thatwe learned without considering whether ornot we believe those messages–whether theyhelp us to expand with excitement andwisdom, or shut down with fear and anxiety.The moment I shared at the start of this piecewas a glimpse of that unintentionally–theliving and parenting from learned behaviorsand thought patterns.I was raised to believe that children should beseen and not heard. That children sit quietlywithout drawing attention to themself, andthey are always on their best behavior. To actotherwise would result in loud shouting.Maybe even a belt or a wooden paddle.And when my daughter (accidentally) pushedthe bowl from the counter, she triggered thechild-like fear within me. Simultaneously, Ireacted with the same wrath I received frommy caregivers and the protector part of methat kept me safe as a child–the internal voicethat kept me from acting out to keep me safeas a child.Inner healing work, as an adult, is important–necessary, even–to release the messages and lessons that we learned as children that nolonger serve us. Inner work provides theopportunity to hand-select the thoughts,behaviors, and habits that we want toembody, while allowing us the space torelease those that we no longer want to clingto.Most importantly, though, inner work allowsus the opportunity to intentionally parent ourchildren. There is no one right way to parent.How you were parented as a child is notnecessarily what is best for you (or yourchildren), and you get to decide who you areas a parent. But that decision only happenswhen you do the inner work. Stay tuned forFebruary’s issue when I share the ways to dothat work.How you were parentedas a child is notnecessarily what is bestfor you (or your children),and you get to decidewho you are as a parent.Martinez, G., & Daniels, K. (2023, January 10). Fertility of men and women aged 15–49 in the United States: National ... CDC.gov.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr179.pdf Authentic Insider | Page 15

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uman trafficking is modern day slavery. While onemay be forgiven in thinking human trafficking is a fairlyrecent phenomenon, having caught the media’sattention in the last decade. In reality, human traffickinghas been in existence since the beginning of time.Legally human trafficking is split into two distinctcategories: Labor Trafficking and Sex Trafficking.Labor trafficking is not publicized to the same degreeas sex trafficking. The Department of Health andHuman Services provides services for traffickingvictims and of the victims in FY 2022, 62% of the adultsurvivors and 73% of child survivors they served weresurvivors of labor trafficking with an additional 12% ofadults and 4% of children being survivors of both laborand sex trafficking. [i]What is labor trafficking? Labor trafficking is defined in the Trafficking Victim’s ProtectionAct as ”The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, orobtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use offorce, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection toinvoluntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.”Basically, this means forcing someone to provide labor orservices against their will or choice. Labor trafficking is oftenaccomplished through physical force, threats of force, isolationand the trafficker holding the workers pay or documents theworker would need to leave (license, visa, passport).The industries where labor trafficking is most prevalent are:agri/aquaculture, domestic work, construction, landscaping,factories and manufacturing, and healthcare.[ii] In theUnited States the most prevalent victims of labor traffickingare citizens of the United States, Mexico and Honduras.[iii]You can learn more about Labor Trafficking at the USDepartment of Labor or Polaris websites. To make a reportof suspected labor trafficking call the National HumanTrafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text INFO 233733.What is Sex Trafficking? “Sex trafficking encompasses the range of activitiesinvolved when a trafficker uses force, fraud, or coercion tocompel another person to engage in a commercial sex actor causes a child to engage in a commercial sex act.”[iv]Sex trafficking, in reality, is rarely what we see in the movieswhere someone is kidnapped and forced into a brothel orauction. Victims are often trafficked by family members,loved ones, or trusted individuals. Due to grooming,obligation or fear of their alternatives, a victim may not evenunderstand they are being trafficked. Anyone can be trafficked, but traffickers are mastermanipulators and look for some vulnerability to exploit. Human Trafficking AwarenessBy Kathryn Marsh, Prosecutor’s POV“If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong”Abraham Lincoln[i] 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: United States; U.S. Department of State[i] Office for Victims of Crime – Human Trafficking Building Center “Understanding Labor Trafficking”[iii] https://www.state.gov/reports/2023iv] [https://www.state.gov/what-is-trafficking-in-persons/ HAuthentic Insider | Page 19

