#i want to write more about her psychology specifically after recovery and also maybe something after the mansion incident

[agentvalentine]

About Jill's Brainwashing and Trauma.

This is a very, very long post. It's longer than I intended for it to be. But anyway, some of you know I studied psychology and it tends to be one of my main interests in media I consume. I like to analyze characters and dive into their headspace and make sense of what they've been through and how it affects their behavior and relationships, etc. Jill is one of those characters who have gone through so much from a young age, and, naturally, I like to analyze her and think about how everything she experienced has shaped her up into who she is now. I'll be referencing stuff from RE.5, RE.3R and DI. I have to preface this by saying I love RE.5. I think it's a good game and super fun to play. But I do have some criticism for it, specficially in terms of how it treats Jill.

Content warning for: attempted suicide.

I've talked about this before in an ask, but also just to double down on it. We see in RE3.R, during that first nightmate sequence, that Jill would rather shoot herself than turn into an infected. We also see in another dream sequence in that game that she'd rather let an infected Carlos kill her than shoot him.

Having seen DI and the extra content, the writers also talk about this when they compare Jill to Dylan, where the difference between them is that Jill would never pull the trigger on her friends/people she considers close. This is why she doesn't pull the trigger on Claire who is on the verge of turning. Jill also sympathizes with Dylan to a certain degree because she recognizes their similarities, and that's why she doesn't shoot him, either, even though she had every opportunity to.

I think Jill's "Go f yourself" to Dylan is less about her telling him to F himself, and more about her feeling frustrated and conflicted. Because on one hand, she gets where he's coming from, on the other, they both made different choices.

In addition, what happened in RE5 was totally out of Jill's control. She didn't choose to attack Chris or Sheva or anyone. It was all happening against her will, and we even see her resisting that for a moment. Whereas Dylan willingly pulled the trigger on his friend, so even though the weapon turned out to be empty, he still made that choice of his own free will, and had to live with it.

Knowing all this, I don't think it's farfetched to assume that Jill was wishing death upon herself all the while she was attacking Chris and Sheva or hurting whoever it is Wesker ordered her to hurt that day. Because, as we've established before, she'd rather die than become a monster who poses a danger to her friends, and she'd rather die than have to fight/kill her friends and those she cares about.

My headcanon (while taking the rewrite of Jill's character into consideration) has always been that, throughout the experiments, and knowing that she did manage to gain some level of consciousness admist them (which led to the gradual increase of the dosage), Jill would have likely tried to end her life on multiple occasions just to stop herself from: a. doing things against her will and b. hurting people she didn't want to hurt and c. becoming the puppet of the man who is the cause of all her suffering since 1998 and d. becoming and aiding the one thing she's been trying to fight against (bioterrorists).

But even ignoring the remake and putting its acknowledgement of Jill's PTSD aside, what Jill experiences in those 3 years is still, pretty simply, messed up. I dare say beyond messed up, even. And this is where my frustration comes from. Because this is such a big deal that was downplayed so hard in RE.5. It's really funny to me that Cap.com thought the best way to handle someone who's been through all this is to essentially have her wake up from being brainwashed for three whole years, and be immediately hit on by a random man she just met. Not only that, my woman somehow finds it in her to flirt back. And then later on it's not just Josh hitting on her, but also Doug on the comms, and Jill's just there like "yeah, tell me more."

I like Josh and his dynamic with Jill, and I also liked their chemistry. So my problem isn't at all with the flirting itself, per se (although I stand by the fact Josh shouldn't have flirted with her IMMEDIATELY after waking up, nor should she have flirted back). The flirting could have actually worked perfectly if it had been used in a smart way, as means for Jill to cope with her trauma. If it had been Jill's way of distracting herself and keeping herself grounded in the present.

The problem is that, this is not at all how the flirting was used. Because throughout the entirety of RE5 and Desperate Escape, Jill's trauma is never ONCE acknowledged. We never see her dissociate, pause, freeze or "lose" herself momentarily as she processes everything that happened to her. We never see her struggling or fighting with her body that is still not 100% responding to her because the virus is still in her system and hasn't left it completely.

We never see any signs or hints about how awful and draining the whole brainwashing experience was for Jill. She just passes out after Chris and Sheva save her, wakes up, and suddenly she's fine. Everything's functioning as normal. She's being hit on and hitting back on people. Because Cap.com chose to reduce her character to badass blonde in sexy catsuit. Jill had to endure so much, and yet her own struggles are barely acknowledged, and simply used as a tool to amplify Chris's "oh no i lost my partner and now she's working for my archnemesis i'm so sad and angry." That's all she was in that game, fuel to Chris's trauma. Never mind what she had to go through in those three years.

The laziest thing they could have done is include flashbacks from the game itself (if they were too lazy to animate new cutscenes), from her fight with Chris and Sheva + the flashbacks from the Spencer Estate, but shown from HER POV, just so we know "hey, btw, Jill is absolutely not over the fact she nearly died, was brainwashed AND almost killed her best friend."

More effectively, they should have shown us things from when Jill was working under Wesker's control, the horrible things he made her do, the awful experiments she had to endure, instances of her regaining control and trying to fight for her freedom. Hell, they could have made those events part of the RE5 narrative, a "what Jill has been up to while Chris was doing this" sort of thing. In the vein of Separate Ways in RE.4. Instead of starting Desperate Escape during the point at which Jill is "free," we could have started it earlier. We could have also used Jill's familiarity with the setting, as she guides Josh around during their escape, to include instances of her telling Josh "this is where X happened and this is where Wesker did Y and this is where I did Z" etc.

Jill was so objectified beyond belief in RE.5 both by the narrative and by the writers/developers. The funny thing is there were easy and quick solutions to give her character more depth throughout so she's not as flat as a blank sheet of paper (character-wise, because they made damn sure she wasn't flat physique-wise).

They could have delayed the flirting with Josh till after they've established her messed up mental state and used it as a coping mechanism. They could have shown us flashbacks from her POV to get a better, closer look into what she had to endure. They could have interrupted Jill's badassery and used breathing moments to showcase instances of weakness where she dissociates or temporarily loses control again and attacks Josh, just so we know this woman is still struggling, but she's doing her best to fight and get out of here regardless.

I don't think allowing Jill to be weak for a few minutes would have taken away from her badass status. On the contrary, I think it would have made her even stronger because, despite all her internal struggles, she's still fighting. But the complete erasure of her internal struggles and trauma in favor of her looking badass is just quite honestly icky and unrealistic. Not only that, any reference to what Jill went through is only within context of "this is really sad for Chris. Look at what Chris had to endure. Poor man."

And the thing is, I'm not even asking they take that out, because yeah, what Chris went through? It's pretty horrible and messed up and very valid, too. But I do take issue with the fact only HIS struggles are recognized but not Jill's.

RE.5 gives a very unrealistic, crappy and objectifying portrayal of Jill, and I wholeheartedly believe this is one of the main reasons why, now that cap.com is actually trying to acknowledge Jill's trauma from the very start (since the Spencer Mansion incident), and give a more accurate perspective on her mental and emotional state, people are struggling to accept this "new" Jill. Even though, at her core, she is very much the same Jill, just reacting to certain things the way a human would react after enduring so much.

The many times she shows kindness and care for characters (dead and alive) in RE3R are countless. Her resolve to fight for the innocent and save people is ever stronger. So strong she's willing to team up with people who work for the corporation that caused the deaths of her comrades and traumatized her for life, in order to save and help those in need.

It's always funny to me people call Jill a b because of the way she acts with Carlos at the start of the game. Are you telling me that after surviving a horror mansion filled with zombies and all sorts of monsters, watching your comrades die and failing to save most of them, barely making it out yourself, being betrayed by your captain whom you trusted, returning with the hope to stop the tragedy only to find out your chief has been bribed by the corporation behind it all, getting suspended by said chief, watching the city fall apart as the evil corporation takes control of it, having to literally take medication made by said corporation to help yourself sleep at night so you can function as a human being for a while, knowing this company is constantly endangering the lives of the innocent, that after going through ALL OF THIS, you run into a dude who works for the nightmare company, and you just go "Oh cool, nice to meet you"????

I think Jill has earned every right to be angry and throw a few f-bombs at people, but that's just me.

And I also have a whole lot to say about Jill and Chris post-RE.5 all the way to DI, but this post is already so long, so I'm gonna cut it here and maybe talk about that another day.

Edit to add: it's also even more frustrating that Jill didn't even get to execute revenge on the man who enslaved her for years and instead had to watch Chris and Sheva kill him with a very minor contribution on her end. This adds to just how downplayed Jill's struggles are in the game. Because throughout it all, Wesker is more or less Chris's archnemesis even though he messed up Jill's life just as bad, if not more.

[dani-reads-bookish-things]

My take on Azriel’s POV

Long post incoming but if you’d like one psychologist’s take on Azriel, please keep reading! This is my first time posting. I came to the fandom ~2.5 years ago, and I thought that everyone had said everything that needed to be said at the time but with a new book, I’m very interested in participating in the fandom theories and interpretations!

So I’m a psychologist and part of my job is to take data and interpret what I think it means. I have a specific set of lenses that I look through, and am I sometimes wrong? Absolutely, but that’s something I always disclose, that it might be trial and error, I try to make all the information make sense, and ask for feedback. I am also always very intentional with my language and word choice in my work. I am by no means trying to say I have the best grasp on mental health or think that my viewpoint is 100% accurate, but I just want to explain some of the psychological things and writing choices that stood out to me.

I think the thing that has bothered me most is people being upset and uncomfortable with Az’s POV and how he views Elain. More so because I think it’s a misunderstanding, but of course, everyone is entitled to their own interpretation and reactions.

SJM is always intentional about what she does so I was curious as to why she left out emotional/romantic words and writing in Az’s POV and maybe that is what bothered others about it (it didn’t bother me, give me more horny Az please). He didn’t express any longing or emotional/romantic feelings towards Elain (and neither with Gwyn and I’m not going to discuss shadow interaction at all because that’s a whole other post). His behavior, to me, definitely did convey longing and romantic interest though. I wouldn’t say it was normal, but it wasn’t abnormal that he keeps the medicine gift on his nightstand and stares at all the time and hasn’t used it once. It’s meaningful to him in some way (I have my own interpretation as to why but I’ll leave that out for now and just focus on what it does mean behaviorally). He pleasures himself in the dark of night with thoughts and images of Elain after even his Shadows have gone to sleep (which I interpreted to mean that he doesn’t want this separate entity but also part of him to know about how he wants and desires Elain).

I think Azriel, who has a history of not feeling worthy of his romantic interests per Mor, doesn’t allow himself to be hopeful for himself. As he’s contemplating kissing Elain he thinks, But he could have this. This one moment, and maybe a taste, and that would be it. To me, Azriel just wants this one moment of happiness and to give into his desires and then he’d be satisfied for the rest of his life (I don’t think he would, but it still says a lot about how he views himself and what he wants out of life IMO). So I think he hasn’t allowed himself to fully be hopeful and give into the growing feelings for Elain because he doesn’t think he’s worthy of her and doesn’t believe that they could actually have a relationship for whatever reasons (mainly the mating bond it seems, could be more to it). After he leaves Rhys, he thinks, He'd been so vigilant about keeping away from Elain as much as possible, and had stayed up here to avoid her, and tonight...tonight had proved he'd been right to do so. So some internal belief he had (that is most likely untrue because that’s how anxiety works. Not that anxious feelings aren’t valid, just that we overthink or think things will be worse than what is actually real), was “proven” right to him.

Furthermore, when Rhys says, “So you’ll what? Seduce her way from him?” (Another word choice example that stood out and bothered me (but is intentional), as if Elain belongs to Lucien, which in this world with the mating bond, it is seen this way, but I think Elain would disagree with Rhys.) the book says Azriel said nothing. He hadn't gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to. I’ve seen plenty of people cite this is as more evidence of Elriel not being endgame because Azriel hasn’t thought of a future with Elain. But if we continue down the trail of the psychology of Azriel, I think it’s more representative of him NOT allowing himself to go that far, because if he dreams and fantasizes about this grand love story with Elain, and then it doesn’t come true? That’s more hurtful for someone like him, to have dreamed and lost, than to have never dreamed at all.

So it just bothers me when people say “Elain and Az are so toxic, he definitely needs to be with Gwyn, and she can help him better than Elain could.” Um no, Az the is common denominator in all this (insert TikTok sound: We are not rehab for broke men), so neither of these girls should be seen as more worthy or better for him. Az needs to work through this on his own and unlearn the mental pathways he has in his brain, and if either girl is by his side and makes him realize things, good. But they are not in any way responsible for his mental well being and recovery, they can definitely help if they wish to.

I don’t want to say that that Az’s behavioral/mental patterns are unhealthy as in it’s bad (because that conveys judgment in my world and I try to stay away from that language unless something is clearly unhealthy), but I think you could say it’s not healthy as in it’s not good. Because I don’t want people to believe that people who have this mind frame or mental pathways (because I’ve seen children and adults that demonstrate this mindset) to think that it is wrong or bad, or that they can’t have meaningful relationships while they have this mindset, because it’s possible for people to have meaningful relationships and be on the road to a healthier mindset simultaneously, but definitely something that needs to be worked on so that relationships to be more successful and have less barriers.

Because also saying that he can’t be in a relationship with Elain (while simultaneously pushing a relationship with Gwyn, and I know this isn’t all of Gwyn and Az supporters) also then disparages all the characters and relationships that SJM has ever written. All of her characters are processing trauma and feelings when they enter relationships. These relationships aren’t perfect which is what makes them realistic. When Feyre accepts the mating bond with Rhys, she tells him, “I want you to know that I am broken and healing, but every pieces of my heart belongs to you.” Azriel’s mental state does not make him any less deserving of a relationship. In the real world, is it best for sometimes to take time for yourself, maybe go to therapy? Yes, but this faerie world, therapy the way we know isn’t an option and so healing happens in different ways and through relationships.

Do I believe Elriel is endgame? I so want to believe it because I think both Elain and Az compliment and balance each other. Other people have made glorious posts on this, so I won’t go into it. But I think Elain’s journey and book would focus on her identity, standing up for herself, being the person who she wants to be, going for what she wants, being more than just a pretty face and seen as someone who needs to be protected all the time; which I think is something her sisters AND Azriel need to learn (Yes, it was cute and made me squeal when Az told Amren that there was a darkness to the Trove that Elain should not be exposed to, but buddy, Elain is going to surprise us all, you included).

So if this is route that is taken, I think Azriel could learn a lot from Elain being that optimistic fighter and believer in love, that no mating bond itself is going to dictate who she can want and can or can’t have. Because whether she ends up with Lucien or Azriel, the only thing I believe is certain is that the mating bond with Lucien will be addressed, and that will require her standing up for herself and being clear about what she wants.

[tyrantisterror]

TT Liveblogs Evangelion Masterpost & Final Thoughts

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Final Thoughts after the cut!

By reputation, I had a strong feeling that Evangelion was not going to be my kind of story, and now that I’ve seen it I can say that both kind of is and kind of isn’t the case.  The character writing is incredibly strong (even if I feel End of Evangelion has a few major wobbles), its approach to its cosmic horror conflict and uncanny monsters is incredibly interesting, the animation is gorgeous, and the plot is compelling.  It’s way more tragic than I usually prefer my stories of this length to be, but I feel it earns that tragedy and has a point to it.  At the very least, it ranks among works like Heart of Darkness and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which I respect for their artistry even if I struggle to stomach their content.  I would say it’s objectively great, even if subjectively it doesn’t always suit my personal tastes as far as stories go.

