One of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of the past year at Joyful Heart has been our "Heal the Healers" program. Those of you engaged in healing work-social workers, therapists, police officers, wellness practitioners, first responders, prosecutors, hotline advocates, and so many more-inspire me every day, both as an actress and as an advocate. As you know, I play a New York City police detective on television, which means my character's motto is "to protect and to serve". I have the utmost admiration for all of you brave healers who live that motto in your work every day. I have always thought "Heal the Healers" should be called "Heal the Heroes", because that's what you are. You encounter darkness every day, and, every day, you battle that darkness with your light. Revolutionaries that you are, you make the daily choice to turn toward the suffering of others, and then you do your utmost to alleviate it.

Your jobs require colossal amounts of courage.

But caring for others is only part of your job. In addition to honoring the experiences of those you serve, you must-must-also care for yourselves. As intuitive and obvious and lightweight as that observation may appear, self-care can be the task for a healer that requires the heaviest lifting.

Joyful Heart wants to help.

We did a lot of research for this issue of Reunion, and I hope it will inform you and inspire you as much as all of you have inspired me. It is my wish that you live the healthiest, most fulfilled lives you can, in full acknowledgement and awareness of the demands of your calling. May you find ways, in the midst of your mission to serve and protect others, to do the same for yourselves.

With admiration and gratitude,