From Front Stage to Front Line: Felicia Temple Artwork

Finding the Helpers

In Season 1 of Finding the helpers, we are bringing personal stories of front line staff and families impacted by COVID-19. Our diverse guests will be invited to share their story of being on the front line, and in combination to their story, two expressive art therapists will provide art and creative activities that will support the challenges the individual and their family is facing. These could include ideas for short relaxation techniques to be done on the front line, creative ways to explain in kid friendly terms what is happening, ways to stay connected to family and children during long periods of isolation, etc.Throughout the podcast, conversation will include mental health insight related to the pandemic, anxiety and stress, grief and loss, resiliency, coping skills, and understanding the pandemic. Presented by the nonprofit Playing to Live's, whose history began in 2014 as a grassroots program focused on bringing play and creativity in the midst of the Ebola deadly viruses. Following our work in Ebola, we have continued our work as advocates and creators for play and expression across the globe in refugee settings, post war countries, and in the United States of America.

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Finding the Helpers

From Front Stage to Front Line: Felicia Temple

April 27, 2020 • Alexis Decosimo and Kristin Ramsey • Season 1 • Episode 3

We are thrilled to bring you Felicia Temple: contender on The Voice in 2017, accomplished musician, and ICU nurse.

Felicia has been receiving media attention in the past few weeks since an interview during Global Citizen's "One World: Together At Home” concert. She was on an international music tour in Brussels, when she found out the US planned to close its borders. Within a week, she was “rolling up her sleeves” and got back to work at her former nursing job, this time in the newly set up covid-19 ICU of Holy Name Medical Center.

She returned to her hospital but everything felt different than before she had left to pursue her music career, several months before. Felicia wanted to be back on the frontlines with her former coworkers, in a job she has always loved, where her biggest personal challenge is not being able to see her family.

Felicia wants people to know that as a nurse, she doesn’t feel like a hero. “We do it because we love this job and it’s our duty, it’s what we signed up for. People are working hard like this every day because they love their jobs, not just because there’s a global crisis.”

Listen in for Felicia's stories and suggested quick self care activities from the Playing to Live clinical team inspired by her story. Read more about Felicia's story and the activities presented on this podcast on our blog. Do you know someone working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response? We want to hear from them. Please connect us with them by emailing us at info@playingtolive.org. And finally, please subscribe to our podcast, give us a rating, leave a comment, and share the podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. We need your help to share this important story.

A special thanks to Felicia for her time to talk with us. You can find her music on Spotify or where ever you listen to music. Here is a link to the song featured on this podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQGnuhePedI. Josh Carter for the theme music, find more at https://prettylittlegoat.com, and to Lindsay Bingaman for writing our blog.