Sharing (Part of) My Mental Health Journey on #WorldMentalHealthDay

WOrld-Mental-Health-Day

Sponsored by World Health Organization (the day, not the post) The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their […]

Asking People About Their Vaccination Status Makes Me Anxious

Social Media Face Mask Shares

Recently, a local elected official posted photos on social media – without masks – attending a social event outside. And then supported legislation requiring masks at outdoor spaces. Now that’s a little bit of a head spin, but more importantly to me is the failure to qualify the original posts. Are the people in the […]

The Vulnerability of a Wedding Registry

Lesbian Wedding Registry

You would think a wedding registry would be the fun part of wedding planning, but oh no no no no. We had no intention of putting together a registry – we aren’t establisheding a new household, we aren’t young, it’s a pandemic, etc. It was hard enough figuring out the backyard logistics of serving apple […]

Day 290 otherwise known as Christmas Day

Today was generally a nice day – pleasant, sweet, comforting really. To be honest, it has left me unnerved and apprehensive, as if this one lovely day is a parting gift before disaster strikes. The last time I felt this was during multiple trips to Eat’n Park in early January through mid-March. I had this […]

On Day 202, I’m sick

I haven’t felt well all week, mostly gastro symptoms that I chalked up an unexpectedly spicy Thai food delivery. But I had a headache, too. Friday, we had to make deliveries of face masks to be packed for delivery, so a lot of running around. I was tired. We heated up leftovers for dinner and […]

Teletherapy and Coping with COVID-19

Telehealth Teletherapy

When word broke of coronavirus, my therapist told me that her practice (East End Therapists) were getting prepared to offer teletherapy options. I was her first client using this technology. They use an  app called Simple Practice that can be accessed via the internet. My therapist creates a unique login code when she puts me […]

Minute by minute with anxiety

Content Note: anxiety, trauma I have this stubborn belief that I can somehow untangle the strands of my anxiety from the strands of my trauma responses, that there is a clear line of delineation I can find if I just keep trying to feel my way through the fibers wrapped tightly around my chest. My […]

The loneliness of October

Trauma and Loneliness

Content Note: depression, trauma, sexual violence The last time I saw a friend in person by choice was September 22, 2019. That was three weeks ago, a probably unhealthy amount of time without socializing. And I have zero plans to change that pattern. This loneliness, this self-imposed isolation, is not new to me, but my […]

Post Vacation Anxiety

We arrived home Sunday morning. All was well. I was a little tired, but I was expecting that. I wasn’t expecting so much anxiety. It feels like I stuffed so much down inside me during our trip to avoid ruining things that it’s seeping out of my cells now. I’ve got all the old symptoms […]

Vacation. I Wish I’d Stayed (Not Really.)

Vacation Anxiety

It has been ten years since we took a vacation that is purely recreational. We’ve traveled, but it has always been tied to a conference or a work trip or so forth. That’s been fun and interesting, but not always restful or relaxing. Now that I’m away I wish I’d stayed This year, we made […]