We’re looking forward to introducing you to Kara Worrells (-Gutiérrez). Check out our conversation below.
Kara, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Others are secretly struggling with mental illness, a lack of social healthiness, and addiction. Even though people who are a part of mainstream society don’t outright talk about these three intertwined issues, they’re easy to spot based on how they naturally and choose to behave.
Passive aggression, micro-aggressions, and other kinds of wrongdoing: unhinged, inconsiderate, boundary-crossing, and intentionally impertinent behaviors are typical indicators. There are also plenty of other examples of someone lacking wellbeing—like being toxic and being a part of obsession culture.
Unhealthy relationships, with the self and others, and an addiction to dysfunction—to name some kinds of habits formed by ill-minded gratification—are hypernormalized: they’re ingrained as socially acceptable and people go about performing bad behaviors despite the awareness that their behaviors are not ok. Creating drama and performing bad behaviors get rewarded on this globe of bully or be bullied; the majority spectate bullying while the few intervene. Too many people have a unhealed and immature inner child that translates into their adulthood. Too many people haven’t grown, only aged.
There’s plenty to be said about how the Trump administration sets a complete example of what I’ve been describing above. It’s top-down and nothing new but, Trump and his administration are not the focus, they’re just examples of the many.
Others’ secret struggle with unhealthiness and hurting is what it is because of continued stigma surrounding addressing personal issues and therapy. This is also the case because of fear surrounding accountability, I believe. Like owning up to wrongdoing is a liability, so there’s leverage with maintaining denial, especially if there are a number of people backing up that denial.
Finding the “right” therapist is also relatively difficult. I believe that’s another reason people avoid therapy. They can’t seem to find a psychologist or therapist who will listen to them, ask them questions, provide them with therapeutic techniques, and challenge them at the level they need at the moment they enter therapy, if they have tried. Insurance, if you have it and what kind you have, also plays a big role in this.
I struggled for some time to find the “right” therapist—one who wouldn’t just give me advice or paraphrase with misperception about what I talked about—so I understand the frustration but, that’s part of the process. If you care about your wellness and the healthiness of your life, you’ll put in the work of advocating for yourself until you do find the right clinician for you.
There is, also, a push for virtual therapy and caring for your mental health. That’s important to recognize because there are people in the mental health field putting in the effort to destigmatize therapy and the ways mental health affect physical health, and vice versa.
Facing your character defects, opening up about how you feel and what you think about, and choosing healthy behaviors is becoming increasingly “in,” but there’s still significant work left to be done, on everyone’s part.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Aló! I am Kara Worrells(-Gutiérrez), a queer Woman of Letters and activist/artivista. A poet-writer for 20 years, since I was seven years old. I am a trilingual, first-generation Méxa-merican@, focusing my art on liminal identities, mental illness and wellbeing, love, socio-political issues, linguistics, and a myriad of subjects that hone in on the human condition. Especially that of simultaneously accepting and rejecting the current world we coexist in. I write in my mother tongues, Spanish and English, as well as Italian. I aspire to move people towards recovery, healing, and action to make their worlds and the world a better place through the openness and honesty of my work. I also have a small business called Sol Pottery where I make wearable and non-wearable art. Soy de aquí y de allá, so I create what I love and love to share.
I’m hoping to collaborate with more artists who double as activists with their work—trying to build connections and community by reading my work at open mics, volunteering for organizations like El Centro Cultural de la Raza, and promote my visual art on my blog, Madre Tierra, as well as on social media for my small business, Sol Pottery.
I aspire to be another pillar of support, contributing to the work that’s already been and continues being done by the people in my culture, and in the BIPOC community as a whole.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Betrayal, deception, taking advantage, not standing up for one another or switching up, crossing boundaries/lines, mistreatment, and abuse are some of what breaks the bonds between people.
What I believe restores bonds is having open, honest, and I-statement led conversations that are reinforced by actions. Both people need to be listened to and understood. Each person has to own up to what they’ve done, if they’ve done something to break their bond. There can’t be scapegoating, slating the blame onto the other individual if they were not responsible, nor manipulation of any kind.
Non-negotiables and set boundaries have to be respected. A middle ground needs to be established if both parties can’t agree completely with one another on something.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been multiple times where I’ve given up. Not almost, but have.
I’ve started over multiple times in the last three years. The end of 2024 is when I chose that I’m no longer going to give up, regardless of my circumstances.
Giving up is not an option. Moving forward—even if I don’t see any changes or significant progress, even if I’m taking small steps, even if I have to create opportunities for myself when opportunities don’t successfully present themselves—is the only option.
Opportunity, like the one y’all have given me to share a part of my life and beliefs with others, is greatly appreciated. It helps me with my mindset.
The times I’ve given up have been a result of feeling an overwhelming hopelessness and depression. A hopelessness about how the bad outweighs the good in the world and how I still haven’t been able to be fully independent—self-sustainable—with a stable job that is flexible with my disabilities.
I also don’t have my driver’s license because of this, and depending on someone else or public transportation to move around has been a frustration of mine, especially when it comes to my life’s work of volunteering, activism, and selling my art.
The way I’ve gotten myself out of giving up is through giving up. It’s ironic, I know. By hitting rock bottom and then taking steps to move upwards and forwards. I have expertise with hitting rock bottom, and it’s taught me much about how many aspects in life aren’t linear but exponential.
My major form of giving up has been committing various forms of “failed” suicide attempts. This has led me to realize that Spirit wants me to keep living, for whatever reason. I’ve never liked to language of failure or success when it comes to suicide, but that’s the only language we have that I’m aware of, to describe the outcome.
I’m spiritual, so I’ve taken these “failed” attempts as signs that I just need to keep going, stay present, and keep working my recovery program. I just have to keep working and doing and being a part of something bigger than myself, and hopefully everything will fall into place over time. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes; what you see is what you get, when it comes to me. My hope is that I’m actually seen and not misunderstood.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely, I don’t need external validation. I could give everything my best regardless of whether or not I get recognized, thanked, or praised. That’s key for self-love and wellbeing. There are plenty of times where I haven’t received praise, and it’s ok. My goals and work are not focused on that.
Receiving recognition, thanks, and praise are always appreciated, of course.
I think ego is a part of the game of life and the rat race, and I don’t want or need any part in that. I believe it’s important to remind people that ego has two sides: grandiosity and insecurity. Feeling the need to receive praise is a sign that self-love needs work. You’ve gotta be your biggest supporter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kworrells19.wixsite.com/madretierra
- Instagram: @solpotteryca and @misskpoet
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-w-53091a210/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MissKPoet
- Other: https://linktr.ee/SolPotteryCA
Image Credits
Photos captured by Veronica W. and Cory S.
