Difference between revisions of "Empathi"

Miranda Jane Ross was born on April 22 in Riverside Hospital in Trenton, MI to James and Andrea Ross. The moment their youngest daughter came into the world, they knew there was something inherently special about her.

Born into one of the wealthiest families in the area, Miranda had everything she could ever hope for but her parents wanted her to know that life was not always easy. Not only did her parents support several charities, they also volunteered their time helping with many of the homeless shelters and food banks in the area, taking Miranda and her older sister Leanne with them.

It was through working at these shelters that Miranda realized the impact she had on others. Her very presence in a room was enough to calm fears and ease minds. It was as if she glowed with a radiant energy that spread to those around her. And she was more than happy to help those who were hurting.

School System: Miranda assisted in creating the counseling system now used by the schools in both the MC and downriver areas. Twice a week, counselors will go through the elementary, middle and high schools, essentially “teaching” a class. During this class, the children will work on group building exercises to support the fight against bullying and promote the ‘sharing and caring’ program. Miranda visits nearly a dozen schools each week. Nearing the end of the class, she will ask each student to speak with her about the events going on in their lives. Occasionally she will be asked to assist teachers in dealing with ‘problematic’ students.

Homeless Shelters: Growing up and going to these shelters for most of her life, Miranda feels perfectly at ease in this environment. Whether it being drug addicts, prostitutes, or those just down on their luck, she treats them all like friends. In several cases, she has been able to help them secure positions in jobs around the city to get back on their feet.

Women of Courage shelter: After her older sister Leanne was abused by her husband, Miranda saw the scars left over. The scars were not physical; they went much deeper than that. These emotional scars left her sister in a state of distrust towards men, of hatred to herself and of embarrassment for her family. It was after these events that Miranda began to volunteer her time with women who have left their abusive relationships in hopes to move forward.

MCPD: More recently, Miranda has expanded her Clientele to include the Millennium City Police Department (also Fire station and paramedics). She will be called in to evaluate an officer after a traumatic encounter and is asked to follow up with the officers in question for months afterward.

Individual Patients: Whether it is because of her abilities or her personality, people are drawn to Miranda and feel comfortable talking with her. Many of the individual Clients she counsels have been met on a street corner or standing around the park. After talking with her the first time, Miranda will give them her card and tell them if they’d like to talk again, to give her a call. When they call, and in most cases they do, Miranda will meet up with them somewhere and discuss a plan of action.

Father: Michael Alexander Ross, a loud and boisterous man whose sense of humor is infectious. He loves to play practical jokes on his family and friends and is the life of every party he attends. Works for his fathers’ publishing company and does consulting work on the side. Michael and his wife live in the family home.

Mother: Jennifer Ann (Stewart) Ross (54) is an artistic woman who enjoys life to the fullest. A talented painter, Jennifer’s art has been sold in galleries all over the country. Her personality compliments her husband’s in almost every way. The two met while on vacation in Hawaii and have been married for 35 years. She felt privileged to be accepted into the family without question.

Leanne (Ross) James (34): Miranda’s older sister. Married straight out of high school to her longtime boyfriend Samuel ‘Big Sam’ James, she has three children, Michael (16), Alicia (11) and Stephanie (7). When her marriage fell apart, she moved back in to the family home and underwent treatment for the abuse she had suffered during her marriage. Leanne is easily manipulated, especially by men but will do anything for her children. She is currently going back to college to finish getting her bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts.

Grandfather: Henry Michael Ross (76), owner of the Ross House Publishing Company and patriarch of the Ross family. (More to come)

Grandmother: Norma Jean (Harris) Ross (72). Born in Detroit, Michigan, to a relatively poor family, Norma Jean worked hard for most of her young life. She met the love of her life while working in a dress shop and trying to sell him a hat for his mother’s birthday. Henry Ross played white knight to Norma Jean and took her away from her poor life but she never forgot her roots and made her children work for everything they wanted. Her personality is soft spoken but commanding and her very presence can light up a room. She is motherly towards everyone she meets and fusses over them as though they are her own children. She is probably the biggest influence in Miranda’s life and currently the only family member to know of her heroic identity “Empathi”.

Uncle Mike and Aunt Jules: Julia Ross married the dashing Mike Tolliver. The couple have two children and travel around the world. Little else is known about the couple.

Frustrated with the legal restrictions for helping people as a counselor, Miranda donned her very own super suit. She began helping local citizens and small-time heroes.

“It is easier to clear our minds and our souls when we have something to focus on and a friend to talk to.”

• Make a wish Jar: At the many schools she goes to, Miranda has a mason jar in which the children can place a penny to make a wish in. It is important that these children who have had to deal with much suffering and heartache retain the ability to wish and dream.

• Penny Tossing: Twice a week, Miranda will take the pennies to various fountains in the MC area and ‘release’ the wishes into the wild. Often she will have clients accompany her and use the pennies as a focus exercise.

• Petal tossing: Similar to the penny experience only using flowers instead. This technique is typically practiced by female clients rather than males. The petals represent a feminine softness and the delicacy with which Miranda treats her patients.

• Playing Marbles: This is something that even Miranda deems to be silly but she feels that a little silliness can help harness the emotions caused by a serious situation or trauma.

• Crystal gazing: Sometimes Miranda will pull a small quartz or amethyst from her bag and ask the client to hold it in their hands and focus on it while telling her something about them that they have never told anyone before. She never explains this exercise to the patient but in nearly every case, they will walk away feeling as though a weight has been lifted off of their shoulders.

• Deck of Cards: A small deck of cards can have millions of games, stories, and secrets hidden inside it. On occasion Miranda will give the deck over to her client, allowing them to shuffle it or play solitaire while she talks to them. Sometimes, she will ask them to pick a card from the deck and then she will tell them to focus solely on that card. At other times, she will shuffle the deck herself and have the client watch the rhythmic movement.

Coming Soon...

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• Miranda is extremely good at shuffling and dealing cards. She credits this fact to her Uncle Mike who owned a casino when she was a little girl.

• Although she can be seen at clubs and bars, often talking with clients, Miranda does not drink alcohol. She believes in leading by example and tries to teach her clients to deal with their problems the right way instead of getting a momentary reprieve in a bottle.

• Owns an apartment in Millennium City but spends weekends at her grandparent’s home.