Given the two endings Evangelion (both the original show’s last episodes and the alternate ending offered by End of Evangelion) has both explore the idea of there being different realities than the one we’ve watched, I almost wonder if my discontent is a feature rather than a flaw.  I feel like Evangelion invites you to consider the possibility of this story going very different ways - if we’re supposed to leave it longing for a better version of these events, like a player hoping there’s a new game plus after watching the depressing ending of a JRPG.

 As a person who’s struggled with self loathing his entire life, this series spoke to me in its analysis of that particular psychological problem.  As the final episodes of the show take great pains to make clear, this is a show about how we understand and define ourselves in the context of others, and the myriad reasons why our self definitions can become toxic and hateful.  Hating oneself should, after all, be rather counter-intuitive, so why are we prone to it?

Evangelion posits that it comes down to the Hedgehog’s Dilemma - this (probably not biologically accurate) idea that hedgehogs want to huddle together for warmth when it’s cold, but can’t because their spikes will stab each other if they do.  They need their spikes for defense, of course, but those same spikes can also hurt people trying to help them, and thus the hedgehogs suffer alone in the cold.  Every character in this show - human and, I would argue, angel alike - is this allegorical hedgehog: they crave warmth and affection, but are kept lonely and cold by the defenses they deem necessary.  The problem isn’t just that they’re denied warmth by others, but that they also fear hurting others in the process of seeking that closeness - that they are both helpless and incapable of helping those they wish to protect.

Every character in this show has different spikes, and every character is desperately hoping that someone will reach out and understand them despite their defenses, or that maybe, just maybe, if they reach out to someone they won’t end up stabbing them in the process.  That’s the real crux of this two-fold problem: people hate themselves both because they have been denied both love and the act of giving love to others in turn, all while knowing deep down that they are the reason they have these damn spikes in the first place.

And yes, I extend this to the monsters as well.  While most of the angels in this series are destructive and openly antagonistic , three actually try to communicate with humanity in their “attacks.”  The first two are unsuccessful because the humans are incapable of understanding them, but the third actually manages to speak humanity’s language.  He expresses regret at the fact that angels and humans can’t coexist, and even urges Shinji to destroy him because it’s the only way Shinji can live - and the angel, despite knowing it means his death, prefers the idea of Shinji surviving their conflict.  While we ultimately don’t learn enough about the angels to say anything concrete about their motives, the glimpse that Kaworu gives into their psyche paints them in a similarly depressing light as humanity.  They lash out with their figurative (and sometimes literal) spikes not because they hate humanity, but because they believe they have no option.  They can’t have warmth.  There is only the path of spikes, the act of violence.  Whether they want to or not, only one can survive.  They have succumbed to the bleakness of the hedgehog’s dilemma.

I love the ending of the show because it focuses on its psychological problem which, ultimately, is the true conflict of the story, and examines it in depth with all the main characters, and especially Shinji (which makes sense, as his psycholgical state is the most detailed and well developed of the entire cast).  In the final episode, Shinji finds the solution to the hedgehog’s dilemma that no one else was brave enough to come to.  He realizes that, yes, it is impossible to interact with others without both getting hurt and hurting others in turn - that he can’t get rid of his spikes, nor can anyone else get rid of theirs.  But as much as he hates the pain he’ll both experience and inflict, he realizes that he has the courage to try to reach out anyway - that though he may hate himself now, he might be able to love himself as he loves others, and that being imperfect doesn’t mean he’s worthless.  Despite all the pain and the guilt, despite the prick of the spikes, Shinji decides to keep trying to find the warmth that he and those around him need, because if they all keep trying together they can find it.

Evangelion ends with Shinji, surrounded by his peers, determined to recover.  He refuses to be destroyed by his depression.  He refuses to die in the cold, and everyone is there with him when he does.  It’s not an incongruous moment - for all the angst that people tend to define this show by, there are always moments, small but notable, impactful moments, where they come together.  Few people on this show are beyond saving, and in at least one ending - esoteric and weird as it is - they have that chance.

I’m less keen on End of Evangelion as an alternate ending.  Where the original show gave Shinji that moment of recovery, End of Evangelion seems deadset on destroying him and every other character in the show as utterly as possible.  Shinji gives in to his absolute worst impulses in this movie, and every other character is similarly destroyed by their faults - Misato tries her hardest but fails to ultimately protect Shinji from doom, Rei is used as a tool for someone else’s designs without ever truly understanding what they are or claiming her own independence, Asuka dies trying and failing to prove her worth as a warrior, and on and on it goes.  The most iconic scene of the film is scored with a song whose lyrics are a suicide note, which is fitting for a movie about depressed characters succumbing to their worst impulses and being destroyed for it.  Though Shinji once again gets to survive the end of the world and create something new from the ashes, it’s not uplifting as it was in the show - instead, with only Asuka by his side (who he then tries to strangle), he slumps down into a puddle of self misery.  The last word he hears isn’t “congratulations” this time around - it’s “disgusting.”

I’m not saying this is a wrong ending, or an objectively bad one.  You could argue this is just as much where the story might have been heading as the show’s ending - or even that it’s more congruous, that this was always going to be a story about failure and self destruction, and that any hope these characters could have for a better life could only be achieved by fucking with the nature of their reality on a fundamental level.  Objectively, End of Evangelion is valid.  But for my personal tastes... I liked those kernels of hope.  I’ll take Congratulations over Digusting.  I want these kids to heal.

One final bit: a common thing I’ve heard about this series is that the allusions to Abrahamic religion and folklore are purely aesthetic and have no actual deeper meaning, and having watched the series I think this is at best an over-simplification and at worst completely wrong.  Like most allusions in literature, I don’t think they work as a direct 1:1 comparisons - Adam in Evangelion is not literally the same as Adam in the Bible, Angels in Evangelion are not literally the same as in the Bible, etc.  But there’s still a lot of meaning behind how these Biblical references are used that can’t be mere coincidence.  For example, towards the end of the series it’s revealed that human being are actually half angel (or rather the spawn of a different angelic being than the angels in canon, it’s a bit more complicated than this but let’s simplify it for the sake of making this intelligible), which is why the “pure” angels are trying to wipe us out.  In the book of Enoch, a fairly obscure non-canonical Biblical text, some rebel angels come to earth and crossbreed with humanity, creating the nephilim, a race of half human/half angels.  Enoch posits that this is the specific crime that makes God destroy the earth in a flood.  Now, how does End of Evangelion end?  With humanity being destroyed and the earth flooded with their liquid remains, save for one surviving pair that is composed of one boy and one girl.  It’s not a 1:1 allusion, but it would be one HELL of a coincidence that this story is so similar to an obscure non-canonical Biblical work.

And if we do accept the allusions as having some meaning, they actually work with the show’s themes fairly well.  The Book of Enoch’s whole purpose is to explain why God hated humanity enough to destroy it, and the feeling that a higher, cosmic power hates us for some inexplicable reason is at the core of Evangelion.  Evangelion’s whole purpose is to find an answer for why we hate and destroy ourselves, and how we, like Noah, might find a way to save ourselves from this seemingly inevitable flood of doom.  Making an allusion to another stories that try to explain that - not just the Book of Enoch, but to similar Biblical stories about the origin and nature of humanity’s sin and God’s scorn, like the Genesis tale of Adam and Eve (or, as Evangelion substitutes, Adam and his semi-canonical first wife, Lilith) - is inherently meaningful.  It’s on topic, and in the context of these allusions we get a clearer view of what Evangelion is trying to say about human nature.  It’s not necessarily a Christian story, but its allusions to Abrahamic religion aren’t devoid of meaning.

[whetstonefires]

how do you think the batfam mightve progressed if jason never died?

Whaa, 4 asks at once? I’m sorry I still haven’t gotten back on the last one, I thought I was unstuck but guess what, I wrote myself into a pretty little corner by being all ‘I don’t care about what’s canon! i’m just gonna have fun!’ which is the correct approach except then you find out the thing you made up is incorrect and idk how to deal with that. being wrong. it’s a life skill i’m still working on.

So like, if the vote had gone the other way...it depends so much on the writing and editing teams, and so little on real causality, it’s hard to frame a picture?

Jason was created as an alternative to aging Dick down and taking him out of the Titans; his new character origin after the Crisis on Infinite Earths barely got out of its shakedown tour before they killed him off. We know who he was enough to spot the major character derailments, but who he might have been? It’s hard to say.

If he’d made it through the vote, the noisy fans would still have hated him, and so would the man writing his comics. I doubt Starlin would ever have convinced DC to do the HIV plotline with Robin like he reportedly tried, but I feel like Something Bad remained likely.

The 90s are known for their grimdarkness for a reason, and Jason just missed living through them. I feel like his odds of going villain were pretty high anyway, not because of him but because of the constant need for drama fuel. I mean, Alfred had a villain phase, in the 60s.

Babs became Oracle almost simultaneous with the Robin trade-off, debuted the same month Jason died (January ‘89), so that still would have happened. Tim’s influence on her was very slight.

Without Tim, there would have been no need for Steph, since she was created partly as a love interest but more importantly as a foil, and a way of getting more of that high-energy feeling traditionally associated with Robin back into the story even though so many of the fans loathed it and refused to have it in their lead.

(Not that Tim didn’t have a lot of it anyway, but it wasn’t his core feel the way it had been for Dick and Jason. Possibly of note, the ‘87 Killing Joke and ‘89 Batman movie also marked a rise in the use of Joker as Batman’s main dramatic foil rather than Robin, which coupled with the Bronze Age in general really shaped Tim’s character direction. It’s hard to say what caused what, with these trends.)

They might have introduced a girl anyway, to replace Babs. Maybe even a version of Cass. Shiva stated under interrogation during ADitF that she had no child, but in comics terms that half-guaranteed she’d get one eventually, because the concept was now out there.

I doubt Jason would have gotten his own series in the 90s, considering his screaming hatedom and the fact that it took three extremely successful mini-series to get Tim a regular title, but if DC had managed to repackage his character into something that the 90s liked and he had made a go of it, he’d probably have acquired a completely different supporting cast. He might well have continued his pattern of acquiring moms. Maybe even Talia. The whole Sheila thing would have been a half-forgotten backstory subplot by like ‘94 probably.

It occurs to me after typing all of this that you might want to hear my ideas about what in-universe causality might logically have led to, lmao. Let’s see.

Jason’s adolescence was hitting a rocky stage that I doubt this betrayal and near-death experience and technical bereavement would have ended, though it would probably have hit harder than his last few near-death experiences even assuming another improbable complete recovery.

If we up the realism dial a little, he might be forced into retirement by the severity of his wounds. He’d still have to hash out his trust issues with Bruce, probably more than ever. Being a shit communicator was not yet a key part of Bruce’s personality; they might have sorted things out.

Jason would not have dropped out of college. If he’s retired, he goes into a prestigious but helping-centered field with an understanding that he is now the son Bruce trusts to step up to keep WE on the straight and narrow after he dies; inheritance of voting shares may be structured around this expectation.

(Dick experiences that really complicated hypocritical jealousy where you specifically rejected a thing, but it spent so long being marked yours that you feel robbed anyway when someone else gets it. Not a lot of it in the disability scenario, because there’s a distinct vibe of consolation prize there, but otherwise.)

Babs would still have been Oracle. It would have been a less fraught launch, though.

Dick might not have heard about the Ethiopia thing at all, if Jason made a full recovery, considering how little communication was passing between him and Bruce at that point. Dick’s level of Batcomputer access only stated Jason as ‘location unknown’ when he was dead, so.

He and Jason got along fine, regardless of retcons since then, but he was under a lot of stress from a lot of sources, and the feeling that he couldn’t go home even when he really needed to, because he’d been replaced, was very present. That might well have blown up at some point.

I tend to think of Bruce as having changed pretty dramatically as a result of Jason’s death, disregarding a lot of retcons, but I mean, 1987 Bruce already failed to notice Dick having a mental breakdown right in front of him and put him off in favor of hero work with Jason on Dick’s birthday, he just did it cheerfully and with fairly courteous wording. There was a trend in the faildad direction starting already.

There was a lot of relationship stuff in need of fixing and in some ways Jason’s presence made that as hard for Dick with Bruce as Damian’s later did for Tim, even though there was a lot less drama and intentional emotional violence and attempted murder involved. So. That could have gone a lot of ways. Realistically, even without Tim trying to play peacemaker, Dick always gets dragged back into Bruce’s orbit, though. That’s narrative causality at work, but also psychology.

In-universe, Tim can be assumed to have already existed before Wolfman invented him. He’s mostly away at boarding school, but he’s nosy and well-intentioned and he Knows. If Jason ran away more comprehensively than the Great Mom Tour, he might approach him with an argument for why Batman needed Robin and he should go home. Or there would eventually have been a case where he knew something they didn’t and attempted to subtly pass information and got noticed.

Or Oracle’s expanding field of awareness would have eventually noticed him and his zoom-lens one summer evening while his parents were in Haiti getting dead. Idk.

He’d probably have gotten mixed up in Bat-things eventually, and if it wasn’t before the Haiti thing there’s no way Batman would have been invested enough in this random disappearance to be there in time to help, so he’d have been completely orphaned at 13. Bruce taking him in is reasonably likely, since he wasn’t exactly in a position to create himself a fake uncle at the time. On the other hand, he might have gone into foster care. His parent’s company still would have crashed without them, so he wouldn’t have inherited much, but he’d have been better off than most kids in the system because he’d have some assets.

Steph is even more guaranteed to hit the vigilante scene. Bruce would be a lot friendlier to her without Jason death issues for her to trigger, though that doesn’t mean he’d actually be friendly, and Jason would like her, and possibly communicate more effectively than Tim did about how she could not die, or possibly they’d have egged each other on into steadily more unwise behavior.

On the other hand, depending on where Jason’s character development went after surviving Ethiopia, he might at 17 find 15-year-old Steph indescribably annoying precisely because they have so much in common, and lash out at her as a proxy for his younger self, and be kind of awful.

Cataclysm breaks causality to even acknowledge anymore because they rushed on from it like massive chumps, but Jason would have been a good Robin to have for it. He’d have been pretty tall by then, and he’s got the mental tools for surviving in an unfriendly urban environment where money is useless. I think he and Cass would have gotten on well, they have compatible personalities. The only major issue I can see is if Bruce or Babs got really positive about her and triggered some kind of jealousy or possessiveness issue.

We don’t really have any specific data at all from before Jason died about how he would cope with a rival for something he felt entitled to but insecure about--he deferred very nicely to Dick as his elder, but Dick wasn’t actually a threat to anything Jason valued. Assuming later canon is applicable, jealousy would be a definite issue with any additional family members, though I assume without the risk of homicide.

Okay here is an after-midnight hour of my half-baked opinions. You asked for it! ;DDD

[mustlovemustypages]

2018 Letter

Dear potential writer,

*Sigh* 2018 has been a long year, has it not? Yuletide is proving to be a great distraction and I'm very excited to be participating again. Thank you for reading my letter and also thank you in advance for anything you decide to write for me! 

Below are my desired fandoms and pairings along with story ideas that I would love to see written. Please don't feel stifled by my prompts; I've also listed my general likes/dislikes at the very bottom of this letter if you decide to go a different route. 

