Math is SO not my thing, but this is adding up.

May is one of my favorite months for so many reasons. It's usually when the weather in Rochester FINALLY feels like it takes a turn for the better, leaves are coming back on the trees, it's the month when I got engaged to my husband (13 years ago this week!), and the air just feels good outside. I recently learned of a few more reasons to keep May at the top of my list:

• May is Older Americans Month 💛

• May is also Mental Health Awareness Month 🧠

• The first week of May is Small Business Week, this year falling between May 3-9 📇

I'm a photographer and a therapist for a reason, part of which is that math and I do NOT get along. But I know enough to understand that, when we take separate elements and combine them together, we arrive at a sum total that has a greater value than each of the elements on their own.

⟫🧮 Celebrating older adults + mental health awareness + small business = Sweet Home Photography

Sweet Home Photography is committed to honoring older adulthood through the creation of authentically positive images that promote a strong sense of self, celebrate legacy and resilience, and advocate against ageism and fear about growing older.

SHP does this by:

• Engaging with participants before and during photo sessions to better understand and appreciate how they would like to appear in images

• Creating space for storytelling that honors legacy, life experience, and memories

• Initiating opportunities for reflection throughout the process

• Highlighting individuality rather than collective stereotypes

• Capturing candid moments highlighting connection, joy, resilience, and meaning--these images act as visual proof that positive aging exists

• Walking alongside people through times of loss and transition, using photo sessions and images to process emotions and carry important memories into the future

Mental health awareness is at the heart of every interaction, starting before the camera even comes out of the bag. Being mindful of the things others are going through helps me to approach photography from a different angle, figuratively and sometimes literally. Respectful curiosity creates a safe space for conversations about mental health to exist, and understanding leads to sessions and images that have the potential to promote healing. For generations who were not encouraged to talk about mental health, raising awareness of feelings can go a long way, and comfort to embrace whatever comes up is an important part of what Sweet Home Photography is all about.

SHP honors mental health by:

• Asking intentional questions before, during, and after sessions

• Making space and time to process emotions and stories as they arise

• Recognizing resilience and reinforcing pride in individual self-worth

• Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment that encourages people to show up exactly as they are

• Providing education about emotions and coping as needed

• Advocating against negative stigma through images that send a more (authentically) hopeful message about aging

Last but certainly not least, small business. A world I didn't know that I would end up in, but a space where I am so grateful to be today. I might be biased, but I feel strongly that a small business is so often better equipped to support both older adults and mental health than bigger companies, and here's why:

• When you reach out to a small business, you get a human. Not just any human, but a human who cares enough about the service they provide to pour their energy into making it a career.

• When you utilize service from a small business, you're more than just a number on a spreadsheet. You're a human, too--we see you and we appreciate you.

• So many small businesses, Sweet Home Photography included, were started to fill a gap that was felt on a personal level--so the person providing your service must likely understands why it's important to you on a deeper level, and will be deeply committed to supporting you as a result. Work is driven by values, not abstract targets.

• Small business owners work hard to build community connections based on trust, and can often help you connect to other local supports if needed.

• No one cares more about providing you the best possible service than someone who has put their heart and soul into making sure that it exists.

If you made it this far, THANK YOU. I invite you to join me in celebrating these areas of focus, not just this week or this month, but all year. And if I can help you in the process, I'm here ❤️