Dispelling the personal myths that cause mental/emotional un-ease. — I was 14 and the angst of adolescence was at full throttle; the social anxiety, the need to fit in, the bullies, the constant judgment… I was cracking under the pressure of it all. Turbulent emotions surged through me stirring up dark thoughts, confusion and feelings of hopelessness. These roller…

What can see you through doubt and fear — I heard a story today. It was about an open water swimmer, Florence Chadwick, who attempted to swim from the Catalina Islands to the coast of Southern California, a 15-mile distance, in the 1950’s. A thick fog descended mid-swim and obscured her view of the shore she was swimming towards…

A Simple Key to Feeling More Connected — Beyond Loneliness — Are you a part of something bigger? One of my favorite ‘coming of age’ movies is Sabrina. It’s the story of a reclusive girl who is lives a lonely life, kept company only by her fantasies. One day she gets sent to Paris on an internship. She…

“I began to explore who I was beyond my diagnosis and to develop more life-affirming aspects of myself.” Growing up with a mental illness I know all too well the crushing effects of diagnoses. You are handed a set of behavior patterns, personality traits and future predictions based solely on…

I can still see that old paisley couch at my first shrink’s office. The old cushions would swallow my thin 14-year old frame, the same way the doctors probing swallowed my thin self-esteem. Inward we would both implode as the message became more and more clear: I was different. …

And how you can too. — Growing up, life always felt like a pressure-cooker. I was stuck in some strange contraption that I didn’t understand and couldn’t find my way out of. With the lid on tight, I stewed in a suffocating mix of emotions, noisy thoughts, and forceful expectations of how I was supposed to…

What I learned on my journey from unusual to brilliant. — Growing up I always knew there was something different about me. I had a creative mind that was always at work. I was perceptive to people’s moods and often changed mine to match theirs. I could sense people’s depths of emotions even when they expressed something different on the surface. …

Moving on to bigger, better possibilities — Cue the swelling music, a vivid sunset over sweeping hills, one single tear streaming down Vivien Leigh’s face as she dramatically says, “After all, tomorrow is another day.” This iconic final scene from Gone with the Wind is the ultimate example of high drama. The romance, intrigue and intensity of…

Take care of yourself. You are worth it. — Quite a few years ago I was helping my parents set up their new home. My ballerina music boxes were packed with a warning label to “Handle with Care.” As I unpacked my delicate childhood relics I did what the label suggested. I took care. I moved slower, paused to…