When Support is More Valuable Than Solutions — There is no amount of training that could prepare a person for some of the crisis situations I encounter on the job. No crisis is quite like another, so it is impossible to have the answers to everything. However, one of the first and most important things we are taught as crisis counselors is how to listen to someone, and then how to respond. There’s this one story that really stands out…

I appreciate hateful comments about my work on Medium, and you should too. — As an artist or writer, it can be easy to feel discouraged by negative comments and criticism. We’ve all been there- poured our hearts into writing the perfect piece, only to be met with a barrage of hateful comments from Medium trolls. Let’s be honest, it’s never fun to read…

Medium Is Battling Its Own Mental Health Problems — We all love to criticize Medium, the online publishing platform that was once heralded as the great hope for independent and freelance writers. But hey, let’s not be too mean. After all, Medium is in the midst of its own mental health crisis. The world of online publishing can be a tough one. Critics with negative reviews, trolls sending messages…

A poem — Fear of the cold, like a wisp of frost-kissed wind whispering secrets to my soul. It is not a curse, but a veil of revelation, shrouding me in its icy embrace, all but comforting. Through the ice, I catch a glimpse the treacherous abyss and the gleaming peaks that await…

A man named Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, sent a series of letters to universities and airlines, threatening to bomb them unless his manifesto was published. …

A Counseling Session, A Crime Scene, A Monster, A Victim, and Me — Being that I answer for the suicide hotline, you would think that my most traumatizing and intense calls would be about suicide. But that’s not the case at all — not by a long shot. Being totally upfront about it, I would say that the suicide-related calls are among the…

As healthy-minded people start to question their sanity, I realize that the key to helping those with mental health issues is not to put them in the spotlight, but to light the way for them. — Looking back at May, it’s clear that Mental Health Awareness Month has turned into something very different than it was originally intended. As a crisis counselor, I’ve seen my share of people who are struggling with awful things like severe anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and debilitating mental illnesses. …

All The Fighting and The Flighting are Getting to Be A Bit Too Much — Flight is all of the distractions we have. We like to get as far away from our problems as possible, in any way possible. From social media to smartphones with any app you can imagine to let you escape your life for a little while. …

A Satirical Argument For & Against Allowing Ads on Medium — Medium is a great platform for writers. It can be an exciting place to share your thoughts and ideas with the world, and it’s a great way to connect with other writers. But there’s one big problem with Medium: it doesn’t pay much. Ad: Have you ever thought about starting your own blog? If so, you need…