This year for Valentine’s Day families working with FCC focused on self-love. Indulging in self-care is often bypassed as a frivolous act, especially for those facing times of hardship and turmoil. When in reality, best practices across industries emphasize the importance of taking care of self, before others. As we’re instructed by airline staff, in times of chaos we need to take care of ourselves before we can adequately support others, including our children and families. Shelter residents shared space and discussed challenges of self-love when the world feels like it’s falling apart around us. It is HARD to love yourself and embrace who you are, and the skin you’re in. When facing homelessness, court, raising children as single parents, and starting from scratch to build long-term stability, self-love is often farthest from the top priority. During this discussion, residents created self-portraits to reinvigorate a sense of self-love. As the discussion continued, we began sharing compliments to each other, soon we were shouting out what we love about ourselves.

Across the room, you could hear words of affirmation and self-love…

“I love my hair.”

“I love my smile.”

“I love my curves.”

“I love my stretch marks.”

“I love the skin I’m in.”

“I love my strength.” 

“I love that I haven’t given up yet.”

“I love that you haven’t given up yet too.”

“None of us have given up.”

There was a palpable feeling of connection, comradery, and unified understanding that each of these women are true survivors deserving of love, starting with love for themselves.

Client Portraits