February 2024 Mental Health Book Club
Book Selection: The Will to Change by bell hooks
African-American author, feminist, and social activist, bell hooks, invites us to explore the role of patriarchy in preventing men from being connected to their feelings and engaging in healthy expressions of love with themselves and others. Dominant social expectations cause many men and the people around them to suffer, but this book proposes alternatives for how men can practice integrity and find space to express love and change for the better.
“To create loving men, we must love males. Loving maleness is different from praising and rewarding males for living up to sexist-defined notions of male identity. Caring about men because of what they do for us is not the same as loving males for simply being. When we love maleness, we extend our love whether males are performing or not. Performance is different from simply being." - bell hooks
Book Club Schedule
* Sunday, Feb 18, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapters 1 & 2
* Sunday, Feb 25, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapters 3 & 4
* Sunday, Mar 03, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapters 5 & 6
* Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapters 7 & 8
* Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapters 9 & 10
* Sunday, Mar 24, 2024 at 10;30 am - Chapter 11 and group closing (optional)
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Location
All book club discussions will meet in-person in the "Board Room" at Dublin Coffee Roaster at 1780 N Market St, Frederick, MD 21701. The Board Room is located across the hall from Dublin's restroom.
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Your Host
Krista Bajgier, LCSW-C, is a certified nature-informed trauma therapist and lover of learning. She will provide lose facilitation and reinforce group expectations during discussions to help create a meaningful exchange of ideas from week to week. She encourages participation from anyone interested in thinking more critically about gender roles in American society. She hosts these events because she believes in the idea that group environments can build confidence and boost self-esteem. Community - even short-term experiences of belonging and connection - are beneficial for emotional well being.
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Book Club Costs
Participation in this club is free, but participants are required to purchase their own copy of The Will to Change which ranges from $10-$20 online. Books can also be obtained from local libraries for free with a library membership.
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Registration
Anyone participating in this group must be registered by February 11, 2024. Please contact info@outdoortherapeutics.com if you have questions before committing to the group.
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