Help Is A Phone Call Away.
Learn more about practices and clinicians in and around the area who are currently seeing new patients!
It’s ok to not be ok.
My Red Said came from a bleeding heart clinician, who intuitively knew what the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic would do to our country. Born with a level of emotion that can be considered my biggest strength and my biggest weakness, I felt completely out of control. As someone who encourages others to lean into their pain, I worked to lean into my own. That is how it all began. One girl, with one mission: create unity to increase hope that it can and will get better. In order to do this, we must start talking about those “icky” topics that we often avoid. We must face our fears head on, in order to build connections. We lift ourselves by lifting others. It is ok to not be ok. What is not ok, is sitting in silence. Talk to your family members. Talk to your kids. Talk to your neighbors and friends. Seek to understand and listen with open hearts. Do not minimize or offer a silver lining; simply tell them, “You are not alone.”
Led by Jessica Hutchison, a licensed, clinical therapist who lives in Barrington, the project is supported by BStrong Together, Barrington School District 220, Barrington Youth & Family Services, Samaritan Counseling Center, and Behavioral Psychology Associates, where Jessica currently practices.
Read more about Jessica, and what led to her development of this project HERE.
How to Participate in MY RED SAID:
Pick Up Your Free Red Ribbon
Pick up your free red ribbon between February 19th - March 6th at the following locations:
Cook Street Coffee, Samaritan Counseling Center (1000 Hart Road, Suite 201 in Barrington), Kaleidoscope School of Fine Art
Want to make your own ribbon? Download the heart image here. Simply place the heart on a red ribbon like this.
2. Inspire Others
Write a message of hope on the ribbon showing support for others in our community! For example, "My red said that I have struggled this year, and learned that I can't do it on my own." You can also leave your ribbon blank as a way of saying "You are not alone."
3. Show Your Support on March 7th
Individuals and business owners are invited to hang a ribbon in windows or outside of their storefront starting March 7th to kickoff the beginning of My Red Said week, which ends on the one year anniversary of when the pandemic hit Barrington.
4. Go Red on Social
Show and extend your support for this initiative by putting a red square on your social media pages. Share your own "my red said" struggle in your caption or just simply post the red square in support with the hashtags: #MyRedSaid #MyRedSaidStruggle #RedSaidUnityandHope. Red square images can be downloaded at 365 Barrington, The Barrington SCOOP and Quintessential Barrington. Or click HERE.
5. Write a Message of Hope for Others
Submit your own personal message to show others they are not alone in their feelings. Submitting your name and email is required, but you can note if you want to be anonymous.
