This is a further excerpt from my memoir-in-progress – you can read the preceding piece here. However, all you really need to know for this one is, well…two short months ago I was in a psych and I’m now in India with my boyfriend to sit with a guru. I’m not on medication and my […]
I’d like to share this breathing tip with you because I don’t know about you, but my anxiety has been running high lately. People frequently say to “take a deep breath,” or a few, if you’re feeling anxious. Sure, that’s great. Then they give you tips like “breathe in four, hold for four, out for […]
Healing and humour come together when we take our own pain and twist it, look at it differently, and adjust the light on it. In other words, we “make light” of it. There are literal physical healing benefits of it. (I list them in my 2017 post “Laugh. Jest for the Health of It.”) I’ve used […]
This year has been, for lack of a better and more polite phrase, one gigantic sh*% show. New strain of COVID! Lockdowns! Mr. Rogers! When I hear these things, my anxiety can skyrocket. Ok, maybe not with Mr. Rogers. How are YOU? That’s a loaded question nowadays, isn’t it? I’ve been thinking about you; hoping […]
I’m in a 4-month peer support worker training. It’s led by the always encouraging Debbie Sesula, an experienced peer support trainer herself. Though I’ve been offering mental health coaching for some time, I wanted advanced education and skills to help support those who seek out my assistance. It’s an intense course with two 3-hour classes […]
How ya holding up? Pretty wild, draining, unusual and challenging times, huh? I’ve been pretty up and down. I found something hopeful and fun and want to share it with you. I was having a really hard time a couple months ago and watched some YouTube videos of adorable animals. They made me laugh, but […]
It’s taken me too long to post about the horrible racial violence that is occurring and has been occurring for hundreds of years. As a privileged White woman how can I speak to racial injustice? More honestly, and shamefully, I’ve been afraid to say the wrong thing. I encourage you, my friends who are not […]
Anxiety Canada is presenting town hall meetings each week on guess what topic? Anxiety! And boy, the one I recently watched titled “Uncertainty during COVID-19” was so helpful! Knowledge is power they say. Getting accurate information about anxiety, how it works, and the tips to increase ‘uncertainty tolerance’ was anxiety reducing in itself. Most people […]
As a speaker who shares her story of mental illness and recovery, I’m often asked what helped me most when I didn’t want help. What benefited me most when I was struggling and pushing people (and their assistance) away? What worked I call the “Crazy Naked Truths” (CNT). CNT are principles healthcare providers, savvy friends, […]
As my husband and I move past the 40-day mark of staying at home due to COVID-19 (egad!), I thought another excerpt from my ‘work-in-progress’ memoir might be a nice diversion. Not much context is needed for this. Gentle feedback welcome. Email me at [email protected] or leave a comment. Happy reading! For years I tried […]