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Vulnerabilities may include:mental health substance abusehomelessnessrecent relocationintimate partner violence involvement with child welfare/foster caresystemWhat can you do to help reduce trafficking? Become familiar with the signs.Polarisproject.org provides ways to recognizetrafficking in all its forms. Additionally, Polarishosts a human trafficking training program ontheir website.Watch what you buy. The Department of Laborkeeps a list of products produced by forced orindentured labor. Find the list here:https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-products. Support survivor led projects and businessesthat help provide survivors with job stability,housing, and mental health services. Following, I highlight three but there arehundreds more you can support.Thistle Farms (thistlefarms.org) is a non-profit that helps women survivors byproviding them a safe place to live, a joband a support system., free of charge.Youcan support this mission and purchaseproducts made by survivors on theirwebsite.AnnieCannons provides technical trainingto trafficking survivors and engagessurvivors on paid projects to build strongwork portfolios and practicalexperience.Survivors have designed andbuilt software applications that have helpedfight trafficking and gender-basedviolence. Learn more at anniecannons.comAtlanta Redemption Ink is a non-profit founded by trafficking survivorJessica Lamb, is a national networkfor tattoo services and scar revisions.They provide support services, tattooremovals and coverups to survivors oftrafficking. You can support ARI atarionline.org.Anyone can betrafficked, buttraffickers aremaster manipulatorsand look for somevulnerability toexploit. Authentic Insider | Page 20

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Internal Family Systems (IFS) Informed Psychedelic Assisted Therapy https://moxieschool.com/the-art-of-transformation/www.moxieschool.comheather@moxieschool.comConnect: The IFS Model (Internal Family Systems) is one of the fastest growing and most popularinterventions for working with psychedelics. Why? Because it's such a natural and effectivepairing for the material that expanded states naturally elicit. Fast track your opportunity to learn IFS by joining The Moxie School in this wildly exciting niche! If you want to learn IFS as it applies to expanded states, The Art of Transformation courseteaches effective methods to deeply anchor transformation in your clients. No matter whatstage of the process you are working: preparation, guiding, or integration, an IFS Informedapproach is key to supporting your clients in lasting transformational change. Lots of courses teach “about” psychedelic assisted therapy, this course teaches you the “how to” of doing interventions throughout psychedelic transformational work.Whether you are a therapist, coach, or guide - a medical professional, mental healthprofessional, or a mid-life career transition person - you are welcome! Bring your curiosity for IFS and your love for working with expanded states!LEARN MORETHE ART OFTRANSFORMAIONAll the detailsAuthentic Insider | Page 23

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I I was only three weeks into my new job whenthe outbursts began. Initially, the episodes feltrandom. Sometimes I would walk into a friendlyconversation with my boss and other times I feltlike I walked into a buzzsaw. Quite soon, thesituation grew all-consuming. I worried aboutfinding another job quickly, my bills, my family,and my ability to protect my team. I alsoworried about how I would navigate this terrain. I could not go to Human Resources, because Iwas HR. Any investigation out of my own shopwould be tainted. And in moments like this, onecan normally rely on in-house counsel. Afterpaying them a visit, I learned that this behaviorhad gone on for decades. I also learned that noone wanted to address it – including them. Iwas told this was a matter I would have to takeup with the board.Authentic Insider | Page 25

