President Brenda opened the meeting with the land acknowledgement and POD members assisted with opening exercises.

Guest speakers were Leslie Gillespie and Lynda Rees, co-authors of the book "I Thought it would be Different with a new Purse". They spoke about how they met at the University of Guelph. Leslie, a former lawyer and Lynda, a former nurse connected and began meeting regularly. They both had similar mothers who gave so much of themselves to others that they sacrificed their own health. Leslie and Lynda recognized this pattern in themselves and other women. It took them 10 years to write the book together and they practice the skills and tools outlined and know that they work. They said that you cannot change another person's nervous system - they have to do that for themselves. Sometimes we think that if we give enough and care enough, it will change the other person. We are biologically made for connection, and we can influence others in a positive or negative way.

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