Mental Health
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Celebrating Life: The Importance of Community Support
I was fortunate enough to grow up in a neighborhood where people supported one another. This is all being brought to mind as one of my former neighbors passed away recently. He had dealt with a multitude of degenerative diseases for years, supported by his loving family. I was fortunate enough to attend his celebration…
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To the Newly Diagnosed Child
Hello, My Dear Child, You’ve officially been diagnosed with autism. I want this letter to read like a welcome to Hogwarts Letter. So I got diagnosed at the age of 23, and that was after many, many mental health struggles that I couldn’t understand. For me, my diagnosis was a relief, a source of empowerment.…
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Emotional Bonds: My Journey with Grandma’s Cat Willow
When people die, loved ones and family have to figure out what to do with their possessions and pets. My grandma’s cat has come to stay with me. Willow does best when she has lots of attention and loves being around people. After Grandma’s stroke, she spent a lot more time at home, and it…
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Healing from Loss: My Journey Through Grief
I thought that when she passed away, time would stop. Didn’t the world understand that she was gone? I was carrying the pain of knowing I wouldn’t be able to talk to her again. The day after she died, I woke up and thought I should call her today; I hadn’t called her in a…
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Ten Reasons I’m grateful for my ASD
It has helped me be more sensitive to those who feel like outsiders. It has sharpened my observational skills. It gives me a long attention span to focus on my passions. The people I have met in the ASD community. It has made me intensely curious. It has given me deep empathy. It has given…
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Community Saved Me
I’ve been meditating on the importance of community lately. I keep seeing news stories that suggest we are in a loneliness epidemic and that it’s only getting worse. Pundits love to blame social media; I suppose pinning a single source for a problem must make them feel more at ease since it provides an easy…
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The importance of Grief
Grief is quite a stigmatized emotion in our society. Crying is something that we never quite know how to handle, even as adults. I have never known how to talk about the grief I feel and when it is appropriate to connect with others. Then I stumbled upon Anderson Cooper’s podcast, “All There Is.” I…
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Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
The holidays can be a stressful and confusing time, especially when it comes to understanding traditions that don’t make sense to me. As I’ve grown older, my appreciation for the season has increased, but some customs, especially those unique to my family, still puzzle me. My purpose here is to share observations and seek insight…
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Confessions from the Psych Ward
It’s been three years since I spent a little over two weeks in two different behavioral health hospitals. I’m so grateful that I’m farther along on the journey to being healed and whole than I was back then. I’ve been thinking about the advice I’d give to myself and my family members with everything I…
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I Found My People in Tennessee
This past weekend, I attended the Southeastern Conference for Adults with Autism in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My parents attended a few years ago when I was in the hospital. I was excited about the community and the learning I would experience. I left work on Friday and drove for two hours to Ocoee, Tennessee. I drove…
