Inspiring storyteller, writer and speaker, Dr. Nina Kelly traces the feeling of gratitude back to the first sense of aware connectedness shared by humanity and recognizes that sense is passed on through cultural and spiritual rituals as well as through all art forms.

New Orleans, LA – April 19, 2019 – Dr. Nina M. Kelly, Inspirational Storyteller, Coach, Author and Co-Author of The Big Question with Larry King, and Success Mastery and Success Breakthrough with Jack Canfield, recently posted a new article on her website entitled, “Where Gratitude Begins.” Dr. Kelly connects gratitude with the need of the collective unconscious to express itself in stories.

Dr. Kelly states, “I believe that gratitude begins with story.” She elaborates further, “I also believe that story begins with connection. That connection begins with experiences. For instance, I experience myself. I experience others. I experience something going on around me that involves other beings. These things that happen make me smile, laugh, cry, shout, scream. Then I experience something warm inside that makes me want more of those things that make me smile, laugh, cry, shout, scream.” Dr. Kelly emphasizes, “I feel that can only be described as appreciation, thankfulness, gratitude for each and every experience that has caused me to feel such a range of emotions.”

According to Dr. Kelly, “Each experience is a story. A story I can retell and conjure up the same feeling I did as it happened.” She says, “Carl Jung has written that, “the collective unconscious contains the whole spiritual heritage of mankind’s evolution, born anew in the brain structure of every individual.” I believe it is that collective unconscious that allows us to connect, to become aware, to have shared experiences, to create stories and to feel a deep sense of gratitude.” “To take this one step further,” writes Dr. Kelly, “ I believe that story is a form that encompasses all that exists under the celestial sky and brings light to the idea that we are all connected beneath an umbrella of unconsciousness. And, that unconsciousness requires a voice, a venue of expression, hence the importance of story.”

As Dr. Kelly points out, it is her belief that, “This invisible shared human experience is itself cause for gratitude.” She continues adding, “Our shared human experiences are told in the form of cultural and spiritual rituals which are story patterns passed down from generation to generation. Our experiences are also told through painting, dance, song, theater. The arts hold the eternal space for story. Artists, or those individuals who actively, consciously seek a deeper understanding of our relationship with this unseen connectivity, brings that understanding to others.” Dr. Kelly states, “The artist refines the ability to communicate with humanity on a grand scale, uniting us more intimately with the universal force.”

The entire article can be read at https://www.ninamkelly.com/where-gratitude-begins/

About Dr. Nina M. Kelly

Nina M. Kelly is a mythologist with an emphasis in depth psychology, storyteller, author, humanitarian, and cultural and arts activist. She also is an Archetypal Pattern Analyst and Dream Pattern Analyst. Nina’s sense of adventure has always been sparked through learning more about people and their cultures. Believing that if you understand a person’s culture, stories, myths, and rituals, then you more readily open your world to greater compassion.

Her passion for the art of healing through stories brought her to the place of writing Grace Has A Silent Voice where she honors the silent heroes and the resilience of the human spirit. Working with death and dying patients she acquired a tremendous respect for the proper honoring of story. In her book she acknowledged the silent heroes that walk into our life for a moment then quickly disappear. This inevitably leaves an imprint that continues to remind us there is beauty in humanity.

Nina’s doctorate is from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Mythological Studies and Emphasis on Depth Psychology, her dissertation research was completed through Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dissertation: Myth Making and Modern Medicine, A Case of Kidney Transplantation. Her research work included reducing the rejection episodes post-transplant implementing the power of stories and images. She published The Lost Heritage in Psychology at the Threshold.

In addition to The Big Question, co-authored with Larry King, other publications by Dr. Kelly include: Success Mastery and Success Breakthroughs, both co-authored with Jack Canfield, Leo Learns A Lesson, Psychology at the Threshold, and Crossing Borders: An Archetypal Exploration in Times of Transition.

Nina has also been actively involved in film production serving as Executive Producer on Dandelion, A New Leash on Life – K9 for Warriors and Larry King – A Celebrated Life.

Nina is also an Archetypal Pattern Analyst and Dream Pattern Analyst where she completed her studies from Assisi International Institute and published Weaving Story Into The Web.

Nina served as an executive film producer for the short film “Dandelion.” The film won the judge’s award and has shown at several film festivals. She has also served as president of the New Orleans Opera Association, Vice President of the Shreveport Opera Association, president of Southern Repertory Theatre, Chair for Loyola University School of Music Visiting Committee, president and CEO of the Children’s Bureau, publishing the history of the Children’s Bureau, Saving Wednesday’s Child (authored by Mark Cave) and authoring the introduction and acknowledgements. Throughout her tenure, she has served on numerous non-profits boards.

Nina continues to challenge us through the inspiration and motivation of storytelling. She continues to believe that the artform of storytelling and story sharing originate from the heart of everyone searching for expression thus healing both listener and teller.