Andrea Garn, LCSW, has been a supporter and participant in Big Ocean Women for 7 years. She is trained in trauma and EMDR therapy, Internal Family Systems, and specializes in supporting periods of transition in hospice care and as a licensed birth doula. She believes finding our inner compass is the way to heal ourselves, our families, and the world.

“That’s what we want most, isn’t it? As moms is that our kids find their compass and find their connection with love.”

“Grace and I felt like this really goes along with finding your inner compass because it’s hard to listen to what your body is telling you when there’s dissociation, when there’s trauma. It takes more practice and more love to get those answers.”

“Everything is a system. You know, the universe is a system, our society, our family, and inside of ourselves. We are the manager of our heart and of our emotions, and of the parts of us that are holding onto the trauma and the parts that are protecting ourselves by holding on in different ways. And so as we find that inner compass, we’re able to create safety in all of the systems and creating safety in our internal system, can create it in our family and in the world.”

“It’s really the way we can heal. Nothing outside of us can do it for us. It’s our work to do, and that’s very empowering and beautiful.”

“Take deep breaths, take time in nature, find out what things help you feel calm and help you feel better and feed you just like you would find out what your child likes or what your plant needs to grow”

“When you take a walk to sort something out, that is literally therapy, because the movement of your feet back and forth is helping your mind untangle and process emotions and thoughts and feelings.”