One of my Cinema Therapy students, Terri Van Bibber, said those beautiful words to me after doing her fantastic presentation at the Parkinson's Association of Northern California (PANC) conference on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Terri presented as Joy - literally. She took our Turning Parkinson’s Disease Inside Out class and, from that work, came up with an unexpected way to share her story. It’s important to understand that standing on a stage in front of more than 600 people dressed as an animated character was not in her realm of possibilities when she began the course. A long series of “yes, ands” led her to this place. 

Terri did a great job of making sure she surrounded herself with friends. In this case, she brought Sadness, Anxiety and Fear on stage with her. “What kind of friends are these?” you may be asking. Some of the best, if you learn how to listen and relate to them, rather than stigmatize and avoid them. 

Just as the character of Joy learns in Inside Out, Terri has learned in her Parkinson’s disease (PD) journey that refusal and denial, while human, are quick paths to theParkinson’s prison - a place where people become stuck in the words “I can’t” or “I shouldn’t”. This is isolation, an absolute killer, especially when it comes to PD. 

So what does leaning into and sharing our emotions and stories do? It gives us language where we can identify those hidden fears - the ones that have us falsely believing “it’s just me”. Having language and understanding how to present them via storytelling allows us to express ourselves and connect with others. Until there’s a cure, we have each other. And we’re better together.  

Terri took the seeds of several ideas she learned about within our community, then cultivated and co-created them into this staged reality with the help of others. I was honored to be one of her co-creators. She received an opportunity to share her story from PANC. But rather than do a “death by powerpoint recitation of the facts” (you know the ones I’m talking about), she presented her beautiful and colorful imagination and creativity. She worked with local actors to embody the emotions so many of us hide inside for everyone to see. She showed us there’s more to Parkinson’s. And just as she wouldn’t be here without me, I wouldn’t be here without her, or all of you.

To learn more about Cinema Therapy and the classes you can take part in, please click here.