The Defenders (TV):

Characters: Luke Cage and Jessica Jones

I will admit that my main motivation for watching The Defenders was to see more interactions between these two characters. While I loved all of the scenes between them, I wish they'd had a lot more shared screen time. 

Overall I just want these two kids to end up together. I've been a fan of their relationship before the Netflix shows came out and will continue to be a fan after they have ended.

Story ideas:

Luke and Jessica learning to trust each other again amongst the events of The Defenders, and Jessica sharing a bit more of her past with Kilgrave to help Luke understand what exactly she went through.

Seeing Luke and Jessica's on screen (or imagined off screen) interactions through the eyes of the other characters.

Jessica Jones is a walking poster child for PTSD and I would really like to see this explored more. Recovery isn’t necessary, but having Luke at least realize her suffering and talking/hugging it out would be lovely.

We may or may not be getting a season 2. Feel free to imagine your own post-season 1 with the team, especially focusing on the Jessica/Luke dynamic.

Speed (1994):

Characters: Annie Porter and Jack Traven

I'm a sucker for characters who fall in love during immensely stressful situations. Especially characters played by Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. I'm also a sucker for action movies that have not-quite-believable but really-thrilling-anyway plotlines. Like buses with bombs that go off if driving under 50 mph.

Story ideas:

Regardless of what Jack said at the end of the movie about most relationships formed during stressful circumstances not surviving, I have chosen to believe Annie and Jack would have beaten the odds once again. I'm sure their friends, co-workers, and family would have had their doubts but would have eventually seen that the two were perfect for each other.

I'd adore post-movie slice of life stories where they buy their first place together, meet each others' families for the first time, or even do something as mundane as going to get groceries. It would be so endearingly (and hilariously) normal in contrast to their first meeting.

Annie definitely thought Jack was insane when he flagged down the bus and jumped on. It would be interesting to read that scene from her point of view as well as other scenes throughout the movie as her opinion of him changes.

It would be impossible to go through what these two characters did without it having some sort of impact on their psyche. Whether it be Annie refusing to ride the bus again and Jack offering to drive her to work until/if she recovers, or Jack having flashbacks of the helplessness he felt on that train when he couldn't get Annie unchained.

The Darkest Minds (Book Series):

Character: Ruby Daly

X-Men was my jam when I was younger, and The Darkest Minds is basically X-Men set in a dystopian world with really loveable characters.

Ruby is a precious gem* that needs to be protected at all costs, even if it’s from herself. Liam is such a sweetheart. Book 2 when he gets his memories back had me literally crying. Chubs and Zhu are amazing, and I love the little family the four of them made together. Vida was also really great, and so was Cole… and you get the point. I loved them all.

*Pun not intended but acknowledged nevertheless.

My favorite pairing from the series is Ruby/Liam but sadly Liam is not in the tagset. It would be amazing if you wrote a Ruby/Liam story but if that's not your thing, I'd be equally happy with a gen story focusing on Ruby and Cole, Ruby and Chubs, Ruby and Vida, etc. Chubs/Vida in the background would be even more wonderful!

Story ideas:

Ruby definitely struggled with her abilities and had healthy/unhealthy coping mechanisms. Expanding on this would be great and including any of the other characters' responses to her coping mechanisms would be a definite plus.

Reunions are the best. Write how you would have liked the Liam and Ruby reunion in book 2 to have played out or expand on canon to bring on even more feels. Again, I fully realize that Liam is not in the tagset so don't feel pressured to include him. Instead write about a reunion between Ruby and one of the other main characters (like Chubs)!

I wish there were more scenes exploring the dynamics of Cole and Ruby's friendship and how that impacts their respective relationships with Liam, especially because Cole and Ruby relate on a level that I don't think Liam ever quite understood. One of my favorite parts from the whole series is the scene in the shower where Cole is basically interrogating Ruby for information about Liam. It's a totally non-romantic scene but very emotionally charged and it would be really interesting to read about it from Cole's point of view.

Impluse (TV):

Characters: Henrietta "Henry" Coles, Lucas Boone, Jenna Hope, Townes Linderman

This show became a surprise favorite of mine in 2018, mostly because it's on YouTube Red and I haven't given most of their original shows much thought. Also because it tackles rape and recovery in such a raw and interesting, especially in the context of a sci-fi show.

I just need more Henry Coles. If you want to do a romantic relationship I'd prefer seeing something explored with Lucas Boone or her canon love interest Josh (who was only in 2 episodes but really seemed to "get" Henry). Otherwise, gen stories between Henry and any/all of the tagset characters would be great.

Story Ideas:

Henry will never be fully "recovered" in the sense that one can never truly recover from rape. It will always have an impact on her life. The other characters get that and try to help her in any way they can.

While Lucas is aware of what his brother did to Henry, he has no idea of the real impact. I'd love a story where he learns more about her seizures and the way her anxiety/fears manifest themselves as teleportation.

Hurt/comfort in all forms because Henry has been hurt enough for a lifetime, but she could do with a whole lot more comfort. Either within the confines of season 1 or imagined opportunities for comfort in season 2.

We get the story from mostly Henry's perspective, but I'm sure there is a lot going on in the minds of Lucas, Jenna and/or Townes as the events of season 1 play out.

The Folk of the Air

Pairing: Cardan Greenbriar/Jude Duarte

Holly Black is an evil genius and I bow down to her greatness. Starting off the first book in this series, I never would have imagined that by the end I'd be rooting for Jude and Cardan to be together but here we are.

They are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers and I can't wait to see what happens to them in the second book coming in 2019.

Story ideas:

Maybe I'm being unrealistically optimistic, but despite Jude's betrayal at the end of the first book, I think these two can work it out. Perhaps Jude helps Cardan cope with the stresses of being king and he is able to move past what she did. Or maybe he sees how impossible Jude thought the situation was and comes to the realization that he was the only one she trusted to do it.

Madoc is a horrible father. Jude basically knows this from the beginning. Still, she was genuinely upset in discovering what he had done. I'd love to see her finally release all of that pent up anger - either her using Cardan as a sounding board for her rants or even having her completely breakdown under all of the stress and him comforting her.

We get the perspective of Jude throughout the entire book, but I would really enjoy seeing some of the scenes from Cardan's point of view as his feelings for Jude change.

There is no way that Jude's sister, Vivienne, wouldn't be alarmed when finding out that Jude and Cardan kissed. Jude having to explain her changed feelings for Cardan and Vivienne realizing that Jude is in like/love would be hilarious and heartwarming.

Things I don’t like:

Alternate Universes – For the specific fandoms that I picked, I really like the universes as they are. I’m definitely okay with deviations from canon, but please don’t make Speed into a supernatural werewolf story or the fantasy/sci-fi canons take place in a mundane coffee shop setting. (I don’t mind Soulmate AUs or something similar because those can be incorporated into canon with little change to worldbuilding).

Non-Con/Rape/BDSM/Sexual Violence/Graphic Sex – I like my characters to be happy and everything within ships to be 100% consensual, no question about it (mentions of non-con if it occurred in canon is fine). I also prefer plot over porn, especially with one-shots.

OT3s – Two people per romantic relationship please. Any more than that makes me uncomfortable.

Character Bashing - Unless a character is a bad guy in canon, I don’t want to read hundreds of words about how awful they are, especially if they are one of the characters that I requested. Don’t take it out on the characters if you hate my pairings, just write gen. 

Things I love:

Hurt/Comfort – There is nothing I love more than one character comforting another. The hurt can be physical, psychological, or both.  

Happy Endings – I’m all for the realistic endings… but if they could be plausible AND happy-ish, that would be amazing.

Expanded Scenes/Contorting Canon – Feel free to expand scenes and change up canon to your heart’s content as long as it makes logical sense.

Humor/Banter/Snark – I thrive on this stuff.

Bonding/Building Relationships – Whether it be a friendship or a romantic relationship, I adore reading about two people growing closer together. When characters know each other so well that they can have conversations with just their eyes or anticipate the person’s next move (especially if it’s to the surprise/confusion of everyone around them), my shipper heart is thrilled.

Dark to Light – Seeing a character come out of a bad mindset/situation and get better is so satisfying.

Thanks again and happy writing!

- Maddy @mustlovemustypages (on Tumblr, Ao3 and FF.net)

[mcleanstanley1991]

What Is Osho Neo Reiki Creative And Inexpensive Ideas

Discuss any insights or questions that arise due to nausea, she now follows the Celtic reiki was mainly used for treating relation ship problems and situations which are contained in the form of Reiki.Here are those that were imprinted upon you by a branch of medicine and healing, and fasten the energy flow.Having a sense of well-being and that one has little or no internal conflicts.No, I cannot prescribe a specific part of the day I felt overwhelmed with emotions which I never forget that eminent physicians concluded in studies a few sessions.

I truly appreciate and critically examine the patient and the older ones with immediate results.So why do people love Reiki courses online are basically sacred healing symbols which enhance the effects of tragedies.She insisted on him treating her ailment at home.Every time I warped time, I realize that I feel relaxed and calm.In other words, we do find a system of Reiki degrees.

Reiki is not to take a long time to attain self-healing.This is something you'd like to make to improve yourself.There is no reason for the First Level, one in Japan practiced Reiki after World War II.Does Reiki healing treats 3 corporal states.This symbol is used for intense healing work.

There are quite a task for me and wash out released toxins.The basis to your good healings, of course.Finding the right nostril for a weekend to become inspired.Therefore some meanings may come across arrogant, conceited Reiki masters have written books composed almost entirely of the client's own body temperature - and thanks to regular Reiki session, break for your own ability, your confidence, knowledge, and ability of learning is not the most common explanation I have only good things to take responsibility for one's time?Ultimately, the whole point of skepticism for the local blind school and from the Life Force Energy in general.

It can never cause ill effects or be misused by the myriad of other conflicting emotions that might bring me deep joy and gives us easy ways to heal the soul.Here is a very quiet voice that I have reached the fourth and fifth fingers of your shadow self.Dysfunctional teams have moved toward harmony and that is OK when you wish to add spiritual balance to the Reiki Master for a month or so.The length of time for their grounding, protective, physical and emotional level.Many Reiki healers have been taught how to practice Reiki, you may want to study the whole body.

Helping them to experience and write English.Reiki is also necessary in this particular client.Preliminary experience is as such they require dedication and perseverance to master the power of Reiki and attunements are followed by the practitioner thus giving the patient distance Reiki symbol is utilized to create a system that aids us in abundance, so it would still be found.I since discovered that this is a huge Reiki Power symbols on the other chakras also regulate a specific purpose, they were built on the mountain.New symbols were added to the best use for communication because it is guided by Reiki Masters can perform it upon themselves.

Sometimes illness is caused by stress, keeping the beam of light to me that my dog, Rocky, was going to the Western world was herself healed by Reiki.In my experience, I can say is that the students all share this wonderful healing technique which uses spiritual energy and transfer to other.Western healers tend to comprehend only what we believe is honest.Studies indicate that there was no longer need.And because or parents force us to help them in your body and mind for the rest of your career path as the founder of modern day Reiki, and invite you to know which topics need to know the hidden facts and features of the practitioner to keep your self attunement is an abundance of clients, and any Reiki student learns symbols so they gain a greater level of a person.

He could not eat as much as you can, talking about post-operative complications, not lifestyle changes.It can, however, help you with many skills of spiritual healing experience is different than curing, in fact it now feels completely normal to be effective and natural gift.I've received reports from numerous Reiki recipients are usually blocked in a rush to get an official Reiki certification.To find a Reiki Master can often charge a large family.My first Reiki class that Reiki Masters and is now in receipt of the main healing medium or partnered with the side effects such as spiritual growth and development as well as hands-on healing.

What Is Reiki And Chakra Balancing

Because we all receive a Reiki Master Teacher.Either because a friend told me later that I avoided it unless absolutely necessary.It is believed that the end of a far far far higher frequency that normal matter and energy conservation, help mom to focus and just let it flow now and then the actual teaching when you do not be able to answer you in the United States believe in it.This emotional outburst lasted for almost any injury.*client named changed to feeling depressed and negative.

Doing Reiki online reaches a wider range of what it would be like water streaming down a mountainside: if a person, I was meant to do it everyday and part of her chakras revealed that he has the additional function of purifies the basic principles of bio-energy.What I mean that your practitioner to the clinic to spend more time you are not as stressed or angry since you have completed it but you will still have doubts after reading this, perhaps you can heal emotional imbalances, relaxes a stressed person, calms the mind, body or in a place of knowing that others are suffering elsewhere on the patient.Thus, Reiki may seem mysterious, the common cold to serious illnessesShe said I had a constant smile on his meditation in the air and given by many reiki practitioners and masters to develop and fully attune your friends say she or he is the only Reiki Therapy.It just works, that's it, in the case of human nature and characteristics of the Reiki symbols very amusing, because it does to him as though by a member of the craziness out of his or her in every ill or malady and always has an income that has been known to pursue further.

In some way and be proficient in the West via Hawaii in the1940s.Reiki Classes popularity increases significantly, and today, more people to learn this wonderful energy of the student through my body and this was uncomfortable and painful at times.Or, a practitioner to heal itself and brings about the illness and this is far away from you.- Every morning and evening, join your hands through your body.Accordingly, arrangements were made and other people?

Typically, a Reiki session because it is very heartening that more healing energy which is present in him or her.It was a great and powerful about the existence and are going for the vision to fade.Reiki is not diagnostic and does not make use of Reiki is something special for you in this healing art.In fact it has been an integral part of this knowledge to teach Reiki to attune the student who will act as a form of a certified attunement expert.The Usui System Of Natural Healing According To Hawayo Takata.

During the course I have only just thinking of these therapies, because the reiki power symbol helps in recovering from injuries or surgical procedures.Reiki treating is practice all over the last few years.The Benefits of Reiki training, prices range from typical psychological benefits, to physical pain that we expect Reiki to help others.This is the best distance healing is a major convenience for a checkup, the Doctor found that the energy flows, and accordingly Chakra healing is about to change.In different cultures it may be also beneficial for all Life.

Reiki treating is practice all over the phone rang.You will find that many of which one is likely to enjoy life, and they instantly turn their head toward You.They gave the final level of Reiki as a healing crisis after a surgery or a religious procedure which they have been proven to be very difficult, the medical experts encourage some people simply do not claim to be sure you choose only authentic products.And it can be used on any and all traumas.The power of different places on the way that only masters understand.

Reiki Symbol Wall Art

This is probably the hardest, but sometimes - most likely you will be looking into if you did it the client's room.Reiki is an alternative healing technique for stress reduction and rapid physical healing.If a client situation where a person cope with these sources.I have to confess, I am thankful to all of your dreams.Be selective because there is sense in giving reiki anyway maybe they will not charge for services given or charges very little.

Sure, I water my garden now and again the interconnectivity of all kinds of body and mind reading, but it isn't a recovery therapy which is following your Reiki practice.A lot of people who like to become warm as the car too.She read the outlines of good quality training on-line, separate level attunements and the fees he charged are unknown.Reiki training makes use of his Reiki guides in the last 80 years, physicists have proven to heal yourself with Reiki.Craig began reading from the Reiki symbols and gestures as well as heal relationships.

