Grief and the ADAA

I just had a piece published on the Anxiety and Depression Association of America's website. They have a great library of personal stories that you can filter via disorder (anxiety, panic attacks, bipolar, grief, substance abuse, etc.), and I'm a huge believer in the power of connecting with others through stories. 

Over the years, I have been in individual therapy, and I've spent years in couples therapy. I spent a year in a support group for families who have children with congenital heart defects and three years in a support group for bereaved parents. (Just need to acknowledge how fortunate I am to have health insurance to cover chunks of the costs... access to this stuff should be a right, not a privilege.) And through all of it, I've learned a lot about self-care and supporting others who are struggling. 

It feels good to be reading. It feels good to be running. It feels good to be writing. It feels great to get published. Go forth and read!

Grief and self-promotion

I used to write while wearing platform shoes in the hopes it would help build my writing platform. It didn't help. For years, I've held onto the illusion that writing and sharing powerful stories was enough. I wanted to focus on my craft and not on the promotion part of being a writer. But it's not working, even though I have a small arsenal of dedicated readers - thank you readers. So, over the weekend, I started using TikTok to connect with other writers and people who read memoir (I have 17 followers!). It’s a bit nerve-wracking, since writers are usually invisible, but I've decided to be brave. That said, I’ll think I’ll dust off those platform shoes and give them another try as well. It can't hurt, right? In the meantime, if you're on TikTok, check me out.