Trauma sucks. I don’t have any other way to put it. It’s something that I never consented to experiencing. I promise that if anyone had said, “This is going to happen, would you like to back out?” I absolutely would have done everything to avoid it. When each event occurred, I felt like I had no choice or say in the ... Read More
Managing Mental Health and Chronic Illness
If I were to describe my physical and mental health over the last few years, I would describe it as a game of Whack-A-Mole. In case you don't know what game I'm referring to, it's a game where stuffed moles pop out of a hole, you whack the hole with a mallet, and then another mole pops up. The goal is to hit as many as ... Read More
How CBT Can Help You Navigate Depression
A previous therapist of mine had a quote on her wall. It said, “Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” I will be the first to admit that I had no idea what that meant as a teenager. Now I know that it is a nod to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. But what exactly does it mean, and how can it be used to help ... Read More
How Chronic Illness Can Erode Mental Health
I met Santa last year. He asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I told him a sparkling unicorn. He told me to be realistic. So, I asked for a cure for just one of my chronic illnesses. Santa laughed and asked what color I wanted my unicorn. I find myself truly grateful for sarcasm when it comes to navigating ... Read More
Alumni Outlook: 6 Tips to Bounce Back From a Tough Day
When I went to FHE, I set a goal. My goal was to be able to navigate PTSD and mental illness. I knew then and I especially know now that tough days happen. Sometimes the tough stuff is just everyday life and stress; ask anybody’s budget lately. Other times it is whole new traumas that you never thought would happen in ... Read More
Alumni Outlook: The Benefits of Humor in Recovery
I have a confession to make. Despite being a writer, I don’t know all the letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y. Some of you may have groaned, some shook their heads, and others laughed. “Dad jokes” and in my world, mom jokes, are the cringe-worthy jokes that I enjoy the most. While I will never make a career as a ... Read More
Lessons I Have Learned in Recovery
When describing my recovery journey, I do not say that I am recovered. This suggests that recovery ends. I think it is quite the opposite. Recovery and wellness, for me, is an ongoing journey. Recovery is a continuation of willingness to learn new things and admit the lessons learned along the way. The main lessons I ... Read More
6 Practices That Empower My PTSD Recovery
As addressed in my last article, PTSD is a tricky thing. Quite frankly, it can impact all areas of life and for me, increases feelings of hopelessness. Not only did traumatic events take away my power in the moment, the lingering effects of PTSD feel like they do the same for me. The good news is that there are things ... Read More