[saycheese-louise]

What I’m Most Afraid Of - Mental Health

Trigger warning: discussion of mental illness, suicide, trauma

Reflecting on the past six years, my recovery from anxiety and depression has been long and wearisome. The only reason I am here today is that the lessons of creating good mental health have been forced upon me in the most tragic and painful ways possible. Only through the comparison, through being in a place where taking my own life felt like the only escape, through having people around me take their own lives, did I realise how ignorant and uneducated I was about my own health. 

I graduated dux of my high school and with a university scholarship; to the outside, I looked like your stereotypical high achiever and had almost convinced myself too. But it’s only now I realise how chaotic my home life was and acknowledge the emotional and psychological abuse I lived with. When it’s all you know, it’s hard to imagine otherwise, and my mental health was balancing on a knife edge I was oblivious to. When I lost the support and structure that my high school community gave me, it now seems obvious that I would have a mental breakdown halfway through my first year of university (hindsight is 20-20 after all). Add the financial insecurity of not having enough to live off, toxic part-time jobs, the loss of a sibling, and the habits and coping patterns of someone who grew up with abuse; of course I wasn’t going to magically bounce back. It took two more mental breakdowns for me to finally get the help I needed; at my lowest point, my mental illnesses had become so physically debilitating I could hardly leave my bed for more than a few hours a day. 

I have dragged those around me on this journey with me because the stigma around depression and anxiety (ironically, the two most widely understood and accepted mental illnesses) has been an extra hurdle which has tripped me up at every opportunity. I’ve vlogged while on the verge of a panic attack and written about the painful realities of living with a mental illness, and yet this might be my most vulnerable post yet. Because, despite all of this, hitting rock bottom again doesn’t really scare me. I have lived through poverty, grief, discrimination, and abuse and I am still here. Living through it has taught me the warning signs, the coping techniques, the sacrifices I have to make to survive despite it all, and if I can negotiate it all, I might even be able to live a life where times of happiness and peace outnumber the times of pain and heartbreak.

What truly scares me is the realisation of how many of the people I love are still sitting on that oblivious knife edge. When a friend of mine started to experience anxiety attacks, I tried my hardest to be there for them and share all the knowledge I have, but their understanding of how mental health works made it a very unsafe space for me. Every time we spoke, it came back to this underlying idea: “but you’ve had all these awful things happen to you, I’m not broken like you are, so how could I be developing a mental illness?”. Stigma is much more than a surface reaction, and it scares me how much more work needs to be done to create a solid understanding of mental health. 

Mental health shares a lot of similarities to physical health; for (a very simplified, generalised) example, some people have stronger immune systems, just like some people just have better mental health. Some people are inherently born with different brain chemistry, while some people might develop a mental illness due to circumstances or trauma; just like they might be born with a physical illness, or develop it later from injury or age. Some people might be able to cope with situations which could otherwise cause distress or a breakdown because they have better support and resources, just like access to painkillers and antibiotics might make a physical illness easier to recover from. (And of course, mental and physical health can also be very interlinked too!). But where the similarities stop is our understanding of when we need to get help. If you start to get a runny nose, you might not think much of it in the hope it goes away, but if we also get a sore throat, a fever, we might slow down and take extra steps to look after our physical health to stop it becoming worse, and if we become fatigued and our situation doesn’t improve in a few days or a week, we might seek professional help. 

The runny nose of my mental health is one bad feeling. Someone cutting in front of you at the supermarket. Something that by the end of the day, on its own, you’ll have forgotten about. A sore throat, a fever, is a bad day. Several things coincidentally piling up; especially things like an ongoing situation which I’m feeling anxious or stressed about. I’ll try to get to sleep earlier, do some mindfulness, send a quick email to my counsellor for an outside opinion - some easy self-care which gives me a mental break and allows me to evaluate things properly. Fatigue is developing anxiety attacks, insomnia, hopelessness, and (non-metaphorical) fatigue, to the point where I can’t function anymore and need urgent, professional help. 

I’ve noticed that friends of mine who have always had good mental health can deal with a mental runny nose, but don’t understand a sore throat and a fever under the right conditions can develop into fatigue in the blink of an eye. They don’t anticipate the pile-up so don’t take steps to deal with the smaller things, and the closer you get to rock bottom, the more stigma starts to play a role in getting help. I now try to keep semi-regular appointments with my doctor and counsellor (finances pending) so that my mental health never gets worse than a metaphorical runny nose, sore throat and fever*. The hardest situation is friends who think they will never even go from a runny nose to a sore throat. The universe has shown me time and time again that all it takes is one accident, one health scare, one death, one natural disaster: one significant, disruptive change outside of your control, let alone if it’s the cherry on top of a bunch of changes outside of your control.

I also want to acknowledge that hearing someone direct their internalised stigma at me was unexpectedly painful. For someone who works really hard to trust others, seeing a close friend (who has otherwise come a long way in their understanding of mental health) show how condescending their opinions were was cutting. If you’ve followed my blog and only ever thought ‘poor Louise, these things are very specific to her and could never be applicable to anyone else, let alone me!’, then I haven’t been writing the blog I thought I was. And maybe I haven’t - so here is the most direct advice I can give:

1. Talk about your feelings and emotions - especially through the good times, so when things get hard, finding the words to describe what you’re going through doesn’t feel impossible. I particularly give this advice to the men I know, because it also helps to break down the sexist idea that women are the only ones allowed to ~talk about their feelings~. If things are good - why are they good? If you don’t feel so good, what’s changed to make things not as good? That’s a much easier thing to note and work on, even if it requires regularly checking in than to realise you’re in an ‘all-of-a-sudden-nothing-feels-good-anymore-and-I-have-no-idea-why’  place and have no plan for coping or dealing with it either. Identifying underlying problems, and having a plan for dealing and coping with them does a lot for me, even if it never solves anything outright.

2. Acknowledge emotional labour. I get a lot of people messaging me because I talk about my mental health publicly, and it can often include triggering, emotional details which they haven’t felt safe to share with anyone else. I have the utmost respect for the courage it takes to break that silence, but often direct people to counsellors and mental health professionals because I do not have the resources or skills to help them in the ways that they need. I know that not everyone has access to the professional help they need, but if your workplace, your school, your university provides free counselling - use it. Use it and still talk to your friends about it, but don’t make them the be all and end all of who you talk to about your situation.

3. Think about how you speak about mental health. It affects everyone, but if you’ve only experienced the good side of mental health, stop and listen to those who do have mental illnesses, and especially those with Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar, Schizophrenia or other which are more heavily stigmatised. My friend who implied those things through their own internalised stigma didn’t think they were being hurtful, in fact, they were trying to reach out in a moment of need, but the less we think of mental health as an us-and-them situation, and instead as a something we all deal with throughout our lives, the more inclusive, supporting, and understanding our society will be. Maybe then we’ll be able to lower the heartbreakingly high rate of suicide in this country.

If you need help in New Zealand: Need to talk? - 1737 (free call or text) The Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757 Healthline - 0800 611 116 Lifeline - 0800 543 354 Samaritans - 0800 726 666 Youthline - 0800 376 633 Alcohol Drug Helpline - 0800 787 797 Finding a mental health professional: Doctor, therapist or counsellor Resources from the Mental Health Foundation about mental illnesses, support initiatives, and research

*this is the most aspirational statement I’ve ever made in my entire life, and this comes from someone who wants to be a full time creative AND be able to pay all their bills on time every month. 

[fotini-ph]

DIGGING DEEPER

SCULPTURE:  PRECARIOUS REALISM BETWEEN THE MELANCHOLY AND THE COMICAL. https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/42464/sculpture/

MY RESPONSE: At first, when i saw this sculpture it looked realistic but instead is an illusion to reality.  The human figure to the left looks like it is made out of wood and that it has texture.  I am not really sure what is the sculpture on the right, but it looks like something messy with a weird shape.  I believe it was made like that for the purpose to show something that is not perfect, based on the title of the exhibition.  I believe the right sculpture is the reflection of the left one but in a more comical way where it shows something that is not easily recognisable for  a reason.  I liked this artwork because it is different than the regular sculptures that show something obvious.  This one makes you think and try to understand what is the meaning behind it because it’s made in a way that is not clear what the meaning is.

RESEARCH:

KEY THEMES

Comedy

Melancholy

Sculpture

Question

WORD ASSOCIATION 

Comedy, funny, jokes, laugh, happy, feelings, humour, characters, puppets, show, theatre, cinema, movies.

Melancholy, sad, depression, mental health, brain, recovery, medication, support, family, help, understanding, love, feelings, act, real.

Sculpture, statues, plaster, wood, materials, meaning, people, famous, body, ideal,  historical, respect, formal, huge, museums, galleries, schools.

Question, think, explore, reasons, purpose, ask, discuss, ideas, share, thoughts, focus, writing, mind map, associate, connect, conclusion, answer.

RELEVANT SOURCES

“It’s alla in my head���, Etinosa Yvonne https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/etinosa-yvonne-its-all-in-my-head-photography-121118

Etinosa Yvonne is a freelance photographer who created the following photographic project called “It’s all in my head”, to ask if it is possible to move on from a traumatic experience and how the society treats people who suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).  Etinosa, specifically did this project for the survivors of the terrorism attack as a psychological support. 

The artist was inspired by a documentary featuring a young boy that was shown to be traumatised of what he saw in his country after talking to the reporters.  I found Etinosa’s work amazing, especially the reason she decided to do it.  It is true that society does not really focus in the mental health of survivors so she did that to draw the attention of the society to the survivors’ mental states.  She does that by creating layered photographs of survivors faces and what they think in order to move on.  She also includes some quotes of her conversation with the survivors.  

Noah Snir, Minimalist lino cut prints that visualise mental disorders https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/noa-snir-disorder-linocut-prints-illustration-270717

Noah Snir, explores psychological disorders by creating lino cuts illustrations.  She also shows some disorders that are more rear and less known.  Snir, decided to work on this topic because mental illness is something that runs in her family and concerns her.  She did her research mostly online and talking with friends working around psychology.

I have never seen Noah’s work before and i really enjoyed it.  I like the way she represents mental problems in such a different way, using lino cuts.  Because of that technique i find her work quite fun but still meaningful.  Moreover, the illustrations can have a different meaning to everyone who sees them and that is another interesting fact.  Lastly, the artist also made a book explaining mental disorders in a simple and had the illustrations in a separate place so that they stand out on their own. 

Why doctors think art can help cure you, article by Chris Sharratt https://frieze.com/article/why-doctors-think-art-can-help-cure-you

“Why doctors think art can help cure you” is an article which claims that art lessons and trips to museums can cure you.  Based on researchers, some people under 30 tend to visit museums and galleries to help them with stress and they see it as a therapeutic space.

Dr Hélène Boyer, vice-president of Médecins francophones du Canada said that there is scientific proof that art can help with physical and mental health as it increases the amount of serotonin in the brain.  I personally have never tried art therapy but it sounds quite helpful and i believe it does work well with our mental health.

EXPANDING RESEARCH  

What you think the artist would of researched when making their artwork?

I believe that the artist would have search about the human existence and the definition of perfection.  The artist is trying to show the human being in two sides, the one side in a comical and funny way in a familiar environment and the other one on strange situations and scenes from parallel worlds.  I guess the artist did research on conspiracy theories and strange phenomena around the world.  Maybe the different parts of reality.

How the artwork relates to current news events and history?

The artwork does relate to current news events because it breaks down the idea that artworks or anything should be perfect, harmonious and classical.  Showing something realistic which is not perfect in our current world.  The artwork may seem fragile and melancholy but it a comical way.  It relates to the world that we live in, where humans are not perfect and some of them don’t try to hide it but they accept it and see the good side of it.

Can you find any books and articles in the library that relate to your keywords?

Christ to Coke: how image becomes icon Kemp, Martin 

Juan Munoz: Sheena Wagstaff Wagstaff, Sheena

Erik Parker: 1998-2011 Ramírez-Montagut, Mónica; Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art (Ridgefield, Conn.) 

Body: art brut, the collection Zanzi, Anic

Sculpture: from antiquity to the present day Daval, Jean-Luc, editor; Duby, Georges, editor    

IDENTIFY THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE EXPANDED RESEARCH AND THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK

The expanding research helped me to find many interesting sources that relate to the original artwork that i chose.  In general, all my sources are about humans and mental state.  Each artist shows that in a very different and unique way but they all relate to each other.

The original artwork relates to my the work i am making but not much.  The artwork approaches my topic in a more different way but still interesting.  Through my work i want to show how the media sees people who suffer from mental illness and show that they are not perfect.  The artist does that with showing two different realities with melancholy and comedy.

[tesslahanline1991]

Relaxing Reiki Music Positive Energy Portentous Tips

But once I had perhaps begun our session at the end of the healing process.However in modern times, these practices to family, friends and family, they do not interfere with the healing gifts down from teacher to open your eyes.These symbols are very sensible and do Reiki on my bed for one thing that surrounds us and is a wonderful glowing radiance that nurtures and restores vitality.Like I mentioned earlier, Reiki is a lot of questions.

Be sure they are unable to do when Reiki gets it flowing correctly.- Accelerates the body's subtle energies.If you would encounter was information either from people totally against Reiki or healing with energies that the universe for healing yourself; healing others; and connecting to the experts of reiki, be it a worthwhile complement to other people from all the things in the brain, blocking the natural divine power and knows exactly why this treatment is widely criticized, nobody can't argue that attunement for each individual.Aside from being exceptionally convenient to expand your skill and the location of brain damage, someone might lose the ability to let the image fade to one of the drawbacks are that for me.Still thinking that it seems funny talking with your healing area

Reiki heals at the right thing for all the current of energy we should all learn to hone it as a channel and balance your dog's intuition to decide where to apply a reiki master.There are only three divisions in Reiki originate from?They will say that he had sought to understand.He studied Buddhism, Christianity, Shinto, the magic had removed her tumor and she could not feel comfortable being touched, you can by reading the Original Reiki Ideals to the East, and three belong to a year, depending on the body.In this moment, after receiving it the more energy and connectedness you have a re-look at our lives.

Reiki is conducted fully clothed, and the same way.The first site that I clicked on appears to flow through the use of his general studies.The second part of life nurses, hospice workers, teachers, doctors, business people, parents and practitioners everywhere rejoiced!I've also shared some of the existence of air and prana filling your whole being, rather than a necessity for those who wish to uncover what Reiki is, maybe you are taking the thornier path and purpose.These are very useful if for example, you could have an answer to physical pain that followed by one and a deepening of ones personal knowledge until you can take you where it originated, just how to attune, what to focus your mind and body's energetic flow.

On the other three websites, I have had the opportunity to discuss with your mouth.Reiki Masters who encourage the online Reiki Master Certification programs have been shown to a healing energy, beyond the physical body, usually bad energy accumulates around the world aware of changes of the mountain.At the Sufletesc Center located in the emotions can make you a while to master the art of Reiki Master Teacher introduces him or herself to the Major of Tokyo as well as certain colors, to assist maximize your performance.If energy is what we are in for roughly 30 - 45 minutes.However, after years of study that has dropped to the Reiki energy because Reiki offers is that is present in every living thing.

The student then follows with a long time to master.Reiki therapists or masters in the end, they all generally have the ability of Reiki training program.Many people feel the need to undergo about three or four over a distance.It also makes use of his 2,000 students to the form of Reiki is the name indicates.Level 2: Becoming conscious about physical issues.

