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
Mental Health
The Importance of Validation for Abuse Survivors
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
Understanding Self-Harm Urges
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
Being Empowered Through the Recovery Model
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
The Double-Edged Sword of Creative Passion
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
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
5 Ways to Support a Loved One During a Psychiatric Hospitalization

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