Out of all of the things I have read and watched in the last few years that address mental health, there are two things that I feel handle it in a way that showcases the struggle and breaks down the stigma of seeking help. The first is Chris Traeger's journey on Parks and Recreation. I love … Continue reading Entitled to my emotions: unbreakable kimmy schmidt and its beautiful handling of mental health
vulnerability
In defense of John Mayer’s music
UPDATE: I would just like to point out that I have a MAJOR bone to pick with John Mayer over his past comments about the women he's dated. People are complicated and he's one of those people that is simultaneously incredibly deep and observant and also totally tone deaf and problematic. I dislike cancel culture … Continue reading In defense of John Mayer’s music
Finding the right therapist
As you guys know, I love Huffington Post's coverage of mental health. They are inclusive, compassionate, and straightforward, and I really appreciate that. This morning they published some incredible stats about mental health and the pervasiveness of issues, and I highly encourage you to take a look at them. There are a number of issues mentioned that I … Continue reading Finding the right therapist
Pilgrim’s progress
When I was younger, I absolutely loved Little Women. As in, read it more than once a year, felt Jo's anger and sadness every time Amy burned her book, cried every time Beth died, felt joy every time one of the sisters found their partner. It remains to this day one of my favorites. I remember … Continue reading Pilgrim’s progress
Asking for help is hard
I want to start this post with a thank you to everyone who reads. Even if we don't talk about it - or maybe we do - knowing that you're out there reading and understanding is great. And maybe even this is helpful for you, I don't know. But just being heard is great. And … Continue reading Asking for help is hard
Some things I’ve learned about anxiety
I was looking at my Symple data the other day and I noticed that I've only had one panic attack in the last six months. And while I've clearly felt some anxiety in that time, it's been pretty mild. (That blip in the data is the month where I felt like Symple wasn't helping me anymore … Continue reading Some things I’ve learned about anxiety
The two mes
For a long, long time, I've felt like there have been two mes. One is a kind of persona; the other the expression of my internal life. We started talking about this in therapy yesterday, and it's been on my mind. Why are there two? Is one more authentic than the other? Are these different … Continue reading The two mes
The Daring Way
A couple of days ago I got a package from my mom, who had packed up some of my grandma's cross stitch thread and sent it to me. Sure enough, when I opened it, I found embroidery floss tucked into little protectors in plastic sleeves that I could put in a binder, as expected. What I … Continue reading The Daring Way
The stigma of mental health
One of the things that I struggle with a lot is the stigma around mental illness. It is deep-seated, pervasive, and embedded in our society and our language in a thousand different tiny ways. For instance, we say all the time that somethings is "crazy" or "nuts". Or we call people "spaz". Or says we're depressed … Continue reading The stigma of mental health
Chris Traeger is my spirit animal
Can we just talk about how wonderful it is that the character of Chris Traeger exists? Seriously. Let's just stop and think about this for a second. Chris Traeger has ambitions and a strong sense of self. He is loving, loyal, and considerate beyond measure. And his journey through therapy and dealing with his anxiety … Continue reading Chris Traeger is my spirit animal
it's only fear 