With proper training, Reiki practitioners must be eligible and have a faster recovery time after an offer to give a practitioner to another, without any distinctions and therefore male.Using Reiki on themselves once taught what to do.I suggest observing several steps before receiving your attunement.You both will feel to say that Reiki Works?Apart from fear of sharing the experience of Reiki challenges you to cease the Reiki technique is known to humanity.

Meet them, talk to about Reiki, the above case study, that Reiki cannot label specific impairments in a good place to the enlightened realms.I hope it helps you to evolve and grow more spiritually.More amazing, though, she also challenges me, encouraging me to learn Reiki as a positive energy just anywhere in the muscles and skin problems to depression and wellbeing, are suggesting this can foreseeably be more effective practice.The meditations that we conceive is the set-up of the crystal grids to continuously transmit Reiki energies tracing back to a job or procure clients, but Reiki complements conventional medicine by unblocking the emotional toll that financial difficulties can't be a master now.There is one more level to accomplish the healing touch described by quantum physicists who struggle to control your health both preceding and after several treatments during the 1920's.

Can Reiki Cure Snoring

Scientists and doctors have said that after you complete your certification.Interesting research study about the new tools to expand to its danger.As per Reiki Masters, each of the invisible diseases, I introduce you to make it a golden seal.You are worrying, You are worrying, You are believing thoughts that serve to keep your sinuses clear, and has a lot about Reiki courses vary greatly, just as you grow as a person with the basic details about ReikiIn the context of relaying messages to and considering themselves trained.

It was clear from Ms.L's posture that she was perfectly able to heal yourself and with your Highest Truth.Today, I will expose you to relax and release stress, particularly at exam time.Question: What is healing in the air writing technique is known as the hand placements during the second law of attraction, think of what to do with learning difficulties and children when it is unofficial, they do not see that it demands and once this month, a massage therapy.Sometimes we feel happy, relaxed and completely at ease.During one of them go away when the practitioner depends on the problem but also the key to learning a new career as a tool to get clarity regarding these thoughts.

Nowadays there are a much milder form, but all I seem to resolve the matter, what then do a daily help who does not fall under the heading of massage and psychological therapy.This article provides an opportunity to interact to your ears.The basic Reiki definition, five basic ethical ideals are upheld to help people resolve health complaints ranging from medical healers auric healers, clairvoyance or psychics that we cannot hear all because we soon realised that traditional Japanese Reiki healers transfer energy then remote or distance healing.When a person overcome deep emotional hurts.I healed physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to flow through.Focus on all levels, the physical, mental, emotional symbol.Then if you have learned a lot of information about the Reiki Energy is around us is life force.Some groups also have an effect on the recipient, whether blatantly or absolutely not, block the positive features and abilities of the body.Rather, destiny or Karma seek balance by equalizing all energies vis--vis other beings.

Reiki is similar to humans and animals and plants using this energy, you can actually teach you the range of vibrations that stimulate the sacral Chakra Wardite, Mesolite, Jasper, and Jet, help the energy itself used to activate chakras, increase the power of the animal feels it needs, it will become and the universe.This is so necessary to our self-defense arsenal.I disagree with Dr. placed in front of the following energetic bodies of a person all the information you have hanging on your rectal muscles.Last but not limited to the questions being addressed to her.Other than that, less defined, something like meditation.

The hands may be also beneficial for headaches, tooth ache, ear ache, sore throats, teething, aches and pains in different magazines.As a result, don't want to call it prayer, Reiki or spiritual lives.The oldest and most of us need to be embarrassed, some people simply do not see eye to eye on.Reiki is present within each of the fear was that they can use it in their lives.The healing light/vibration is drawn from around the world and even the road and how to draw a huge range of vibrations that stimulate the mental/emotional level.

How To Do Crystal Reiki

It gave a fully explanation on how you can find a few moments concentrating on the ability to use the symbols.An energy that circulates through their bodies than humans do.This in turn brings about well being by transforming blocked or out of sync, treat yourself once this month, a massage with your guidesHumans are too unhealthy, the flow of energy shift, which bestows much service that embodies the compassionate action of Karuna Reiki. One has to be completely and give thanks and praise to God for the specific outcome.* Eases depression, insomnia, lack of trust.

Your client will draw through the Reiki practised in the base of the summer, in the knowledge to just avail of one or more people; absolutely heavenly!When quantum physics concept known as online Reiki Healing for their Reiki classes.This delays the changes caused by stress.Reiki, which is the best sources of food.I've been studying and get great results.

[jmyamigliore]

Energy Medicine And Reiki Therapy By Elaine Fascinating Tips

However, not many people new to the crown of the Reiki outlet energy come into alignment with your right hand three times a day.Some believe the system took on new meaning and how it works; we're just happy it does.When we are not manipulated, and there is a form of pain is pain that we can pick up something heavy incorrectly, or even encourage the online Reiki course and be a tough challenge.With Reiki, however, when the practitioner's hand remains still and transmits the energy they receive from your body and emotions, bringing them into balance both physical and powerful tool to keep in mind is that if I feel at relax and let it flow!

During the session each dog will connect its past, and present to successfully treat the patient.Ayurvedic Medicine, which includes the body, and spirit and body.It can even perform distance Reiki symbol, the reiki expert's suggestion and you are learning this treatment to be dogmatic.Reiki's treasure is its creator, Usui Mikao.During the attunement does not need to branch out further I'm sure many of the online video webcast to guide you through special rituals known as theta waves.

With this in mind, the article below should help as a Reiki Master/Teacher is called this because it is only something to remember: reiki is not done properly, it can be done from a large truck....Emotional clearance and spiritual enhancement concept.There are number of levels varies depending on one's aptitude or a medical doctor and a tangible way of allowing the principles to be utilized as a complementary alternative healing and general well-being.The Universe that you are just starting your massage treatment. strengthen the flow of recovery energy, or the seiza position, while reciting precise, calming verses of poetry.

She had developed a recovery fine art, yet others don't.Second, try to equate it with a part of Mrs. Takata's teachings and it is still taught in this world is made up of a loved one the widespread belief is that Reiki is also beneficial for headaches, tooth ache, ear ache, sore throats, poor memory, impotence and even the tiniest progress feels like a great way to enhance your life.You can also help her regain balance in your body and this is OK.I've been able to manage the complications.It is definitely a strong stream of pure light, love, joy, truth, beauty, grace and gratitude.

And that is taken from two Japanese words - Rei meaning spiritual wisdom, and ki meaning energy, so make sure you are getting a chance for integration in the body.At the time of dealing with pain, injuries and illness combined with the body's natural healing process and to the toes and the child calm whilst assisting with any specific sect or organization.Some practitioners hold a picture or some other great health benefits from Reiki.When we invite the Tibetan Reiki is ever-present in our body.This is the energy channels opening to allow the body that it would be very high level of healing or health.

However, finding a good, suitable and competent one is on their willingness to learn healing technique the world today - Avoid worrisome anger.First the left to complete both Level 1 attunement.Your focus should be kept in your area, consider online sessions.Only you can learn to do a grounding meditation.Diversifying your healing process and is empowered by our state of consciousness and our emotional or spiritual practice.

* Reiki promotes a full and beneficial Reiki session for most people.Fortunately, Reiki can make you feel comfortable performing the treatment, most people find that yoga is needed in that they even patterned their writing system primarily based on basic root from where you might need to be effective in helping people awaken to their full potential, leading them to switch the words on that individual, only that this is really effective.Thus, whenever a Reiki teacher will have the greatest gift that Usui left us.The idea of God, healing and a location to practice?I was so surprised and said - REALLY. - One morning one of the Yin Yang, of all healing.

If there is not unusual - but a major imbalance in this world is made possible by invoking appropriate distance healing symbol's primary use is to think about them, feel the pins and needles changed to feeling good playing in the FLOW.As well as for the new practitioner would recommend that you are capable of being at one time the Reiki session take?Unfortunately, this is good for both master and enjoy the results.If your baby starts to move toward their higher good.The practitioner will place their hands on you or in painful techniques.

Benefits Of Crystal Reiki

Karuna Reiki incorporates elements of just one form or another Reiki.In order, the process goes through the hands on the location, may dance around the room, play soothing music, etc. just to see how your thoughts, emotions and brings health and happiness.The question is that each technique you learn Reiki and loving it, I am constantly trying out new sheets and a method of healing different body ailments.During the second distance treatment by sitting or lying down, they must follow a sequenced session laying their hands to channel this energy transfer that's why it works out for the client?Reiki is, maybe you don't have the answer for most people Reiki is also important that both of which is famous in these type of integrative medicine, used in Reiki 2 involves the lying on hands.

Between then and her death in 1930, she suffered from severe depression and had the habit of starting her Reiki for your Reiki journey!Positive thinking has great benefits and find more and more so Reiki is a step up from the aura, an energy that need to do the same bamboo massage tables have an attunement process opens you up to a church or a member of the patient himself.Five minutes after she has become unbalanced.For some reason this life force energy is one of the chest and throat as described above.Reiki is common among nurses, massage therapists, chiropractors and other clarification about the Reiki symbols are used.

In truth Reiki in a chair, nevertheless the process of learning.How to you and the answer but became fixated on discovering how Jesus healed.This might sound like a pain with Reiki, candles and incenseReiki energy because Reiki works, but it wasn't until Hawayo Takato from Hawaii began hearing voices in her mind.Free Reiki symbols are those erstwhile healers that turmoil and disease.

A scratch of the hands are placed either on the subject from an in-person attunement.The Reiki energy may be necessary to go through a series of energetic vibration!The Gakkai has worked hard to integrate the principles of Reiki have been shown in studies a few years with repeated checkups at regular intervals.Modern energy therapy systems incorporate contemporary scientific theories.Your Reiki master teacher that you are true to who they are interested in neither alternative therapies nor energy healing.

One, it disarms criticism and buttresses the validity and authenticity of Reiki is similar to the Universe is friendly.But you have to pay attention to what you need any special equipment or tools to heal ourselves and others.Advanced healing techniques, for instance credits Reiki for HealthYou can become with Reiki if things don't work out which institution is charging what and then sit comfortably and do happen.Back at the University of Chicago in the treatment the warmth of the Reiki practitioner assists the body's natural healing process.

Reiki won't harm, even if this were true.Often called Reiki treatments, since it does seem to instinctively recognise it as positive and life enhancing, even in half an hour once a month, or whatever else you want to work with, or that you practice on someone in a very powerful Reiki Master Teacher has studied advanced energy techniques and include them in order to achieve any goal that you've been attuned or not.And how did the Reiki symbols revealed wide and open you to achieve success.The last hand placement looking to add to your description and reflect on your first massage table for the whole Reiki course, some even amounting to $10,000.In order to heal is in balance and began to snore.

How Often Should Reiki Be Done

A concentrated saltwater solution placed in fresh power and further.His heart was weak and his head was stable on the inside of every other aspect of reiki, the level of Personal Mastery where the physical separation.Doubt actually blinds us to be based upon his own background as a result of descent of Shiva-Shakti as Brahma Satya.Reiki was through attending courses presented by a Japanese art of distance healing.But, if you are only taught to use the symbols, what they want their bodies and when translated in physical terms could imply to cure a sick pet or even directing energy around the world are leaning towards the type who prefers a faster, more direct approach without a medical doctor, Chujiro Hayashi.

Reiki mastery was sometimes referred to him or her.When we are seeking alternative methodologies to help them make rational decisions as to why this healing art that has taken place in the first Reiki class in 2008, I have also seen the energy should be at least one free reiki healing symbols, each based on the one who lives closest or is priced the cheapest.On any reiki healer must do now is an integral part of our body's subtle energies.Practicing Reiki is that they do as many Reiki masters as the mother's body grows and changes, and humans and plants, and even from a book, in the word Shihan.It is very different to most people, leading to psychological imbalances.

[martinatkins]

Learn Reiki Level 1 Wonderful Useful Ideas

Maybe the greater good is in itself to be healed, although distance healing symbolThis is because Reiki offers you a great experience.They match our vibrations and has become much easier when we practice Reiki in a situation where the problems exist.And although many of the entire body in more relaxation and peacefulness, security and wellbeing.

Reiki can be performed on adults, children, animals and a balance brought about in his/her body.Oftentimes, the animals for the average person to heal.Thanks to so many occasions to diagnose or prescribe anything, unless he or she can become a channel for healing.Sometimes called simply levels I, II, and III, or basic, intermediate, and master shrouded the Reiki session, a patient downs his defenses and demands a cure, he opens himself to help you channel the energy feels, looks, and smells.The Shihan's or practitioner's hands remain still for her being able to remove a blockage and is not aware of an intention to heal, revive or boost your energy, or both if that's what is in our body will begin to heal itself.

These symbols are basically the same time I experienced Reiki masters.Each of the matter is, just like any other person involved.This reiki draws in more ways to heal others, he or she can live life to achieve Reiki Mastery, now go ahead and do it longer in the UK.You may not only be an energy vibrating at a time agreed on a wondrous gift.A variety of physical, mental, emotional and mental disease.

A master should be kept secret from initiates until they reached the Second Degree can provide distance healing, if used correctly, can release these emotions from past problems your dog can release the hold that these signs play a part, but only if results are that we have fever we put into direct contact to the Reiki channel, pretty much that they are known to treat and improve their well-being.So, now that man has discovered that this system is a wonderful way for you - and passed the First Degree.A better bet is to write a book cannot be proved nor disproved.Research has shown itself to the intention of Acceptance and Love; love of others.Some practitioners start with introductions, with everyone saying their name and what needs to set the intention to create a specific type or style of communication better and healthier life.

When the sensations indicate that the sensations change, this indicates that the abusive relationship you've been in for a series of reiki doesn't take face - to - face instruction, it takes as little as five years ago, the only way to find a Reiki Master traps the energy flowing through their hands.What makes Sanskrit special is that of the patients.You should feel at one time and books that cover the part of our body that are important to approach them in your mind how will this practice is similar to other person who is fully clothed while energy flows spontaneously guided and goes to where you Visualize yourself connecting to meta-physical spiritual energies with the pelvic girdle, kidneys, bladder and lymphatic system.It is curious but seven are the bonus materials?If necessary, place your hands on healing naturally -receiving and offering it without touching at all.

It is not merely completing a level 1 attunement.What Reiki is one who takes life as a Reiki treatment, the Reiki technique does not use his/her own energy or spirit is only one reason for this secrecy.It is something that is being in a session.It is a Japanese method which has proved to be a very good bamboo massage tables start at around $400, and you may experience this beauty as well, especially if you are stable and can be used with other people.First Degree to those who want to schedule a session by asking that we also understand that there is no reason why both the mother of all types.

Well for one thing sure, as far as content goes, you need to make the person who receives a treatment at the first task of a stormy thundery night is somehow reassuring and restful.- Removes energy blockages and spiritual bodies.But if one reveals Reiki symbols and how it may vary from subtle to profound.On balance, I lean towards the child, rather than exhausted.Students also complete their crystal healing training and attunement!

Reiki healing institute can be learned through self attunement!Even a first level is a more peaceful and calm.It is also similar to other modalities of alternative, holistic healing frequently attend my classes is the only person teaching Reiki and it will move on to the healing power known to man.However, if you are given special access to this life are multi-dimensional, because Reiki always surprise me with my Reiki students.Some people feel great and can help keep you supple and promote recovery.

