Building a world of healing and empathy: The journey of Connexion Matters
Imagine a world where empathy, understanding, and unity reign supreme—a place where fear and divisiveness have no home. Does that seem distant to you?
Lately, it feels like that type of world is slipping away. I remember sitting at my dinner table, doom scrolling, and thinking about how dark and fear-filled the world seemed to be. Wars, acts of terrorism, school shootings, and political leaders feeding on a fear-filled populace—what is going on? These thoughts compelled me to start something.
I am not a social media person. I don’t post much, just the odd family memory and funny Instagram reels. Yet, despite my social media hesitation, I feel internally compelled to write and share my experiences and what I’ve learned as a teacher and therapist. I want to help people by providing insight and hope that, no matter what is going on, there can be a different path.
Connexion Matters
Why call this blog "Connexion Matters"? I believe that personal and social change happens through connection. We need to connect with ourselves—our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors—to understand why we do the things we do and how we might harm ourselves and others without realizing it. We need to connect with others, as we have lost the village mentality and become too isolated and mistrusting. Lastly, we need to connect with the world and understand that we are part of it. We need the world not only to survive but to thrive, and if we don’t take care of it, we are losing a part of ourselves.
Goals of This Blog
Help people connect to themselves
Help people connect to others
Help people connect to the world
As a clinical therapist and school counselor, I have witnessed a gradual increase in anxiety among both elementary school-aged children and adults. The world can seem like a dark and scary place. Where is the goodness, honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, and empathy? I’ll give you a hint… it’s still there all around us, inside us, and in the community we live in. We just need to bring it out.
A Journey of Growth
This blog is also my journey to help me move past my fears and to see which path my life can go down. I want to share stories of my failures and successes with the hope of inspiring others. To help people understand that no matter how dire a situation may seem, there are ways out of it, and having a supportive community (a village) can help with that. We used to share stories around fires as a way of teaching; I hope that this blog can be a new, different type of campfire.
I believe that we can change, that the world doesn’t have to be scary, and that love and kindness are the most powerful tools for change. This is not just my journey; it’s ours. I invite you to share your stories, insights, and ideas as we build a more compassionate world together.
Fostering Connections and Compassion
In a time when fear and divisiveness threaten to tear us apart, this space is dedicated to fostering connections, understanding, and compassion. My name is Brad Klok. I am a registered clinical counselor and an elementary school counselor. Every day, I work with children and adults who often struggle to get through the day. I love working with people; it fills my bucket when I am working with a client and they trust me with their story. Through the many stories that I’ve heard, I understand that everyone has hurts and heartaches going through this life, and we need each other to heal, to understand that we are not alone—especially in these seemingly chaotic times.
This is one of the reasons why Connexion Matters.
I invite you to subscribe, comment, and engage—let’s turn the tide of fear and division into waves of unity and hope.