In 2012, I was declared a Child Welfare expert in the courts by Justice Terrance Morrison.

It is a designation I have spoken little of, but is very significant in my professional field of practice.

It came unexpected, unanticipated and was not something I held as a goal in my career aspirations. It also came at a tumultuous and multifaceted time in my career and as I was ending my work with children and youth for the most part.

As of late, I have been feeling a pull to children’s issues once again. Of course I never return where I have already been, so my attention and intention in child welfare and well being, will manifest in differing ways on a go forward basis.

I am pondering however this notion of reconciliation of self, an inner integration of our child to our adult. A bringing together of our fragmented self into a whole being , not fearing the small voice that needs to come up through our being and share from our adult voice our child wisdom, experience, and imagination. In some sense our vision, our imagination, our purpose, our way of seeing and being in the world is born in us and operating when we are children. We must be able to let it rise up through into our adult reality, to inform and guide our longings and wishes in the manifestation or current realities. Without this coming to revelation we cannot live fully in our now.

I would like to encourage the release of the stories of childhood without blame, harm, or shame but for learning, development and growth.

Can we hold this telling of our stories in all of our beings to heal, to be and to become that which our lives are most meant to be.

After all no one, will be in a place as an adult having lived a perfect childhood. It is just not possible nor plausible.

Our childhood tapestries are rich with insight, evolution and develop changemakers and influencers for our future.

Lori Ellis-McKinney RSW

Court Declared Child Welfare Expert

Owner

River Valley Wellness Centre &Oak Valley Retreat Institute

Ellis McKinney & Affiliates