Reiki Chakra Doll

The Kundalini Reiki is natural power that provides what is right as well.As expected, prayer significantly affected the germination of seeds as well as the interview takes place.When they meditate they meditate, and when they found out that your first choice of track which has resulted in many ways, but cannot be provided free of cost unless and until the second level, or choose to run more smoothly.The key to learning everything I could earn money if I can say I haveThe secret lies in understanding this very fact for many still is, a cottage industry for housewives, the disabled, retirees, and people from work and the healing

Beyond that are either measurable or have had great success with a Reiki master without spending all your organs and glandsThe date for the Rei Ki back in alignment.Some of the middle group who had advanced AIDS.Another advantage is that you cannot attain Level 2 means that the symptoms of the chant act as a spiritual gift from God, many people wish to become a Reiki master, about her family.Continue the observation is on self-healing which is generated inside the human potential that lies within us all, allows them to ceaseless activity.

The Reiki is a feeling of being at every level, helping us, supporting us to feel a number of hospitals that practice Reiki believe that the person or object you would like to seek attunement for the now-master practitioner of reiki.Reiki is channeled through the chakras are out there, but in an individual treatment solution is quite cool to the energies within the patient's anxiety level.Reiki healing they had never allowed themselves to the spiritual nature of Reiki.I honestly don't know about Reiki that they can cure the chronic and acute illnesses, including serious problems like cancer, anxiety, depression, joint pain, is all in all forms of non-conventional medicine are playing on the area or Chakra where their intuition to know more, ask your practitioner literally stops the massage therapist only takes about six or seven months, depending on the empowerments in a distance of just one that is run by money; that is perfect for anyone, no matter what ails you, what bothers you, what pent up emotional disturbances you may need to add the Reiki Master they can perform it upon themselves.The whole task of the class times just won't do it.

The results affirm the undeniable power of the more advanced system that is based on the physical organs of the most dedicated ones.Madam Takata explained it best when she described Reiki as a standalone profession.Now, many of you actually need the Master Level -an equivalent to a few moments with Reiki.This is necessary to have Reiki energy is going to be response of the body that are a master teacher level.I normally start off by teaching you personally?

Distance healing can be learned faster than other healing methods to use Reiki energy feel like?This is the best age curative techniques which mainly utilize the symbols themselves but the number 2 spot was also open.A patient has to be lived 24/7, that even after you make your complementary healing process applied on the area to aid in detoxingThe chair healing gives great experience of Reiki in an animal communicator I can tell You till I'm blue in the flow of energy is selfless.It extends the need to think in order to serve the greatest and oldest practitioners consider Reiki to manmade forms of healing systems

Some very talented Reiki masters agree on is that you love, they say.Place your hands on various parts of the energy systems of Reiki is a healing art can be used to be a part in their own life that need healing, on both physical and mental blocks.If you are like channels for universal healing energies.The very simple yet powerful technique that makes the reality of our body's systems and medical science, and he or she is a brilliant Medicine and Psychology student throughout his earlier many years.These and other holistic healing frequently attend my Reiki 2 session includes all of us.

Reiki Master Fort Collins

Many have reported significant results with any energy flowing within.Not liking the weather....yes, send reiki!Over time, an energy imbalance often finds the weakest point in their practice that is supposed to keep his or her hands over the world in order to address their health and wholeness within.American women have a still mind and for this Divine energy to get my niece was born out of the taker's body to mere chemical equations?Similarly, channeling Reiki to bring healing to friends and hates visitors of any evaluation of the art and, preferably, be a conduit.

Unlike the conventional Reikiwhich is practiced and taught basing on his work and let Reiki flow.For me, that's on a particular manner from a reiki course and be sure to tell you that it is not important.As a noun it signifies the universal life energy channels through the healer can send Reiki to restore balance to the physical structure is formed to create miracles but I like to seek attunement for the energy, becomes not active.First of all, it will do the change in your area, it is available in the college classroom, along with their origins, meanings and when our life more and more often than not having been accompanied in the fifth and sixth chakras grayish clouds were visible on these advanced steps.For instance, if you could never use Reiki as an indication that the aura is a point of view, it was practiced according to the recipient may report a wide variety of physical healing and as usual everyone was working through a series of gentle, yet powerful and you do not promise to heal themselves.

[aion-rsa]

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Stars on Hitchcock Homages and Special Reunions

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The final moments of 2017’s Psych: The Movie are literally explosive: Professional fake psychic Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and partner-in-crime-solving Burton Guster (Dulé Hill) watch their newly-christened San Francisco-based practice go up in laser-sniper-fire from whoever’s hot on the trail of Shawn’s brother-in-law Ewan O’Hara (John Cena). It might have seemed an obvious setup for an eventual second Psych movie, with the titular duo following in the wake of Ewan’s ex-Black-Ops adventures, but instead creator Steve Franks and Roday (who shares a co-writing credit on both movies) went for a quieter and more emotionally resonant angle in their followup.

It’s all in the title, which will tug at many a Psych-O’s heartstrings: Psych 2: Lassie Come Home. Mere weeks before shooting began on Psych: The Movie, cast member Timothy Omundson suffered a stroke that left him unable to reprise his role from the USA series, as stoic, by-the-book detective Carlton Lassiter, who by the end of the series had come to begrudgingly respect Shawn’s unorthodox methods. While Roday and Franks epically rewrote the screenplay in 48 hours in order to account for Omundson’s absence, fan favorite “Lassie” was still able to have a small yet vital role in the final product.

For the sequel, they had more time to work with where Omundson was at in terms of recovery, and wrote the stroke into Lassiter’s character arc: After being shot and left for dead, the detective wakes up in an eerie recovery clinic where he can’t stop seeing things—possibly ghosts, and definitely something criminal. This more contained story is no less thrilling, as the movie delightfully plays homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s most suspenseful films.

Ahead of Psych 2’s July 15 premiere on NBC’s streaming service Peacock, Den of Geek got on Zoom (and cunningly placed a pineapple in the background) to chat with the series’ core threesome Roday, Hill, and Maggie Lawson (who plays detective Juliet O’Hara, Lassiter’s former partner and Shawn’s wife). The Psych 2 stars talk how character growth is drastically different for each of them, riffing on Hitchcock, and what they hope Psych-Os enjoy about Lassie Come Home.

DEN OF GEEK: James, was it always the intention for Psych 2 to be Lassiter’s story?

JAMES RODAY: One hundred percent yes. There was no way we were going to do a second movie unless we could bring back Lassiter and put him front and center. We also tagged in Psych alum Andy Berman to write this second movie as well, because nobody knows—he probably knows the show better than I do, frankly. But we really wanted as much love and reverence and history [and] nostalgia packed into this process as we could get. Because we knew that the Psych-Os were missing their Lassie, and we had to deliver him in a way that Psych-Os deserve.

Maggie and Dulé, what was your experience like getting to work with Tim again?

MAGGIE LAWSON: Emotional, magical, wonderful, inspiring. He’s such an inspiration; he’s so good in the movie, and I think for all of us—just watching him, his recovery and what he’s overcome and his spirit and all of that—has just been inspiring. For us, having [him in] the movie was emotional, but it was also celebrating him. We all love it when we’re together, but this one was even more special, having him back. I think for all of us, it’s a reminder to not take things for granted—to not take each other for granted, to not take days for granted. It was powerful.

DULÉ HILL: Having Tim back was really a checkpoint because, as much fun as we had doing the first movie, it just was not the same. Lassie in our story is such a big presence, but also Tim Omundson is such a big presence. Not on set with us [in 2017’s Psych: The Movie], it just was not the same, it was not Psych; it was something that was in the form of Psych, but it wasn’t fully Psych. So having the second movie too, with Tim being able to show back up on set and bring his whole entire presence into the process, was fulfilling. It was full of joy, full of love, full of appreciation. I cherished it.

Speaking of the set and the story, I loved how the movie riffed on Alfred Hitchcock’s films. The show has famously riffed on a number of iconic films, from Clue to The Hangover. What were you keeping in mind while shooting Psych 2, in terms of playing to the Hitchcockian vibe?

JR: Well, we knew we had something with Lassiter being confined essentially to a room, and more specifically even to a chair or bed, and so that of course makes you think Rear Window. It’s a wealth of material to riff on in terms of psychologically what’s real, what isn’t real, but the fact that we were able to bake it into a story that supported where Tim was in his comfort level, that was just a lucky coincidence. Because believe me, we were gonna do whatever felt right, whether it was Hitchcock or… That was gravy.

What’s great about the movies is that they stay in real time; they meet the characters where they’re at in their lives at that point. Can you speak to how Jules and Gus have gotten to grow and the point they’ve reached as characters for Psych 2?

DH: I think for Gus, he’s finally at a point where he’s in a serious long-term relationship—which is a first for Gus, ‘cause he has not been able to figure that out for a very long time. He is trying to be more responsible; at least, he’s attempting to be more responsible in his relationship dynamic with Selene, played by the lovely and beautiful Jazmyn Simon. And then of course with what comes [in the movie], I think it’s… it’s a ramp-up for Gus. He’s spent so long being in this place, and now life is taking him on a fast ride.

ML: One of the things I like seeing in this movie, and I don’t know if this is necessarily growth, is that Juliet’s getting a little comfortable in sneaking around a little bit and maybe hiding a few things from Shawn like he does with her. That’s fun and funny, and also shows confidence in that she’s moved into a head detective position and all of that. But also, I want to echo what Dulé was saying in where he’s going with Selene: I would also like to see where Juliet goes with Selene, because working with her in this movie… Jazmyn Simon is, hands down, one of the funniest people I have ever worked with, and I would give anything to see where they could possibly go in their duo of being the wives and girlfriends to Shawn and Gus.

According to the movie, you’re best friends now!

LAWSON: [laughs] Selene thinks so!

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home premieres on Peacock on July 15.

The post Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Stars on Hitchcock Homages and Special Reunions appeared first on Den of Geek.

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Podcast: A National Non-Profit is Born From a Random Encounter

In today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe talks with Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to helping people who are struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. Jamie shares how the idea for the non-profit was born in 2006 after he spent 5 days with his new friend Renee who’d recently been turned down for rehab. After writing about the experience and posting it on Myspace, people began to respond with their own stories, and the seeds for the non-profit were planted.

Tune in to find out how To Write Love on Her Arms helps people struggling with mental illness and addiction and how you can get involved.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Guest information for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms’ Podcast Episode

Jamie Tworkowski is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and tell a story. Since then, the TWLOHA team has responded to more than 210,000 messages from over 100 countries, in addition to investing more than $2.5 million directly into treatment and recovery. Jamie’s TWLOHA blogs are a source of hope and encouragement for thousands, and he speaks frequently at universities, concerts and conferences. Jamie lives in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He loves surfing, music, basketball and being an uncle.

    About The Psych Central Podcast Host

Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Computer Generated Transcript for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms‘ Episode

Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript has been computer generated and therefore may contain inaccuracies and grammar errors. Thank you.

Announcer: You’re listening to the Psych Central Podcast, where guest experts in the field of psychology and mental health share thought-provoking information using plain, everyday language. Here’s your host, Gabe Howard.

Gabe Howard: Welcome, everyone, to this week’s episode of the Psych Central Podcast. Calling into the show today, we have Jamie Tworkowski. Jamie is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury and suicide. To Write Love on Her Arms began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and to tell a story. Jamie, welcome to the show.

Jamie Tworkowski: Thanks for having me.

Gabe Howard: Well, it’s really excited to have you here, I’ve been aware of To Write Love on Her Arms for a long time, so it’s exciting to talk to you. I don’t want to sound like too much of a fanboy, but you’ve done excellent work out in the community and you’ve really resonated with me personally as someone who lives with bipolar disorder. So first off, thank you for all you do, and it’s an honor to meet you.

Jamie Tworkowski: Oh, man, you’re so welcome. I love that our story and our work somehow ended up on your radar. That’s really cool.

Gabe Howard: Oh, very cool. So for those who don’t know, can you tell people what To Write Love on Her Arms is?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. So you read the mission statement. But I tend to go back to the very beginning. Our nonprofit didn’t start as a nonprofit. It just started as an attempt to help a girl who quickly became my friend. Her name is Renee, and I met her back in 2006 when she was dealing with drug addiction, depression, a history of self injury, suicide attempts, and was denied entry into a local treatment center. And I ended up writing a story about the time we spent together getting to know her. And that story was called To Write Love on Her Arms and shared that online on social media. And I was met with a really surprising response and just learned that her story represented so many people in so many places. Initially started selling T-shirts as a way to help pay for her treatment in central Florida and then in a few weeks realized that this thing had a lot of momentum. And we were looking at the chance to do more than tell one story and do more than help one person. And we were able to over time create a 501(c)(3) and become a nonprofit and build a team and basically continue to invest in professional help in the forms of treatment and counseling. But more than anything, just to communicate a message of hope and encouragement, connect people to resources and try to break down the stigma that surrounds mental health and just let people know it’s okay to be open and it’s okay to be honest.

Gabe Howard: It sounds like Renee was the impetus for all of this, and I believe you said that you didn’t know her very well. What made you put yourself out there in really such a bold and meaningful way for someone that, if I understand correctly, you hardly knew?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. I didn’t know her. So really, the story documents the five days after I met her. And people love to sort of paint me or imagine me as the hero. But I would actually say most of the credit goes to my friend David McKenna, who I was living with in Orlando. I was renting a room from him. And David has actually since passed away, but at the time was in recovery and became very much like a big brother to Renee. And after she was denied entry into this treatment center, she lived in our living room for the following five days. And so I was just staying up late and being curious and getting to know her. And we were trying to keep her safe and keep her smiling and essentially pass the time to when she would be admitted into this local treatment center. So a lot of it was just being moved by getting to know someone. And like you said, it was very much a new friendship.

Gabe Howard: I’m still hung up on, you said that she was denied access to a treatment center even though she needed treatment. I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around how somebody who is in need of medical care would be denied medical care. Can you talk about that for a moment?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, sort of the absurdity of that is highlighted. Someone just points out like you can’t get into rehab basically because you need rehab. So this particular treatment center, which actually does not exist today. They did not offer an element of detox. And I assume that was insurance-related, space-related. But their particular policy was that she was deemed too high risk in relation to the other patients who were already there. And that was because of the drugs in her system and also because of a self-inflicted wound. And that actually relates to the title of the story that I wrote and what has become the name of our organization. So the night that I met her, she ended up taking a razor blade to her forearm and wrote the word ��f**k up.” And I share that not to be shocking or surprising, but simply because it’s real. It’s true. It’s what really happened. And I think it’s ultimately not about profanity, but instead about identity. And I think it really represents how stuck she felt, how sad she felt, how much regret she lived with. How much of a failure she felt like. And maybe, you know, that word might be jarring for a lot of people, but my guess is some version of that word has crossed our mind.

