Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristine Jackson
Hi Kristine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am five, so this is a big moment for me. It is a rare
and beautiful Saturday morning out on the town. I am alive in
the light and noise of the 70’s arcade. I can smell stale
popcorn and taste excitement. I keep feeling the quarters
inside my green corduroy pants. My fingers run along the
rough edges of the coins and jangle them against each other
so that they know they belong to each other and to me. I get
to play any game I want, so I go for the loudest, flashiest
machine: the Fireball pinball machine. With one hand in my
pocket and the other holding my mom’s hand, I try to herd
and hurry her, but the orange carpet is slowing us down.
Close up, my beloved machine looks even better with its
shiny chrome and loud electronic sounds. I stand as tall as I
can to put in the first quarter and my mom lifts me to see as
the silver balls line up in the machine. I cannot tell if it is my
eagerness or her pressing to hold me up that is crushing the
air right out of me. I madly reach to the sides to work the
flippers, but my arms are not long enough to reach both at
the same time. So I alternate, wildly using one flipper at a
time watching the silver ball streak to the other quadrant.
10The exploding sounds make me think I’m winning, yet in all
my attempts the ball hurls down and I lose. Again and again
and again. Each time I try to navigate the chaos differently, to
the same sinking result and I begin to think that failure is
inevitable and I am running out of quarters.
What I did not realize then was that this experience
would become a metaphor for my journey through life.
The same journey that brought me to eventually becoming a therapist.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a bumpy ride, and at times I believe I made it more difficult by refusing to reach for support. Lesson learned. At this point in my journey, I want to ride with those that have navigated rough roads because I trust their wisdom and am inspired by their perspective.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known for depth work, in both my private practice and trainings. And though some fear that depth means darkness- it is often a place of joy. The more we connect with our most authentic selves, the more laughter and play is part of our experience.
Any big plans?
I have always traveled to literally and figuratively meet clients “where they are” and now I beginning to travel even farther. I am traveling to train therapists in India beginning in February, and the UK this summer. And I have a book tour starting next year, so will be dropping into some Barnes and Nobles, to represent BE YOU: Using the Pain Pinball to Go From Wound to Wonder.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kristinejackson.com
