Meet JOYCE BREW

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful JOYCE BREW a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

JOYCE, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I’ve discovered that my sense of purpose has existed on a continuum. Therefore, the pursuit of one purpose has led me to another and another whilst maintaining core, fundamental values that have shaped my journey. There are 3 questions which have guided me throughout: “Who am I?” “Why am I doing this?” and later in life: “How am I contributing to others?” While we remain, (for the most part) the same person fundamentally through life, exposure to life’s constant changes will ask us to re-orient to a different perspective. I believe, when we re-orient to life, we gain insight and understanding. Of course, we don’t always re-orient (learn) from an experience – and that has its own consequences. For me, I grew up a very chaotic and aggressive household. My basic needs were met but I did not feel loved. Outside of my home, I observed a way of life that I wanted for myself. I wanted to learn how to love and be loved. One day when I was 15, I left home to in search of this. This was my first major “Who am I” and “Why am I doing this?” in life. Since then, I have re-visited these questions many times over and each time, my response changed, or evolved. Who am I now? I have grown into a teacher, a student, a healer and a storyteller. Why did I get a Masters in Fine arts then 25 years later, struggle to earn a Masters in Nursing? Because telling stories gave me joy. Then I learned that listening to and learning from others can be sublime. At some point, I discovered that a ‘purpose’ centered on me, my needs, my success, was not as fulfilling. Eventually, I learned how serving others is the most fulfilling purpose I have experienced. It can all start with curiosity and an open mind.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’ve worked in community mental health and addiction for the past 6 years. I recently returned to LA after 5 years in Seattle and found an amazing non-profit comprehensive community health organization called Chinatown Service Center (CSC). CSC began with one clinic in Chinatown in 1973. Since then, they’ve grown to six locations through LA County. Their services include: primary care, mental health, counseling, pediatric and older adult care, dentistry, podiatry – and they have a Resilience Center in Monterey Park in honor of lives lost in a mass shooting on Jan 21, 2023. Everyone is welcome. No one is turned away for inability to pay. I serve as psychiatric nurse practitioner with CSC and so far, I love the culture and I love the mission.

Also, in the past 2 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a work schedule that accommodates time for theatre! Seattle has one of the most prolific theatre scenes – perhaps second to NYC and Chicago. I’ve been a part of Actors Equity Association for almost 20 years. I was lucky enough to perform amazing roles with Seattle Shakespeare and ReAct Theatre Co. I’m considering producing a play in LA in the next year or so… maybe Wit? Maybe an original piece? I’m always looking for a good story to tell! In the meantime, I try to support local theatres as much as I can.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Many, many, many summers ago I was cast Ophelia in Hamlet. If you’re familiar with the play, you know that Ophelia loses her mind after the death of her father and rejection by Hamlet. So, it was a serious role. Therefore, I made sure that before each show I was in Ophelia’s ‘head space’. Wow. That was exhausting and with 5 shows a week, not sustainable. Our dialect coach gave me advice that I employ to this day: “You can take your work seriously or you can take yourself seriously – but you can’t do both.” Then, I interpreted it as: You are acting. Act. You are not Ophelia, don’t try to be Ophelia. Relax and rely on the text. Tell the story.

As a life lesson, I interpreted this as letting go of the ego and focus on the task at hand.

Today, I chose to take my work seriously. Myself, not so much. It keeps me flexible and open to whatever comes next.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I’d love to collaborate with a person who can work with me to create a series of shorts focused on the theme of listening and understanding why people engage in self-destructive thoughts and/or behaviors. Self-destructive is totally subjective so it would include: addiction, poor self-image, unhealthy relationships, mental health concerns, etc. I’d call it: “Help Me Understand.” Really, the premise is not to help “me” understand, per se. Rather, the purpose is to get to the root cause of behavior, break down the running narrative, gain objectivity, and increase self-compassion. This can be facilitated w/ cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. This is an idea I’ve had in my head for a couple of years. I’m totally intimidated by tech qualities of creating a product- so a partner would need to be skilled in this department.

Image Credits

Photographer Giao Nguyen