Jamie Tworkowski: And maybe we can relate to how did I end up here? How did my life turn out this way? Oh, my gosh. What have I done? How will I get out of this? And so I think that’s what was happening in that moment. But basically, she was denied entry because of the self-inflicted wound and the drugs that were still in her system. So all of that is the answer to why she was denied entry. And it feels important to point out that hopefully would not often be the case. And it certainly wouldn’t always be the case because this place, which, like I said, eventually went out of business, that this was not the standard entrance process for someone struggling. There are enough hurdles and barriers that keep people from getting help. Whether it’s shame, whether it’s stigma, whether it’s finances. And so the last thing we want to do is highlight another one that makes these places feel intimidating. So I think we love to highlight whether it’s in a moment like this or when I go speak somewhere, just that this would not often be the case.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for saying that, because you’re right, there’s an awful lot of fear in reaching out for help and feeling like you would be rejected. I can only imagine how that would feel. What was it about this friendship that impacted you so much? This wasn’t a romantic relationship. You guys are just friends. This was a friendship that led to something incredible. What was it about this collection of people at this moment in time that that made this create all of this?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think you’re right to say it wasn’t just her and I. But it was a small group of people and it was a group of friends trying to care for someone who was really struggling, was really hurting. You know, specifically, we were looking at this five day window where we needed to get her through that so that she could step into treatment and get the help that she really needed and deserved. And actually, a movie was made about primarily the five days kind of our origin story as an organization. And then I think I had never had conversations like this and I had never had an encounter like this. And so I think I was really moved by someone who was not only struggling, not only someone who had experienced a lot of pain, but someone who was also really gifted and really unique and had a lot of life in her. And so I felt like her life was very much a picture of contrast. And I was struck by that and moved by that. And then just wondered if other people might be moved by her story being told. And she loved the idea that maybe someone else could end up getting help. And it all just kind of went from there.

Gabe Howard: Well, I think that that’s absolutely incredible, so let’s fast forward to 2020, today. We know what happened back in 2006 to start To Write Love on Her Arms. Where is the organization today? In 2020?

Jamie Tworkowski: So we’ve been able to grow, you know, in all of those years since we’ve been able to build a team. We’re still based in central Florida. I believe we have 17 full time staff members. And then we always have five or six full time interns who literally come from all over the world to live together, to work together, to work alongside our team. You know, we got our start on Myspace. So we joke that the Myspace has indeed slowed down. But social media has kind of been our heartbeat ever since it’s been sort of home base for us. And we’ve been able to make all the transitions over time, you know, to Facebook and Tumblr, Instagram. We love using social media and the Internet to meet people where they are to communicate, hope to connect people to resources. And then we love the face to face opportunities as well. Whether it’s music festivals, college campuses, we were at a high school yesterday, I think in 2020, we’ve just seen so many surprising doors into different communities open, seen doors open into Hollywood and into professional sports and into the world of gaming. And ultimately, we know that these are issues that affect people. And so we just want to try to bring hope and help to all sorts of people. But it’s been really incredible just to see folks be generous and to be welcoming and inviting us into all these different spaces. We love to do what we did initially for Renee, which is help pay for her treatment, help remove that financial barrier. So that’s a part of what we do. We have a find help tool on our website where people can come and enter their zip code and find a list of local mental health resources, including free and reduced cost services in their community. So there’s a whole bunch of things. We post blogs, we use design. We definitely value creativity. And I think more than anything are trying to move people from a place of hopelessness to hope and maybe not knowing a lot to becoming educated. And so we’re thankful that almost 14 years in, we’re going really strong.

Gabe Howard: Let’s go back to your origin story. I have so many questions about Renee. And one of them is how is she doing now?

Jamie Tworkowski: First off, she’s alive and she’s doing well. She had a baby boy about a year ago. There’s been a lot of highlights. There’s been a lot that she’s been able to pursue from music to writing a book to speaking events, ways that we’ve been able to work together on things. We sell her jewelry. She hand makes these rings that we sell and consistently sell out of in our, you know, in our online store. And then with that, I think she’d be the first to admit that it’s been really hard. It hasn’t been a fairy tale. There’s been relapses. There’s been hard seasons, hard years. But I think it’s fair to say that she’s doing well. And I think as it is for anyone who pursues sobriety and mental health, it’s one day at a time. It’s going to meetings. It’s going to counseling. It’s not trying to do the whole thing alone.

Gabe Howard: I imagine that that would be a lot. And thank you so much to her for allowing you to share. Now I’m looking at your mission statement, and one of the things that I notice in it that is different is self injury. You know, addiction, depression, suicide, that’s all commonplace. A lot of mental health charities highlight that. Can you talk about why you’re so open about self injury?

Jamie Tworkowski: It really was not or is not a strategic thing. It literally just showed up in the life of my friend that all of this started with. And I think because we shared her story in a way that was honest, we continued to hear from people for whom that is personal, you know, and we continue to hear from people who struggle. And especially in 2006, not a lot of people were talking about it, especially in a healthy way or in a way of bringing hope and solutions to it. I think people responded and were surprised and maybe it felt inviting. And so we love to even expand beyond our mission statement and could add anxiety. You could add eating disorders. We think ultimately this is about pain and what do we do with our pain? How do we respond to pain? So we hear from all sorts of people, young and old, who deal with different things. And I think we try not to fixate too much on do you deal with this or do you deal with this? But to even zoom out and just say, hey, we it’s hard to be a person. A lot of the time we deal with grief. We deal with sadness. We deal with mental illness. It looks differently for a lot of people. But how can we quickly move to community and also to professional help?

Gabe Howard: We’ll be right back after these messages.

Sponsor Message: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.com. Secure, convenient, and affordable online counseling. Our counselors are licensed, accredited professionals. Anything you share is confidential. Schedule secure video or phone sessions, plus chat and text with your therapist whenever you feel it’s needed. A month of online therapy often costs less than a single traditional face to face session. Go to BetterHelp.com/PsychCentral and experience seven days of free therapy to see if online counseling is right for you. BetterHelp.com/PsychCentral.

Gabe Howard: We’re back discussing the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms with founder Jamie Tworkowski. Whenever I talk to people who have started movements and non-profits, they always have a very personal experience that usually is the impetus of all of this. Now, we’ve heard your story with Rene and how it impacted you, but you have a story personally. You’ve been very open about your own struggles with your own mental health issues. Where do you fit into all of this as a person living with a mental health issue or a mental illness?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. And as you said, I’m open with the fact that I am someone who deals with depression. I’ve gone to counseling for years. I’ve been on an antidepressant for years. And I think the silver lining for me is just hopefully it allows me to relate to people. And it puts me in the boat with everyone else, you know. And so I can certainly relate to pain, to struggle with different feeling stuck or off at times. Yeah. And then I think I love that, you know, I literally went to counseling yesterday. And so to be able to speak not hypothetically about the counseling experience, but to be able to talk about how much I’ve benefited in my own life, you know, hopefully that makes it that much more real or authentic when I talk about encouraging people to take that step and, you know, even to be able to talk about meds as someone who has benefited and found stability. So, you know, I don’t wish depression on anyone, but I think I have been able to find the silver lining in my own experience.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you say is that you realize that the biggest obstacle to mental health challenges and mental illness was the stigma associated with talking about it. How did you realize that? What’s the story surrounding that? A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is to even say to friends and family that they’re suffering from mental illness, let alone publicly.

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think we began and I say we honestly had the time, it was just me responding to these messages. I began to see right away that the people were saying, hey, this is something I’ve never talked about. This is a question I’ve never asked. This is something I’ve kept hidden or kept secret. People talked about the shame associated with some of these topics. And I think it happened very quickly where we learned that so many people struggle and yet so many people feel alone and feel like this stuff has to live in secrecy or silence. And certainly we’ve learned over the years that two out of three people who struggle with depression don’t get help for it. And then I would add that I do think it’s getting better in terms of stigma. Certainly challenges remain. But I do think more people are writing about it, talking about it, thinking about it, being open to the conversation almost 14 years later versus when we began back in 2006.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you want is for society to have a meaningful conversation surrounding mental health and mental illness. What do you think the most important thing that society can do to further those conversations?

Jamie Tworkowski: I think maybe it starts with learning about mental health. With realizing that it shouldn’t be treated any differently than physical health. With realizing that stigma and shame and silence that so much of that is built on lies and bad ideas and ignorance. And I think just writing, there’s such a need not only for education and wisdom, but for compassion, just for the reality that we don’t know what people are walking through, not only strangers, but at times we don’t know what our closest people are dealing with or how they’re feeling. So I think just a combination of those things, just inviting people to become educated and then to really wrestle with what does it look like to see people and to care about people? Many of whom might be dealing with something you don’t currently understand.

Gabe Howard: We’ve talked about 2006. We’ve talked about 2020. Let’s talk about 2025. Let’s talk about 2030. Where do you see your organization heading to the future?

Jamie Tworkowski: We want to continue doing what we’re doing. And obviously there’s a strategic element, but I think there’s also a big part of this where we’ve sort of always treated it like a creative project, especially early on. Just not operated from the place of a five year plan or a 10 year plan. And I think so many of our best moments, best campaigns, relationships, partnerships have been organic, have been things that we didn’t put on a whiteboard or put into a plan. So I think it’s wanting to continue to bring this conversation to as many people as we can. Different communities, different settings. There are new partnership opportunities that we’re working through. And so we continue to sort of smile at the doors that open. And I think we want to continue to be creative. I think we’ll always value writing. We’ll always value language, obviously. We started with a written story. We’ll continue to value design, whether that’s on our site, on social media, t shirts and merchandise that we create. We love to move people through the combination of words and design. And then, I think, hope to just continue to give people more and more ways to get involved, whether that’s in person, whether that’s online all over the world. More and more chances for people to be vulnerable in not only telling our story, but maybe more importantly, in sharing parts of their story and trying to invest in changing and bringing positive change to the stories that they’re connected to. So, yes, I think it’s a whole mix of things.

Gabe Howard: To our listeners who have want to connect with To Write Love on Her Arms, how would they tell their story or how would they get involved or how would they meet with you? Like we want to do something meaningful with your organization. What could they do?

Jamie Tworkowski: It’s a whole range of things. I mean, there’s individual opportunity. We see people get creative with fundraisers and creating events, sometimes benefit events or concerts. But we try to create campaigns and moments throughout the year where people can get involved. We do an annual 5K and we actually see more people do it, what we call virtually. We see more people participate in their local community than actually in person at the race in Florida. We do an annual event that’s a night of music and poetry and speakers and resources, and we see more people watch online than come to the event in Orlando. So I would just invite people to our site to follow us on social media, where we cover a lot of ground, whether it’s speaking events or different events that we get to be a part of. So we love to interact with people face to face, but we respond to the messages and the emails that we get and we’re constantly fielding partnership ideas. And so we would just encourage people to check out the site, follow us on social media. And yeah, I just know that even though our community’s small and spread thin at times, we’re open to ideas. But I think the healthy irony of what we do is we’re not trying to be everyone’s pen pal. We’re not trying to be everyone’s best friend. We have a really small team. So we’re not pointing to ourselves as the final solution. We want to connect people back into resources in their community. We hope we can give people tools to have these conversations in the places that they live. But it doesn’t have to be all about building a relationship with certainly me or even other folks on our team.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for starting the organization. Thank you so much for seeing a need and filling it. Thank you for everything that your organization has done in the last 14 years. And, of course, please keep it up for the future. For people who are interested in To Write Love on Her Arms, what’s your Web site? What is the best entry point for them?

Jamie Tworkowski: Well, first off, thank you for those kind words. It’s an honor and a privilege to do this work. I know our whole team feels that way and I feel like I get to bring my heart to work. And I know not everyone feels that way about their job. And so I try to remain grateful. And we are certainly going to continue to have this conversation and to invite people into it. And then to answer your question. We would love to invite people to our website. It is just our acronym, which is TWLOHA.com. It’s the same on social media. So @TWLOHA, on Instagram, on Twitter, Facebook. And there’s a whole bunch of ways to get involved. And we actually have a section of our Web site dedicated to that. And I joke that it could be as small as buying a t shirt and as big as joining our team in Florida and a whole bunch of ways in between.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for being here and please give a Psych Central welcome and a hug and a thank you to I know you said 17 employees, interns and of course, volunteers all over the country. I know that it’s all of them that makes your organization fantastic. And we, of course, appreciate them. Big props and a big hug as well.

Jamie Tworkowski: I’ll do that, absolutely. Thanks for that.

Gabe Howard: Oh, you’re very welcome. Listen up, everybody. After you are done checking out To Write Love on Her Arms, please, wherever you downloaded this podcast, subscribe.  Give us a rating. Share us on social media. And when you share on social media, if you could, do me a solid. Use your words and tell people why they should listen. Don’t be afraid to tag them. Don’t be afraid to email them. We all have friends. When you’re at lunch or dinner or drinks or coffee with your friends, you should be talking about the Psych Central Podcast. I would consider it a personal favor. And remember, you can get one week of free, convenient, affordable, private online counseling anytime, anywhere, simply by visiting BetterHelp.com/PsychCentral. We’ll see everyone next week.

Announcer: You’ve been listening to The Psych Central Podcast. Want your audience to be wowed at your next event? Feature an appearance and LIVE RECORDING of the Psych Central Podcast right from your stage! For more details, or to book an event, please email us at show@psychcentral.com. Previous episodes can be found at PsychCentral.com/Show or on your favorite podcast player. Psych Central is the internet’s oldest and largest independent mental health website run by mental health professionals. Overseen by Dr. John Grohol, Psych Central offers trusted resources and quizzes to help answer your questions about mental health, personality, psychotherapy, and more. Please visit us today at PsychCentral.com.  To learn more about our host, Gabe Howard, please visit his website at gabehoward.com. Thank you for listening and please share with your friends, family, and followers.

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[ashley-unicorn]

Podcast: A National Non-Profit is Born From a Random Encounter

In today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe talks with Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to helping people who are struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. Jamie shares how the idea for the non-profit was born in 2006 after he spent 5 days with his new friend Renee who’d recently been turned down for rehab. After writing about the experience and posting it on Myspace, people began to respond with their own stories, and the seeds for the non-profit were planted.

Tune in to find out how To Write Love on Her Arms helps people struggling with mental illness and addiction and how you can get involved.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Guest information for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms’ Podcast Episode

Jamie Tworkowski is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and tell a story. Since then, the TWLOHA team has responded to more than 210,000 messages from over 100 countries, in addition to investing more than $2.5 million directly into treatment and recovery. Jamie’s TWLOHA blogs are a source of hope and encouragement for thousands, and he speaks frequently at universities, concerts and conferences. Jamie lives in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He loves surfing, music, basketball and being an uncle.

    About The Psych Central Podcast Host

Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Computer Generated Transcript for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms‘ Episode

Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript has been computer generated and therefore may contain inaccuracies and grammar errors. Thank you.

Announcer: You’re listening to the Psych Central Podcast, where guest experts in the field of psychology and mental health share thought-provoking information using plain, everyday language. Here’s your host, Gabe Howard.

Gabe Howard: Welcome, everyone, to this week’s episode of the Psych Central Podcast. Calling into the show today, we have Jamie Tworkowski. Jamie is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury and suicide. To Write Love on Her Arms began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and to tell a story. Jamie, welcome to the show.

Jamie Tworkowski: Thanks for having me.

Gabe Howard: Well, it’s really excited to have you here, I’ve been aware of To Write Love on Her Arms for a long time, so it’s exciting to talk to you. I don’t want to sound like too much of a fanboy, but you’ve done excellent work out in the community and you’ve really resonated with me personally as someone who lives with bipolar disorder. So first off, thank you for all you do, and it’s an honor to meet you.

Jamie Tworkowski: Oh, man, you’re so welcome. I love that our story and our work somehow ended up on your radar. That’s really cool.

