Izetta

Izetta was a singer, was part of the women’s music scene throughout the 70s and 80s, and she still sings. In the mid-80s she also became a therapist and grief counselor for children and helped to develop Portland’s Dougy Center, an organization serving children who are grieving the deaths of parents, siblings, and others close to them. 

About seven years ago, Izetta decided to approach her own trauma history in a new way. She asked Sue for some art lessons, and she began a self-guided project, creating paintings, collages, and a narrative that tells her story. She interviewed Sue and other mothers who had struggled for custody of their children (including me) as she re-framed her struggle to mother her son. 

This morning she invited Sue and me to talk about her project with her and her partner, and to brainstorm with them what their next steps might be. I took a heating pad, as it really helps with the rib pain.