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So I did. The Chairperson at thetime was immediately empathicand invited me to explain to the fullboard that we had a problem. Iagreed, and in that meeting, Ishared my experience and addedthat there were many otherwomen experiencing the samething. A few board memberspushed back but thenacknowledged that there was anissue. One raged. He jumped upand down in his seat and forcefullystated that he did not want toparticipate in this conversation. Two days later I met with my boss who hadbeen fully briefed on my closed-doordiscussion. It didn’t go well, and I left with astrong conviction that I was officially on myown. No one would be coming to my aidanytime soon.That night I stared at the ceiling until 3:00 a.m.before finally reaching for my laptop. I draftedan email to my boss detailing everything thathad transpired between us to establish arecord and a clear path forward. I notedwhere behaviors and actions had beenunlawful and clearly stated how I expected tobe treated on a go-forward.I noted wherebehaviors andactions hadbeen unlawfuland clearlystated how Iexpected to betreated on ago-forward.Authentic Insider | Page 26

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But with time, small flashes of ragereturned, growing everextended and ending inan angry, yelling fit. Idrug myself back downto my office to write upthe behavior once more.That night I stared at the ceiling until 3:00 a.m.before finally reaching for my laptop. I draftedan email to my boss detailing everything thathad transpired between us to establish arecord and a clear path forward. I noted wherebehaviors and actions had been unlawful andclearly stated how I expected to be treated on ago-forward.The next morning, I walked into work, cleanedup my late-night email, and hit send.I braced for what would happen next, but noresponse came, and our next meeting waspleasant. So were the meetings that took placeover the next several weeks.But with time, small flashes of rage returned,growing ever extended and ending in an angry,yelling fit. I drug myself back down to my officeto write up the behavior once more.These callouts bought some reprieve, but didn’tlast. I never had majority support from theboard, and the boss’s long-time supporter soontook over as chair. Nevertheless, I continued toengage.I asked for an investigation, but they opted foran executive coach. When it didn’t help, I askedagain. They sent someone who worked for theexecutive coach to interview me. Then theyinformed me that they were not going to doanything further.Once again, I wrote the chair documenting thenumber of investigations my office hadconducted into workplace complaints andaskedwhy they were refusing to follow the sameprocedure our organization followed for everyother person who worked here.They finally opened the investigation. At its conclusion several months later, theyinformed me that there was a finding ofabuse, but it was not unlawful and did notviolate any policy at that time of the event.Then they firmly stated that they consideredthe matter closed. By this stage, I had a significant amount ofdocumentation, which I handed off to anattorney. A few days later, I walked away witha check and a changed perspective onworkplace abuses. Here’s what I wish more people knew:The data is terrible, but you are not alone. Theentire system is built to hide the numbers.Even the EEOC does not give you a completepicture. No company is going to self report aclaim against them, but workplace climatestudies, like those conducted by Glassdoor,point to a much larger problem. If it'shappening to you, it has likely happened tosomeone else at your organization. Authentic Insider | Page 27

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Your words can change everything --especially if you put themin writing. Managementwill weigh their next stepsbased on what you sayand how you say it.There are often two sets of rules. Manycompanies will take swift action when low-ranking employees violate a policy buthesitate when an executive does the samething. This is often intended to limit liabilityand protect the organization. The higher upthe food chain, the more potential damageto the organization, so admitting faultbecomes more costly. Everyone is scared. You may be terrifiedthinking about challenging someone withmore power than you, but as someone whohas spent years managing workplaceinvestigations, I can tell you that the odds areyour boss is scared too -- especially if thecomplaint involves a highly valuedemployee.Your words can change everything --especially if you put them in writing.Management will weigh their next stepsbased on what you say and how you say it.Calm, clear statements that cite companypolicy and how this situation is affecting youare more effective than informing thecompany that you are hurting. They canserve as direct evidence that yoursupervisors knew about a problem andignored it. The good news right now is there has neverbeen a better time to assert your rights to aworkplace free from harm. The laws arerapidly changing and moving in theemployee’s favor. Whether it’s high dollarjury awards, breach of contract casesagainst employers who violate their ownpolicies, or shareholder derivative suitsagainst public boards who ignore executiveabuse, accountability is coming. Even better, a new anti-bullying billdesigned to hold bad bosses in check isgaining traction in Massachusetts andRhode Island. If passed, these would be thefirst laws in the country allowing employeesthe chance to seek damages forpsychological abuse at work. And it willlikely trigger similar bills in states like NewYork, Colorado, and California. We can allsupport this effort, regardless of our homelocation, by helping to spread the word orintroducing a similar bill in our city, town, orstate. But no matter how one might engagein this space, it’s important to recognize thateach time someone speaks openly aboutworkplace misconduct, they aren’t justchanging the environment for themselves,they are contributing to an ecosystem ofaccountability that ultimately supports usall. Authentic Insider | Page 28

