MONA SHENASSA TOUBIAN, MBA, LMFT, PhD
As a Persian Jew who had to flee Iran during the 1979 Iranian Revolution the concepts of belonging and exile are visceral parts of my psychological journey. I see much of human angst represented as concentric circles of feelings of separation from our society, community, our family, and most importantly from ourselves. Through my work as a psychotherapist, my vessels overflow with the meaning and purpose I gain through practicing the therapeutic method I created called, Soul Work Evolution™. This method is grounded in the mixture between science and ancient wisdom alchemized into knowledge my client’s can use to live optimally in the modern world. The transformative shifts I have had the privilege to steward continue to be the everyday blessings I witness.
Exile and Belonging
(Sculpture on Canvas, 14” x 11”)
This piece is inspired by the concept that our modern existence is deeply driven by the pressures we face to wear social masks. The chasm between our outside presentations and inside truths create psychological conflicts within us. Depicted is the struggle to measure up, and not only fit in, but attain our value, approval, and sense of belonging, from the outside, versus seeking the embrace of the sacred, pure, and unadulterated persona that fuels and guides us from the inside. The constant human quest for belonging puts us consistently within the grasps of feeling exiled. This existential theme ever quivering under the surface became reality when the coronavirus quarantine mandates pushed our lives into solitary confinement.
The life-giving water the vessels once held and can hold again are the receptacles for overflowing blessings. The bottles are surrounded by and coated in nail polish unable to taint the inside. Regardless of what happens to us in our lives our souls remain pure and untainted. Our makeup, nail polish, attitudes, and behaviors displayed when we are in social situations are like the stage an actor performs on. The empty water bottles are vessels that bring and sustain life and represent ever-present and renewed hope, which springs eternal.