About Whole House

The idea of this project and community has been with me for a while.  I still don’t know what it will look like, but community support has always been central to it.  One of my early influences was the work of Jane Addams and Hull House, the community she built.  At its core, Hull House was intended as a secular living place for mutual aid and learning.  It was meant to be a settlement where people of all religions and backgrounds could live, share in childcare and meals, and learn skills and education from each other and others.   A community working together for the benefit of all.

Learning about her vision sparked an interest in me in the idea of community and collective work.  I love the idea of a space where each of us can bring what we have as individuals and together make something that is whole – a chance to both enjoy and learn from each other’s gifts.  A place that can be a home for thoughts, music, products, art, and nature, as well as practical and needed advice from those with skills to share. Where we can each bring our own piece and as a collective make a whole, thus the impetus for the name Whole House. 

And so, this is my piece.  I’m working on focusing on my own healing journey, and sharing what I am learning as I go along. I’ve been digging into learning more about the things that are healing to me, like herbalism, spiritualism, and our collective history. I have a few small groups of friends that meet an create art, or learn tarot or other skills. It’s in these groups, amongst two friends, or in talking to people about what I’m learning that so much of the healing happens. I don’t know what this will end up looking like, but I want to share what I’m doing, what I’m making, and what is helping me grow, and  I hope to meet people along my journey and give them a space to share as well.

I am a non-binary person, mother, and partner.  In the past I spent many years as a piano and voice teacher, and then as a non-profit administrator. Over the last several years, I have been finding my way on a long-coming journey of healing.  Two decades ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Ehlers Danlos, and I’ve spent most of my life managing my health, but also ignoring and hiding it.  I got through life by pushing through everything and ignoring what my body was telling me.

I’m re-learning now, but it’s a painfully slow process.  I’m learning to listen to and trust my body.  I’m learning herbalism which has been such a wealth of spiritual and medicinal healing.  And I’m learning to build community, how to make space for people to come together and heal each other.

Gina Glorioso, founder (she/they)