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As the mental health crisis reaches devastating levels post pandemic, more and more people arelooking for ways to manage their mental health. How does a childhood sexual abuse survivor, a veteran struggling with PTSD and an athletesuffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), trauma, and addiction find effective healing andrelief? Psychedelics. A treatment that was studied and used as effective treatment for mental health disorders until itwas banned and categorized as a schedule I drug in the 1970s, psychedelics have providedmuch needed relief for thousands of people suffering from trauma and mental health issues.Regardless of the laws banning these treatments, the people who understood the power of thesemedicines feel more empowered to find ways to help others find healing through them. On thefollowing page click on the graphic to view the Proof of Concept for "Our Own PersonalRealities." An Upcoming Documentary about the Fight toBring Psychedelic Healing Back into the LightAuthentic Insider | Page 32

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in PsychedelicsPSILOCYBIN & INTERCONNECTEDNESS:UNDERSTANDING ‘OCEANIC BOUNDLESSNESS’ WRITTEN BY JENNIFER CHESAK,AUTHOR OF THE PSILOCYBINHANDBOOK FOR WOMEN e all need a little oceanic boundlessness in our lives in 2024. If you’reopening your favorite travel app to book a cruise or a beach vacation rightnow, that’s not what I mean.“Oceanic boundlessness” is a term to describe feeling at one with the worldas whole, as if you’re part of something greater than yourself. It’s a feelingmany experience while on psilocybin.[1] And after a macrodose, the lastingeffects of oceanic boundlessness can have profound benefits for well-being.Oceanic boundlessness showed up for me during my psilocybin journey. Ifelt as though threads of light were connecting me to everyone I know andlove and who I know loves and cares for me. Their love for me surged myway—almost as if along an electrical current. And I sent my love to all ofthem while visualizing their locations as points on a map. Their lovecradled and buoyed me, as if they were holding space for my unfoldingexperience and championing me on. The best part: the feeling has beenlasting.[1] Griffiths RR, et al. “Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personalmeaning and spiritual significance 14 months later.” J Psychopharmacol. 2008 Aug; 22(6): 621–632,https://doi.org/10.1177/026988110809430Magic mushrooms canteach us a valuable lessonabout our supportsystems, making us feelless alonePSYCHEDELIC POVWAuthentic Insider | Page 34

