
I frequently struggle with bouts of severe anxiety. One of my (usually effective) coping strategies is to distract myself, but lately I have found that tuning into the anxiety helps as well. Continue reading

I frequently struggle with bouts of severe anxiety. One of my (usually effective) coping strategies is to distract myself, but lately I have found that tuning into the anxiety helps as well. Continue reading

The need for validation is an utterly human one. We both desire and deserve to be heard — and this goes doubly so for those of us on the margins. Continue reading

I have been self-harm free for just over seven years (go me!), and if I’m being honest I must admit that I do sometimes still have urges. They used to scare me a lot, but I’ve come to view them as important information. Continue reading

I’ve written frequently on my blog about movements and cultural models that have inspired me — the neurodiversity movement and the social model of disability, to name a few. Another movement that has been extremely helpful is the recovery model of mental illness. Continue reading

I wrote earlier about the power of longing in fiction, and today I want to talk about the role of passion in writing. Continue reading

An Open Letter to Writing Bloggers:
Listen, I don’t want to start some inane blog war. I debated long and hard whether or not I should approach people directly, write about the problem here, or even write about it publicly at all. But as an author who also has lived experience of mental illness, I feel it’s my duty to address this misguided and often callous “advice” that I’ve seen on multiple blogs. Continue reading

Having a loved one hospitalized on a psychiatric unit can often be an emotionally bewildering experience, one in which it’s hard to know just how to help. Here are a few suggestions. Continue reading