Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Paradise.
Hi Allison, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was three years old, I told my parents I was meant to be a teacher. They responded with a stern ‘no’ and told me that I had two options: be a doctor or a lawyer. After nine years of trying to convince them otherwise, I gave in and decided I would become a doctor. Two years into university, on track to apply to medical school, I became ill from the stress of trying to fit myself into this mold. I spent the summer abroad, living by myself in Spain, writing about why I had chosen the path of medicine in spite of knowing that my purpose and my heart were elsewhere. I saw how from a very young age I had been labeled as ‘smart’ and that with that label came social expectations, including a requirement to attend a ‘good’ school and pursue a ‘meaningful’ career. I had adhered to those well-meaning expectations only to find myself dissatisfied and sick.
I am not alone in this experience. We are all labeled when we are young, we are all subject to well-intentioned social expectations. We all fall into the rhythm of automatic behavioral patterns, unaware routines, and the suppression of our authentic selves for the sake of fitting in. We limit ourselves so completely that we hardly know what it means to reach our full potential, let alone come close to realizing it. Humans are naturally creative beings – we create every moment of every day. When we create from a place of authenticity and from a place of purpose and intention, we feel deep satisfaction and contentment. When we create from a place of fear, a need for safety, or a desire to control, we feel deep dissatisfaction that we cannot resolve no matter how much ‘success’ we achieve. When we know what we are, we are resilient. When we do not know what we are, we grasp at externalities.
The more we drown out our inner voices with the noise of external expectation and validation, the more we fail to express ourselves authentically – either because we do not know what that means or because we fear to do so – the more mentally, physically, and emotionally ill we become. Seeing this, I wanted to create an experience for young people that was free of expectations and judgement, a place where people were free to be themselves, to discover who and what they truly are. To provide this experience, I founded The Epicenter, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering children and young adults to (re)connect with their authentic selves and their limitless potential. Through self-reflection, discussion, creative expression, and contemplative practices, students in our programs deepen their relationship with themselves, their families and peers, and nature. They experience themselves as creative, limitless beings. They experience the power of their mind, their consciousness, and their creativity.
Over the last several years, The Epicenter has worked with hundreds of students in Ottawa County through our after-school and summer programs. Students report persistent increased confidence (89%), increased connection with themselves and their peers (94%), as well as persistent reduced anxiety and depression after attending our programs (90%). Perhaps more importantly, students consistently report having a deeper understanding of who and what they are after being in our classes. Our students shift from surviving to thriving, from despondence to purpose without any change to their external environment. We have recently expanded our reach beyond the state of Michigan to both California (Los Angeles) and Ecuador (the Galápagos).
When I arrived back home from Spain, I told my parents I was going to start a school. They told me they would stop paying for college. My conviction faltered. I caved. I studied neuroscience at Brown and Harvard, worked as an imaging consultant to scientists around the world, and started a non-profit around sustainability in science, My Green Lab, that grew to be a global success. Everywhere I went I was conventionally successful, yet I was deeply dissatisfied with my life at every turn.
For too long we have de-valued our inner experience and inner knowing, twisted ourselves to meet external expectations, suppressed our self-expression, and subjugated our purpose, at the expense of our mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. I have seen how a simple shift in perspective can dramatically affect the wellbeing of kids and adults alike in a way that is beneficial for all. Today I am grateful to be sharing this perspective with young people through our work at The Epicenter.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We didn’t have a road to follow in creating The Epicenter – we had to build it as we went along. The community of West Michigan was incredibly welcoming when I moved to Grand Haven four years ago and the community continues to be an outstanding partner for our work. Funding cuts for mental health, the arts, and public schools have all challenged our ability to provide programming. A nationwide decline in philanthropic giving has further challenged us. Nevertheless, we are undeterred. The work is essential and we are committed to serving our community.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Epicenter. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Epicenter’s unique curriculum weaves together elements of neuroscience, philosophy, contemplative practices, self-reflection, creative expression, play, and being in nature. The curriculum was developed from my experience as a neuroscientist, behavior-change specialist, and leader in sustainability, and from our co-founder Connor Maliesky’s experience as an engineer and artist. Curiosity and creativity are integral to our program. Students are encouraged to express themselves freely in discussions and in their creations – we do not tell students what to make or how. As a result, students experience a level of freedom in our program that they rarely experience elsewhere.
Having a unique curriculum is only as valuable as the program outcomes. Across hundreds of students, our work repeatedly shows a significant increase in self-confidence, increase in connection with peers, and a decrease in anxiety. Moreover, students in our programs have improved school attendance and are more engaged in their lives overall.
The Epicenter works in collaboration with other organizations to provide our programs. As our mission is to empower as many young people as possible, we have partnered with public and private schools, foster care agencies, summer camps, non-profits, community centers, and businesses to serve K-12 students. We primarily work in person, but we have also shared our program with online communities. We are open and excited to work with any organization that values student wellbeing.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Authenticity, which is the expression of truth. Everything in nature (except humans) is authentic. A redwood tree doesn’t try to be a blueberry bush just because it’s dad really loved blueberry bushes. Humans are different. We can choose to be something other than what we are – we can choose to be inauthentic. In many cases, we’re being inauthentic without any awareness, copying what others around us have done or are doing. If I had continued on the path to being a doctor, I would have been a perfect example of this. This creates suffering and endless conflict within ourselves and with each other.
In our work, we talk about empowering people to (re)connect with their authentic selves. When we know who and what we are, when we have the courage to be authentic, there is nothing we cannot do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.be-the-epicenter.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be_the_epicenter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betheepicenter