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PSILOCYBIN, AND SOMEOTHER PSYCHEDELICS,CAN FACILITATEOCEANICBOUNDLESSNESSTHROUGH ANOTHERCONCEPT CALLED “EGODEATH” OR “EGODISSOLUTION.”“Oceanic feeling” is a philosophical term coined byRomain Rolland, a French mystic, in a letter toSigmund Freud nearly 100 years ago. This termencompasses the concept of having no bounds, orboundaries, between self and other or the world atlarge. It’s a sense of universal interconnectedness. Thisoceanic feeling, Freud suggested, is present when we’reyoung, before we develop our identity or ego. But as webecome more preoccupied with sense of self whilegrowing into adults, we lose that sensation.So how do we get back to oceanic boundlessness, andwhy is it beneficial? Psilocybin, and some otherpsychedelics, can facilitate oceanic boundlessnessthrough another concept called “ego death” or “egodissolution.” We have a network of brain regions thatwork together to form our sense of self. This networkis called the default mode network, and when we’re ona psychedelic, some parts of the DMN that normallyconnect will temporarily disconnect, while other partsthat don’t normally connect will connect. As a result,we may experience elements of ego death, where oursense of self becomes less of a focus. Therefore thoseboundaries between self and other, or the rest of theworld, dissolve. Hence, oceanic boundlessness.Who makes up your support system? Right now you’reprobably thinking of various friends and familymembers. You generally know you can call or text thisperson or that person if you’re having a bad day. Buthave you ever really “felt” that support system—felt itin your body?That’s what I experienced on psilocybin. I could feelthe tenderness that one of my oldest friends Mark hasfor me—and I for him. I could feel the unbreakablebond my friend Sara and I have. I could feel theentirety of my relationship with my husband. I feltthese sensations in my every cell—and I’m still feelingthem.Oceanic boundlessness gives you the profoundknowledge that, no matter how alone you might feelduring certain life challenges, you are never trulyalone. And that has made all the difference in my lifegoing forward.In 2018, my mom was diagnosed with an aggressiveform of cancer. And in 2019, she was diagnosed with adifferent cancer. Although my mom is doing wellnow, these cancer diagnoses, the fact that both myparents are in the last stretch of their lives, and theprocess of helping to manage their care have all givenme a lot of anxiety. We all lose our parents eventually,but knowing that these losses are a fact of life didnothing to resolve my distress. When we’re goingthrough these difficult times, often in middle age, wetend to feel alone and isolate ourselves in our worries.But that doesn’t help us. What does help is tappinginto our support systems—but how often do we dothat?I embarked on my first therapeutic psilocybin journeyin 2022. Now, I no longer feel isolated by what I’mgoing through; instead, I feel more connected thanever. I joke that the mushroom acted as the Kool-AidMan from those ’70s and ’80s commercials, crashingthrough theAuthentic Insider | Page 35

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walls I’ve carefully built around myself and myfeelings. These walls weren’t protecting me; theywere isolating me. The walls have come down, andI’m not afraid to show others when I’m not OK orwhen I’m struggling with something.Now I get to walk through this world knowing thatmy support system is always there. The remarkablepeople who make up this support system aren’t aninvisible safety net to catch me when I fall; ratherthey forge a foundation holding me up in this life.Plus, I know that I’m part of others’ supportsystems—returning the love, the empathy, and theI’ve-got-your-back mentality. Both feeling my ownsupport system and feeling that I’m a basereinforcing others has dramatically reduced myanxiety.In 2024, I challenge you to make a list of yoursupport people and how they make you feel lessalone. Make a list of whose backs you have too.Lean into this interconnectedness and know thatyou are not alone as you walk through this newyear and beyond. Oceanic boundlessness can beunlocked for you, too. You just have to be willingto knock down your walls. If you’re having troubledoing the brick breaking, psilocybin may be able tohelp.OCEANIC BOUNDLESSNESSCAN BE UNLOCKED FOR YOU,TOO. YOU JUST HAVE TO BEWILLING TO KNOCK DOWNYOUR WALLS.Meet Jennifer ChesakJennifer Chesak is the author of The PsilocybinHandbook for Women. She is an award-winning freelance science and medicaljournalist, editor, and fact-checker, and herwork has appeared in several nationalpublications, including the Washington Post.Chesak earned her master of science injournalism from Northwestern University’sMedill. She currently teaches in the journalismand publishing programs at BelmontUniversity, leads various workshops at theliterary nonprofit The Porch, and serves as themanaging editor for the literary magazineSHIFT. Find her work at jenniferchesak.comand follow her on socials @jenchesak.

