Hello

First, let me tell you about my name. I used to have a touchy relationship with it, but since I completed my doctoral degree in Peace & Conflict Studies in 2018, I have come to love my name and the way I use it. My friends and community call me Patlee. Professionally, I am Dr. Patlee Creary. My first name gets misspelled and mispronounced frequently, so if we ever meet in person, I would probably ask you to call me Dr. Creary until I felt sure you would get Patlee right. I never go by Mrs. or Ms. Creary. Captain and then Dr. are the only titles I have ever associated with my surname.

 

I was born in Jamaica and served as a military officer in the Jamaica Defence Force before I immigrated to Canada with my husband and daughter in 2010.  Before I moved to Canada I worked in human resource, administration, occupational health and safety, policy development, and risk management. I completed a Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Public Administration at the University of the West Indies in 2005 then shifted to a career in higher education teaching and instructional design shortly after completing a Masters in Political Studies at the University of Manitoba in 2006. 

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I returned to the University of Manitoba for my doctoral degree in 2011. My oldest daughter was only 18 months old at the time. In 2012, I gave birth to my second daughter and took a year off from my graduate studies. It was during this time away from the constant goings on of professional life that I recognized that there were ebbs, flows, and challenges to my identity, mental health, and social-emotional well-being. Between bouts of burnout, overwhelming anxiety, and the black hole of depression, I found myself questioning who I was or should be: was I a highly skilled professional, a parent, an immigrant, a Jamaican, a Canadian, or a Black woman? Over time, I learned the answer: I am Human.

 

In my doctoral program I completed courses and seminars in storytelling, narrative and trauma, and conflict resolution. I also did several research projects, including a microstudy of the experiences of highly educated immigrant women in Winnipeg and  a lived experience study with Canadian and Jamaican soldiers. All of this learning helped to shape my understanding of the relationship between roles, self-narratives, and mental well-being.

 

From other immigrant women, I learned that newcomer resettlement is a mentally and emotionally depleting experience that is hardly understood and addressed by most support programs, leading to significant challenges in our community's mental health. From the soldiers in my doctoral dissertation study, I learned that our self-narratives shape the way we perceive conflicts and support humanization, peacebuilding, and social justice activities in our environment. Through both groups, I learned that we can use our self-stories to build community and improve our mental well-being, but it takes a certain skill, practice, and methodology to do this successfully and without risk of further trauma or re-traumatization. 

 

In late 2018, I began developing systematic principles, techniques, and practices for using narrative inquiry and lived experience storytelling to help people who are experiencing transition and resettlement navigate major life disruptions and manage chronic and traumatic stress.  To have a better understanding of the psychological safety, mental health awareness, and trauma-sensitivity needs associated with narrative and storytelling, I completed training in Mental Health First Aid, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the Art of Hosting, and Holding Space.  In 2019, I began sharing my techniques and practices with people in small groups and one-on-one meetings. By 2020,  I had developed a suite of practices and programs to help individuals and families that were disrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic and other chronic stress factors, to navigate life more peacefully and resiliently.

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In short order, I founded the Reyou Mindfulness Collective, to provide online and in-person resourcing to help individuals, communities, and groups increase their mental well-being and stress resilience, especially in times of significant disruptions. My work at Reyou includes keynotes, presentations, and workshops on topics ranging from small business social impact, to managing anxiety and chronic stress in workplaces, and improving inclusion and belonging through lived experience storytelling. Whether I am working with clients one-on-one to help them craft intentional life stories, coaching small groups, or training corporate teams and volunteers, I lovingly embrace each project as an opportunity to show up , say my name, and grow my community.

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What is your story? I would love to hear it.  Feel free to use the contact link below to tell me about yourself and how you got here.