Imagine a society where everyone understood and knew how to appropriately respond to wounded behaviors, symptoms of stress, mental illness, grief, fear, pain. Instead of attempting to get revenge, enable, shame, punish or publicly humiliate each other for our faults, we’d surround each other with compassion, encourage the building of strengths, promote social learning, practice…Read more Imagine
mental health
Vessels of Light
Many moons ago I had an art show in an actual gallery. Truth be told, one of my very dear professors from college opened their own gallery. Me? But I'm not...The opportunity felt like a gracious, encouraging favor. This professor also helped me realize my career and gave me hypnotherapy to overcome my fear of…Read more Vessels of Light
Book Review: Angels and Assassins
Admittedly, I'm cheating a little in the alphabetizing of this series but, I finished this book yesterday and it's all too relevant. Angels and assassins are not mental health conditions; they're metaphors explaining a hopeful neurobiological discovery in the most recent book by scientific journalist, Donna Jackson Nakazawa. I'm a huge fan. What do all…Read more Book Review: Angels and Assassins
A is for…
Let's jump right in, shall we? Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACE's is the largest public health study to inextricably link early life traumas to adult health outcomes. It was conducted in the late 90's by two, white, male doctors at Kaiser Permanente; a fancy healthcare corporation, not a german King. It's important to note that…Read more A is for…
Leaving the Palace
When young Buddha snuck out of the palace to see what life was like for us mere mortals, he freaked out. He saw all the awful parts of life he’d been sheltered from his entire, young, privileged life. Kind of like what’s happening now for privileged people who’ve never had limitations forced on them by…Read more Leaving the Palace
Mental Health A-Z
Lofty goals for a new year! In this non-comprehensive series I'll be taking us through decolonizing perspectives on both traditional mental 'disorder' diagnosis, as well as symptoms associated with mental illness and well-being. I'll also address the dangers of pop psychology. Together we'll question: How do we define mental illness vs mental health? What is…Read more Mental Health A-Z
Love Lessons
Admittedly, we'd had better hikes. Mom sat by me in the snow and dad stood next to us as we watched a flock of birds fly in descending waves across the sky. I couldn't tell them that, like the approaching solstice, my light was fading. All their extra love and care the last few days…Read more Love Lessons
Hunger
How do we gain weight when society demands we stay hungry? As a trained clinical professional, I know the eating disorder I've battled for over thirty years has been both my armor and enemy, the root of which is society's fear-fueled pecking order. I never wanted to stay hungry but was forced to starve myself…Read more Hunger
For Give Us Our Freedom
My devotion this morning was Forgive. In order to forgive myself or others, I don't need to justify or approve behavior that's unwelcome. That's true, but I find it easier to forgive when I understand why we're doing things that are reckless, ridiculous or generally upsetting. Yesterday there was a protest downtown held by a…Read more For Give Us Our Freedom
Tri Harder
Like all nightmares, it began with a broken hearted man and a woman to blame it on. He'd been left to fend for himself by his child's mother. I suppose it's presumable he'd been left to fend for himself long before being abandoned as an adult, saddled with responsibilities no one would be prepared to…Read more Tri Harder