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F R O M T R O P H YW I F E T OC O S M E T I CS U R G E O N hrough the 20 plus years that I have been an aesthetic medical doctor, my patients ask me how Ido what I do. I really didn’t know theanswer. So, I decided to write it down.I spend about 50-60% of my timecounseling patients and staff. When apatient comes to see me, theyalready have something that they areunhappy with. I feel that is my mostrewarding challenge. To get to thebottom of why they are seekingaesthetic treatments.Patients confide in and are usually alittle embarrassed. They say thingslike, “I really want to tell yousomething but I’m afraid that youwon’t be able to understand.”After a while as I was writing mybook, I wanted to share some of themany difficulties and misery that Isuffered in my quest to break free ofabuse.I thought to myself, everyone has badmemories or situations that they arecurrently in or have experienced. Iwanted to share my struggles.Written by Victoria Johnson,MD, Author of From TrophyWife to SurgeonTAuthentic Insider | Page 39

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My motivation to change came with the extremeemotional pain that I suffered at the hands of myhusband. I realized that I had become a nobody! Ifelt like an empty shell. My husband would justsay your job is the shut up and look good!The pain became unbearable, and I turned closerto God and Jesus Christ. I went into a period ofdevout fasting and prayer. I told the Lord that Iwas going to hold onto his robes until he healedme like the woman with the issue of blood in theBible did. My devotion and prayers were nonstop. I was notgoing to live in this pain any longer. There had tobe something that I could do.Then one night I was awakened and went intomy living room. I felt the need to kneel and pray. Iheard the Lord say, “you are going to be a doctor!”I was amazed and in disbelief. I only had a highschool diploma ten years earlier. Nonetheless, Ithought that I had no other choice, so I began toexplore the possibility of going to college.The struggles continued for four more years withmy husband, but I was so rock solid in the faiththat I had a calling on my life. That knowledgegave me the strength to endure his abuse whichwas considerable.My motivation to changecame with the extremeemotional pain that Isuffered at the hands ofmy husband. Authentic Insider | Page 40

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I began to get emotionally stronger and was able tofend off his attacks. He slowly eased up as he saw myresolve, but he was still quite abusive.I began to not only believe in the message from theLord, but to believe in my own growing emotionaland spiritual strength.I share my story with my patients as I feel it mighthelp them. I love my patients and my staff and findways to help them with their daily lives. I love asking myself, why this patient is here abouttheir outer appearances. I believe that all that I have endured and thrivedthrough could help others have the faith andconfidence in themselves to keep going. Keeppursuing your goal, no matter what.Fear is the greatest liar! I learned as it would comeover me, that if I just walked straight forward throughit towards my goal, the victory would be mine!I have also become quite confident and fearless. Iwant to impart that to others. Take risks!Just take a deep breath and jump!Keep your hearts and minds close to God and His Sonand you will have help beyond belief!I want people to look at me and say that if I can do itthen so can they. Stand up to abuse and fight for yourindependence. Believe that you are worth it! As I continue my journey, I feel a rocklike stillness andstrength in my spirit. It’s almost as though the Lord hasplaced a protective shield around me. I had to write my book. I wanted to share the strugglesI went through but also the love and joy that is in mylife now. I want my story to hopefully help others whoare downtrodden to have hope. If I can do it, then so can they!I believe that all that I haveendured and thrived throughcould help others have thefaith and confidence inthemselves to keep going.Authentic Insider | Page 41

