October Newsletter

StarHaus Psychotherapy - October Newsletter

updates

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is a favorite holiday of ours, and we’ve compiled some fun seasonal resources for you here!

We hope the beginning of your autumn is going smoothly, but if you notice yourself feeling a little down as the days get shorter, know that that is common and normal too.

Hopefully this newsletter addresses some of those feelings, and please know that you can always reach out to us to learn more about how therapy can add extra support through dark seasons.

Reach Out

recommendations

Autumn in the Cities

Affordable things to check out in Minneapolis and St. Paul:

You Belong Fall Fest - Show up at Urban Growler Brewing in Saint Paul on October 14th for an outdoor festival with performances from Drag Artists, Hildie Edwards, Colin Bracewell, Nur-D and more!
There will also be an indoor queer maker’s market! This festival is in celebration of the passing of the Trans Refuge bill and to raise awareness about ongoing needs. ($20 in advance or $25 at the door)
BareBones - Halloween puppet show extravaganza is happening each night of October 27th-31st in Minneapolis! Enjoy the music and performance of a beautiful puppet show and then free organic food afterwards. (pay what you can, suggested $20 donation)

extra stuff

October Playlist - from Lauren

Photo of a painting by Ben Crase (@_gummy_beats_ on instagram)

In the midst of these fall days getting shorter and the world feeling darker, we are leaning into the brighter, more playful elements of Halloween.

Let this playlist transport you to childhood memories of trick-or-treating and watching witchy movies on the Disney channel.

Check out the cartoonish minor chords and the light-hearted spookiness of this October playlist below!

Listen Here

Archetype of the Month - from Liana

“Trickster is the mythic embodiment of ambiguity and ambivalence, doubleness and duplicity, contradiction and paradox”- Lewis Hyde, Trickster Makes the World: Mischief, Myth, and Art

As the trickster exists at boundaries, they cross, create, and erase them. They pass through spaces to enliven and illuminate by breaking taboos, creating mischief, and generally stirring things up. They are represented in myth, folklore, and cultures across the world and across time: Shakespeare’s Puck, Loki in Norse mythology, the coyote in the legends of indigenous peoples of North America (depicted above by Harry Fonseca).

Contemporary tricksters can be found in comedians, such as (Minnesota’s own!) Maria Bamford, who uses dark humor to break taboos around mental health in her new memoir, Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult.

As some of us choose to don costumes for Halloween, we might think about the “trick” rather than the “treat,” and appreciate the paradox of imbuing a time where we consider the morbid and the horrific with a sense of play.

Monthly Mindfulness - from Megan

Here’s a Halloween coloring page from Megan. (Click the image to download a pdf that you can print and color in!)

We’ve been reminiscing lately about being in elementary school during this season and our teachers handing out Halloween themed coloring pages, word finds, and crossword puzzles to solve.

There was something so sweet and calming about spending quiet moments with markers or crayons and a cute image to color in. Try it as an adult and see if you get a similar sense of peace!

Even More Fun!

Finally, on the themes of playfulness and spookiness, we have a couple iOS game recommendations for you!

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller iPhone game (also available on Steam and Nintendo Switch) about a group of teenagers trying to unravel the seemingly paranormal mysteries of a local island.

Year Walk is a Swedish (English language) very spooky iOS puzzle game that explores an ancient Swedish custom of a vision quest.

Thanks for reading, and happy spooky season! Feel free to be in touch about what you’re up to, the books, podcasts, and other media you’re enjoying, and anything else you feel like sharing.

Please let us know if you have questions about therapy at StarHaus or want to learn more about what we offer!

Take care,

xoxo -StarHaus