How Shall I Stand Between River & Land?
HEART QUESTIONS FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES
Wednesday, February 11th
9:00-10:30 am CT US
by Leni De Mik, PhD
"Leni reminds us that we are not powerless. We can choose connection over isolation, seek out and listen to diverse voices and conversations, and build bridges to understanding."
Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak
Save Your Spot Today!
Wednesday, February 11
9:00-10:30 am CT US
IN A WORLD WITHOUT EASY ANSWERS, BEGIN WITH HEARTFELT QUESTIONS
In this profound blend of memoir and insight, clinical psychologist Leni de Mik invites readers into a journey from Nazi-occupied Holland to a life of healing, reflection, and purpose.
Rooted in her father's legacy in the Dutch Resistance, de Mik explores healing from trauma, reclaiming connection, and responding to moral uncertainty with courage and compassion.
Each chapter offers stories and "heart questions"-gentle prompts for journaling, self-inquiry, and deeper awareness.
Readers will discover how to:
Rebuild emotional resilience
Move from isolation to community
Act with integrity in uncertain times
Listen inwardly and live outwardly with care
How Shall I Stand Between River and Land? is not just an invitation to self-discovery, but a timely call to action from one of our last witnesses to a pivotal moment in history. It speaks directly to those discouraged by cultural shifts, afraid for the future, yearning for genuine connection, and committed to building a more just world."How Shall I Stand Between River and Land" is a guide for finding balance, connection, and purpose in uncertain times by blending memoir with self-inquiry, encouraging readers to connect their personal journeys with humanity's larger story. It's about building resilience, finding integrity, and acting with compassion, using "heart questions" to foster self-discovery and a heart-centered life, moving from isolation to community.
In essence, to "stand between river and land" is to find your grounded center (land) while flowing with life's currents (river) with wisdom and compassion.
Key themes and guidance:
Balance & Connection: Navigating personal growth and a meaningful relationship with the world, balancing inner life with outward action.
Resilience: Drawing on wisdom from trauma to build emotional strength and act with courage.
Purposeful Living: Moving from isolation to community, acting with integrity, fostering deeper self-awareness.
Heart-Centered Approach: Using "heart questions" for journaling and reflection to guide your path.
How to apply the concepts inspired by the book:
Reflect on Your "River" & "Land": Consider what flows (change, emotions, external world) versus what is stable (your core, community).
Listen Inward & Act Outward: Use self-inquiry to understand yourself, then act with care in the world.
Build Bridges: Choose connection over isolation and seek understanding.
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https://creativecouragepress.com/leni-de-mik-phd/
Born in Nazi-occupied Netherlands in 1941, Dr. Leni de Mik’s life journey embodies the resilience and wisdom she explores in her new book, How Shall I Stand Between River and Land? The youngest of eight siblings—with only one sister still living today—Leni (pronounced ”Lainey”) represents one of the few remaining survivors of Nazi-occupied Holland during World War II, giving her perspective a rare historical significance.
Dr. Leni de Mik’s remarkable journey spans continents, traditions, and profound human experiences. Her childhood was shaped by the harsh realities of war—bombing raids, famine, and her father’s courageous involvement in the Dutch Resistance. These early experiences instilled in her a deep understanding of moral choice and standing for human dignity.
At eight years old, Leni emigrated with her family to Canada, beginning a lifelong exploration of displacement, belonging, and resilience. Her educational path led her to Calvin College in Michigan and the University of Ohio, igniting her critical thinking and validating her existential questions. She earned her PhD at the University of Minnesota.
Before dedicating over four decades to clinical psychology, Dr. de Mik walked many paths—teaching in Appalachia, administering a baccalaureate-degree-granting Experimental College at the University of Minnesota, creating a program for gifted children in poor families, and engaging actively in antiwar and civil rights movements. Her professional journey reveals a consistent thread of service, compassion, and social justice.
After studying with pioneering psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (also a WW2 survivor), Leni wrote a master’s thesis on care of the terminally ill (1977) and became a founding member of the first coalition for terminal care. Together with a committee at the Center for Spirituality and Healing, she wrote a course for end-of-life care for the medical school at the University of Minnesota, and helped establish the first hospice program in Minneapolis.
Dr. de Mik’s global perspective has been shaped by living in four countries and holding citizenship in three. In the 1960s, she lived in Munich, Germany, where she taught GIs at a military base. Along the way, she purchased and lived in a small stone home in an artists’ colony in Dardanelles, Turkey. Leni is a long-time scuba diver and has hitchhiked alone on two of the world’s most dangerous roads in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountains.
Her spiritual journey has been equally expansive. Raised in the Christian Calvinist tradition, she later received instruction in both Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. Leni attended the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center regularly for years beginning in the late 1970s and served on its Board of Directors. In 2000, she was among the first certified to teach Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB), a secular program for managing destructive emotions; the program emerged from dialogues between the Dalai Lama and renowned scientists at the Mind and Life Institute.
Through her extensive clinical practice, Dr. de Mik has developed profound insight into trauma, resilience, and the complexities of the human psyche. She has lectured on surviving adversity, led therapy groups for individuals with PTSD, volunteered in disaster relief efforts, and extended hospitality to refugees. Dr. de Mik was honored with the Linden Hills Treasure Award in 2024 for her ongoing community service in her Twin Cities neighborhood.
Now retired and living in Minneapolis, Leni remains faithful to her teachings—converting her garage to a neighborhood-gathering place, hosting Sunday potlucks, offering wellness classes at community centers, teaching meditation at a local church, and occasionally appearing in local media. Her book, How Shall I Stand Between River and Land?, draws from this rich tapestry of experience to explore the power of the heart, the importance of self-awareness, and the necessity of cultivating courage and compassion in an increasingly divided world.
At 84, Leni de Mik continues her lifelong quest to understand the intricacies of the human heart and to encourage a more compassionate and interconnected way of being. As she reflects, “Perhaps that’s why I’ve spent most of my life exploring the sense of belonging, purpose, and connectedness.”
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