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I. am a former college president. I am involved with a group concerned about banning books. Iam a lawyer by training and taught law for two plusdecades. I work in crisis management now, with afocus on trauma. I worked in the Department ofEducation during the Obama Administration. I havegiven sworn testimony before Congress severaltimes.I raise all this as background to this brief set ofobservations about the testimony of threeUniversity Presidents at a recent Congressionalhearing on harassment and discrimination on theirrespective campuses post the Oct. 7th, 2023massacre and they announced the resignation ofthe President of the University of Pennsylvania.Failure AboundedThese presidents’ testimony was a failure. Theyfailed to distinguish between and consider witharticulated nuance what is legal and what is moral.Yes, we assume or hope or expect there to beperfect convergence between these two terms. But,we know from history that our laws and rules arenot always “moral” and that what is right and justand moral is sometimes not legal.These presidents were “prepped” by lawyers fromWilmerHale (which law firm should be ashamed ofthemselves frankly). These presidents were eitherover-prepped or not able to navigate an obvioushypothetical question. They stuck to their script as ifthey were clutching a life raft. They did not wanttheir institutions to be sued. They saw the FirstAmendment broadly and without limits.Representative Stefanik posed a fair hypothetical,asking “if calling for genocide of Jews” isharassment and bullying according the HarvardUniversity’s rules. The Harvard President, as it hasbeen reported, did not actually answer the question;she sidestepped it as did her other colleagues. Wasthat the legal advice she was given?At a moment like this and with a question like theone posed, educational leaders need to step up andsee their role not as the individuals who must insurerule abidance in every instance and avoidance oflawsuits. Instead, they must do (not just say) what ismorally right and justified. Educational leaders needto stand up and be role models for not only theiruniversity but the larger world. I’d go so far as to sayit is part of their job. Legality vs Morality: SomeUniversity Presidents Failed to LeadWritten by Karen Gross, Trauma EducatorIAuthentic Insider | Page 43

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Genocide, whether it is within or outside Harvard, Penn and MIT’s existing rules on bullying andharassment, is morally wrong. The Presidents mighthave passed a law school test on free speech butthey failed a test of their judgment and capacity tospeak with moral authority and use their leadershipchops.Genocide is wrong. Period. Full stop. Apparently theirhandlers thought free speech overrides all morality.Or, thought about another way, the Presidents weretoo scared to listen and think on the spot about themeaning of genocide, harassment and bullying.Sometimes, laws and rules miss their mark. Not onlycan rules and laws be wrong but they are subject tointerpretation. For real. Rhetorically, I ask: Whencould the call for genocide be deemed acceptableunder an institution’s rules?And, to be clear, not answering is an answer.Being a college or university president is a tough,almost impossible, job. I get that. I know that. Butuniversity presidents need to be the guideposts andguardrails for their institutions. It is hard for me tofathom how these university presidents went so sowrong in their testimony.The Simple VersionStated most simplistically, three presidents ofprestigious universities failed to lead. That’s morethan worrisome. It was a missed opportunity to sharewith Congress, their faculties, their staffs, theirstudents, their donors and our larger world thatcalling for genocide of Jews (or anyone else) isunacceptable and breaches their institution’s moralcode and their rules and crosses the boundary thatdemarcates acceptable speech.I am both cringing and saddened; educationalleaders must do better.Postscript:How institutions deal with leadership failure needs to be another wholeposting. Yes, resignation was the pathway of the President of UPenn,although this was not the only leadership controversy at thatinstitution.For the two other Presidents, it is their governing boards — NOTpoliticians and donors — which decide a leader’s future. And theleaders themselves, with or without pressure, can decide resignation isbest for them and their respective institution.For the record and as a quite serious observation, I am wondering if thelegal bill to WilmerHale should be discounted by the firm. They, too,failed. Just saying….Being a college or universitypresident is a tough, almostimpossible, job. I get that. Iknow that. But universitypresidents need to be theguideposts and guardrails fortheir institutions.Authentic Insider | Page 44

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THE NEW YOU PLAYLIST"Carry On" By Fun“What’s Going On” By Marvin Gaye“Changes” By Justin Bieber“Man in the Mirror” By Michael Jackson"Let it Go" By Demi Lovato“Good Life” By One Republic“Radio Active” By Imagine Dragons"Wake Me Up" By Avicil“Stand Tall” By Childish Gambino“Put a little love in your heart” by JackieDeShannon“11:59” By Michael Franti and Spearhead“With My Own Two Hands By Ben Harper“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor“I Am Changing” By Jennifer Hudson“A Change Would Do You Good” By Sheryl Crow“Courage To Change” By SiaAs we step into a new year,many look at it as a cleanslate. The New Year gives usall hope for a better andbrighter year. An opportunityfor change. Here are someinspirational songs that willhelp you do just that!Authentic Insider | Page 45

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Hucky and Buzz are canine best friends who sharethoughts, emotions, moods, and feelings that will resonatewith every young child. In this sweet and simple book,readers can learn how to boost their confidence, positivity,and self-belief. Featuring the creators' own adorable dogs,and brought to life with Emma Dodd's enchantingillustrations, this is a gem of a guide for how kids can leada healthy and happy life.*I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.Authentic Insider | Page 46Arthur's gloomy father rushes him through the park everymorning, through gray and rainy weather. Arthur just wantsa bright balloon from the park's vendor, but Papa alwayssays no. One morning, the balloons magically appear at theirdoorstep, and Arthur figures out the perfect way to bring thesunshine out—and Papa's smile back—even if only for a fewmoments.This tender exploration of loss illuminates the sustainingpower of kindness, empathy, and friendship. It will resonatewith anyone who has experienced hardship or grief, from thedeath of a loved one or a pet, to the transition to a newhome, family situation, or learning environment. It isespecially comforting during this time of social distancingand the uncertainty around what the future holds, sensitivelydemonstrating that we are stronger together.

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In "Wise Little One: Learning to Love and Listen to My InnerChild," Jana Wilson takes us on a deeply personal journey oftriumph over childhood trauma and the transformative power ofconnecting with one's inner child. This gripping memoir is atestament to the strength of the human spirit and theextraordinary capacity for healing through self-discovery andtaking self-responsibility.MENTAL HEALTHBOOKS (FOR ADULTS)This incredible self-help book is designed to equip you with theknowledge and tools to take control of your mind, body, andoverall well-being. With a focus on practical strategies and real-life tips, this book will guide you on a transformative journeytowards a happier, healthier, and more remarkable life.At the root of all healing work is awakening consciousness, aprocess of shining light into the darkness of the unknown. Inrecent years, Dr. Nicole LePera has become the leading voice inpsychological self-healing, helping millions of people around theworld rise out of survival mode to consciously create authenticlives they love.*I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.Authentic Insider | Page 47

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The message I received for January 2024 is to trust in your intuition, especially if you have beenseeking answers to certain questions. It's always good to spend time by yourself and meditate. Theanswers you seek are within.You may be surrounded by a lot of people who could be distracting you from thinking clearly. Thiscould be extended family members. I feel like someone feels regret for the way they treated youand mishandled a situationIn the beginning of the year and the whole month of January there is a need to focus on self- care(see Lorilee’s self-care tips for the coming year). Be sure to make self-care a priority. In regards torelationships or other things that could be going on in your life, the answer is to slow down and takeyour time. No need to be in a rush for anything. For some, I see that there could be some obstacles to overcoming healed wounds. These are thingsthat could be blocking forward movement in life. Forgiveness is going to be huge during this time. Ifeel that there could be some Individuals out there that may need to forgive themselves and/orothers.In this case, it’s key to have peace of mind to move on in life without holding on to anybitterness and resentment of the past. Singles could be meeting their twin flame very soon and married couples you could possibly be withyour twin flame already. I do feel that it's a good time to trust the timing and be patient witheverything that is going on in your life. Trust divine timing. Everything happens when it should.Overall energy into the new year will be hopeful but spending time alone to start the new year off willbe a good idea especially if you are looking to retreat and regain clarity in your life. A leap of faith isneeded in order to be successful in certain areas in your life. Success within reach. Cheers to agreat new year to come. Let's make it a great one.Monthly Collective ReadingsMonthly Collective Readings for All Signsfor All SignsJoy is a Narcissistic AbuseSurvivor who has made it her life'swork to help others through lifecoaching. She is also a healer,earth angel and psychic medium.If you would like coaching servicesfrom Joy and/or get your ownpersonal reading, please scan thebarcode below with yoursmartphone camera.READINGSPersonalINFOCoachingAuthentic Insider | Page 48