Gabe Howard: Oh, very cool. So for those who don’t know, can you tell people what To Write Love on Her Arms is?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. So you read the mission statement. But I tend to go back to the very beginning. Our nonprofit didn’t start as a nonprofit. It just started as an attempt to help a girl who quickly became my friend. Her name is Renee, and I met her back in 2006 when she was dealing with drug addiction, depression, a history of self injury, suicide attempts, and was denied entry into a local treatment center. And I ended up writing a story about the time we spent together getting to know her. And that story was called To Write Love on Her Arms and shared that online on social media. And I was met with a really surprising response and just learned that her story represented so many people in so many places. Initially started selling T-shirts as a way to help pay for her treatment in central Florida and then in a few weeks realized that this thing had a lot of momentum. And we were looking at the chance to do more than tell one story and do more than help one person. And we were able to over time create a 501(c)(3) and become a nonprofit and build a team and basically continue to invest in professional help in the forms of treatment and counseling. But more than anything, just to communicate a message of hope and encouragement, connect people to resources and try to break down the stigma that surrounds mental health and just let people know it’s okay to be open and it’s okay to be honest.

Gabe Howard: It sounds like Renee was the impetus for all of this, and I believe you said that you didn’t know her very well. What made you put yourself out there in really such a bold and meaningful way for someone that, if I understand correctly, you hardly knew?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. I didn’t know her. So really, the story documents the five days after I met her. And people love to sort of paint me or imagine me as the hero. But I would actually say most of the credit goes to my friend David McKenna, who I was living with in Orlando. I was renting a room from him. And David has actually since passed away, but at the time was in recovery and became very much like a big brother to Renee. And after she was denied entry into this treatment center, she lived in our living room for the following five days. And so I was just staying up late and being curious and getting to know her. And we were trying to keep her safe and keep her smiling and essentially pass the time to when she would be admitted into this local treatment center. So a lot of it was just being moved by getting to know someone. And like you said, it was very much a new friendship.

Gabe Howard: I’m still hung up on, you said that she was denied access to a treatment center even though she needed treatment. I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around how somebody who is in need of medical care would be denied medical care. Can you talk about that for a moment?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, sort of the absurdity of that is highlighted. Someone just points out like you can’t get into rehab basically because you need rehab. So this particular treatment center, which actually does not exist today. They did not offer an element of detox. And I assume that was insurance-related, space-related. But their particular policy was that she was deemed too high risk in relation to the other patients who were already there. And that was because of the drugs in her system and also because of a self-inflicted wound. And that actually relates to the title of the story that I wrote and what has become the name of our organization. So the night that I met her, she ended up taking a razor blade to her forearm and wrote the word “f**k up.” And I share that not to be shocking or surprising, but simply because it’s real. It’s true. It’s what really happened. And I think it’s ultimately not about profanity, but instead about identity. And I think it really represents how stuck she felt, how sad she felt, how much regret she lived with. How much of a failure she felt like. And maybe, you know, that word might be jarring for a lot of people, but my guess is some version of that word has crossed our mind.

Jamie Tworkowski: And maybe we can relate to how did I end up here? How did my life turn out this way? Oh, my gosh. What have I done? How will I get out of this? And so I think that’s what was happening in that moment. But basically, she was denied entry because of the self-inflicted wound and the drugs that were still in her system. So all of that is the answer to why she was denied entry. And it feels important to point out that hopefully would not often be the case. And it certainly wouldn’t always be the case because this place, which, like I said, eventually went out of business, that this was not the standard entrance process for someone struggling. There are enough hurdles and barriers that keep people from getting help. Whether it’s shame, whether it’s stigma, whether it’s finances. And so the last thing we want to do is highlight another one that makes these places feel intimidating. So I think we love to highlight whether it’s in a moment like this or when I go speak somewhere, just that this would not often be the case.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for saying that, because you’re right, there’s an awful lot of fear in reaching out for help and feeling like you would be rejected. I can only imagine how that would feel. What was it about this friendship that impacted you so much? This wasn’t a romantic relationship. You guys are just friends. This was a friendship that led to something incredible. What was it about this collection of people at this moment in time that that made this create all of this?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think you’re right to say it wasn’t just her and I. But it was a small group of people and it was a group of friends trying to care for someone who was really struggling, was really hurting. You know, specifically, we were looking at this five day window where we needed to get her through that so that she could step into treatment and get the help that she really needed and deserved. And actually, a movie was made about primarily the five days kind of our origin story as an organization. And then I think I had never had conversations like this and I had never had an encounter like this. And so I think I was really moved by someone who was not only struggling, not only someone who had experienced a lot of pain, but someone who was also really gifted and really unique and had a lot of life in her. And so I felt like her life was very much a picture of contrast. And I was struck by that and moved by that. And then just wondered if other people might be moved by her story being told. And she loved the idea that maybe someone else could end up getting help. And it all just kind of went from there.

Gabe Howard: Well, I think that that’s absolutely incredible, so let’s fast forward to 2020, today. We know what happened back in 2006 to start To Write Love on Her Arms. Where is the organization today? In 2020?

Jamie Tworkowski: So we’ve been able to grow, you know, in all of those years since we’ve been able to build a team. We’re still based in central Florida. I believe we have 17 full time staff members. And then we always have five or six full time interns who literally come from all over the world to live together, to work together, to work alongside our team. You know, we got our start on Myspace. So we joke that the Myspace has indeed slowed down. But social media has kind of been our heartbeat ever since it’s been sort of home base for us. And we’ve been able to make all the transitions over time, you know, to Facebook and Tumblr, Instagram. We love using social media and the Internet to meet people where they are to communicate, hope to connect people to resources. And then we love the face to face opportunities as well. Whether it’s music festivals, college campuses, we were at a high school yesterday, I think in 2020, we’ve just seen so many surprising doors into different communities open, seen doors open into Hollywood and into professional sports and into the world of gaming. And ultimately, we know that these are issues that affect people. And so we just want to try to bring hope and help to all sorts of people. But it’s been really incredible just to see folks be generous and to be welcoming and inviting us into all these different spaces. We love to do what we did initially for Renee, which is help pay for her treatment, help remove that financial barrier. So that’s a part of what we do. We have a find help tool on our website where people can come and enter their zip code and find a list of local mental health resources, including free and reduced cost services in their community. So there’s a whole bunch of things. We post blogs, we use design. We definitely value creativity. And I think more than anything are trying to move people from a place of hopelessness to hope and maybe not knowing a lot to becoming educated. And so we’re thankful that almost 14 years in, we’re going really strong.

Gabe Howard: Let’s go back to your origin story. I have so many questions about Renee. And one of them is how is she doing now?

Jamie Tworkowski: First off, she’s alive and she’s doing well. She had a baby boy about a year ago. There’s been a lot of highlights. There’s been a lot that she’s been able to pursue from music to writing a book to speaking events, ways that we’ve been able to work together on things. We sell her jewelry. She hand makes these rings that we sell and consistently sell out of in our, you know, in our online store. And then with that, I think she’d be the first to admit that it’s been really hard. It hasn’t been a fairy tale. There’s been relapses. There’s been hard seasons, hard years. But I think it’s fair to say that she’s doing well. And I think as it is for anyone who pursues sobriety and mental health, it’s one day at a time. It’s going to meetings. It’s going to counseling. It’s not trying to do the whole thing alone.

Gabe Howard: I imagine that that would be a lot. And thank you so much to her for allowing you to share. Now I’m looking at your mission statement, and one of the things that I notice in it that is different is self injury. You know, addiction, depression, suicide, that’s all commonplace. A lot of mental health charities highlight that. Can you talk about why you’re so open about self injury?

Jamie Tworkowski: It really was not or is not a strategic thing. It literally just showed up in the life of my friend that all of this started with. And I think because we shared her story in a way that was honest, we continued to hear from people for whom that is personal, you know, and we continue to hear from people who struggle. And especially in 2006, not a lot of people were talking about it, especially in a healthy way or in a way of bringing hope and solutions to it. I think people responded and were surprised and maybe it felt inviting. And so we love to even expand beyond our mission statement and could add anxiety. You could add eating disorders. We think ultimately this is about pain and what do we do with our pain? How do we respond to pain? So we hear from all sorts of people, young and old, who deal with different things. And I think we try not to fixate too much on do you deal with this or do you deal with this? But to even zoom out and just say, hey, we it’s hard to be a person. A lot of the time we deal with grief. We deal with sadness. We deal with mental illness. It looks differently for a lot of people. But how can we quickly move to community and also to professional help?

Gabe Howard: We’ll be right back after these messages.

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Gabe Howard: We’re back discussing the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms with founder Jamie Tworkowski. Whenever I talk to people who have started movements and non-profits, they always have a very personal experience that usually is the impetus of all of this. Now, we’ve heard your story with Rene and how it impacted you, but you have a story personally. You’ve been very open about your own struggles with your own mental health issues. Where do you fit into all of this as a person living with a mental health issue or a mental illness?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. And as you said, I’m open with the fact that I am someone who deals with depression. I’ve gone to counseling for years. I’ve been on an antidepressant for years. And I think the silver lining for me is just hopefully it allows me to relate to people. And it puts me in the boat with everyone else, you know. And so I can certainly relate to pain, to struggle with different feeling stuck or off at times. Yeah. And then I think I love that, you know, I literally went to counseling yesterday. And so to be able to speak not hypothetically about the counseling experience, but to be able to talk about how much I’ve benefited in my own life, you know, hopefully that makes it that much more real or authentic when I talk about encouraging people to take that step and, you know, even to be able to talk about meds as someone who has benefited and found stability. So, you know, I don’t wish depression on anyone, but I think I have been able to find the silver lining in my own experience.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you say is that you realize that the biggest obstacle to mental health challenges and mental illness was the stigma associated with talking about it. How did you realize that? What’s the story surrounding that? A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is to even say to friends and family that they’re suffering from mental illness, let alone publicly.

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think we began and I say we honestly had the time, it was just me responding to these messages. I began to see right away that the people were saying, hey, this is something I’ve never talked about. This is a question I’ve never asked. This is something I’ve kept hidden or kept secret. People talked about the shame associated with some of these topics. And I think it happened very quickly where we learned that so many people struggle and yet so many people feel alone and feel like this stuff has to live in secrecy or silence. And certainly we’ve learned over the years that two out of three people who struggle with depression don’t get help for it. And then I would add that I do think it’s getting better in terms of stigma. Certainly challenges remain. But I do think more people are writing about it, talking about it, thinking about it, being open to the conversation almost 14 years later versus when we began back in 2006.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you want is for society to have a meaningful conversation surrounding mental health and mental illness. What do you think the most important thing that society can do to further those conversations?

Jamie Tworkowski: I think maybe it starts with learning about mental health. With realizing that it shouldn’t be treated any differently than physical health. With realizing that stigma and shame and silence that so much of that is built on lies and bad ideas and ignorance. And I think just writing, there’s such a need not only for education and wisdom, but for compassion, just for the reality that we don’t know what people are walking through, not only strangers, but at times we don’t know what our closest people are dealing with or how they’re feeling. So I think just a combination of those things, just inviting people to become educated and then to really wrestle with what does it look like to see people and to care about people? Many of whom might be dealing with something you don’t currently understand.

Gabe Howard: We’ve talked about 2006. We’ve talked about 2020. Let’s talk about 2025. Let’s talk about 2030. Where do you see your organization heading to the future?

Jamie Tworkowski: We want to continue doing what we’re doing. And obviously there’s a strategic element, but I think there’s also a big part of this where we’ve sort of always treated it like a creative project, especially early on. Just not operated from the place of a five year plan or a 10 year plan. And I think so many of our best moments, best campaigns, relationships, partnerships have been organic, have been things that we didn’t put on a whiteboard or put into a plan. So I think it’s wanting to continue to bring this conversation to as many people as we can. Different communities, different settings. There are new partnership opportunities that we’re working through. And so we continue to sort of smile at the doors that open. And I think we want to continue to be creative. I think we’ll always value writing. We’ll always value language, obviously. We started with a written story. We’ll continue to value design, whether that’s on our site, on social media, t shirts and merchandise that we create. We love to move people through the combination of words and design. And then, I think, hope to just continue to give people more and more ways to get involved, whether that’s in person, whether that’s online all over the world. More and more chances for people to be vulnerable in not only telling our story, but maybe more importantly, in sharing parts of their story and trying to invest in changing and bringing positive change to the stories that they’re connected to. So, yes, I think it’s a whole mix of things.

Gabe Howard: To our listeners who have want to connect with To Write Love on Her Arms, how would they tell their story or how would they get involved or how would they meet with you? Like we want to do something meaningful with your organization. What could they do?

Jamie Tworkowski: It’s a whole range of things. I mean, there’s individual opportunity. We see people get creative with fundraisers and creating events, sometimes benefit events or concerts. But we try to create campaigns and moments throughout the year where people can get involved. We do an annual 5K and we actually see more people do it, what we call virtually. We see more people participate in their local community than actually in person at the race in Florida. We do an annual event that’s a night of music and poetry and speakers and resources, and we see more people watch online than come to the event in Orlando. So I would just invite people to our site to follow us on social media, where we cover a lot of ground, whether it’s speaking events or different events that we get to be a part of. So we love to interact with people face to face, but we respond to the messages and the emails that we get and we’re constantly fielding partnership ideas. And so we would just encourage people to check out the site, follow us on social media. And yeah, I just know that even though our community’s small and spread thin at times, we’re open to ideas. But I think the healthy irony of what we do is we’re not trying to be everyone’s pen pal. We’re not trying to be everyone’s best friend. We have a really small team. So we’re not pointing to ourselves as the final solution. We want to connect people back into resources in their community. We hope we can give people tools to have these conversations in the places that they live. But it doesn’t have to be all about building a relationship with certainly me or even other folks on our team.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for starting the organization. Thank you so much for seeing a need and filling it. Thank you for everything that your organization has done in the last 14 years. And, of course, please keep it up for the future. For people who are interested in To Write Love on Her Arms, what’s your Web site? What is the best entry point for them?

Jamie Tworkowski: Well, first off, thank you for those kind words. It’s an honor and a privilege to do this work. I know our whole team feels that way and I feel like I get to bring my heart to work. And I know not everyone feels that way about their job. And so I try to remain grateful. And we are certainly going to continue to have this conversation and to invite people into it. And then to answer your question. We would love to invite people to our website. It is just our acronym, which is TWLOHA.com. It’s the same on social media. So @TWLOHA, on Instagram, on Twitter, Facebook. And there’s a whole bunch of ways to get involved. And we actually have a section of our Web site dedicated to that. And I joke that it could be as small as buying a t shirt and as big as joining our team in Florida and a whole bunch of ways in between.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for being here and please give a Psych Central welcome and a hug and a thank you to I know you said 17 employees, interns and of course, volunteers all over the country. I know that it’s all of them that makes your organization fantastic. And we, of course, appreciate them. Big props and a big hug as well.

Jamie Tworkowski: I’ll do that, absolutely. Thanks for that.

Gabe Howard: Oh, you’re very welcome. Listen up, everybody. After you are done checking out To Write Love on Her Arms, please, wherever you downloaded this podcast, subscribe.  Give us a rating. Share us on social media. And when you share on social media, if you could, do me a solid. Use your words and tell people why they should listen. Don’t be afraid to tag them. Don’t be afraid to email them. We all have friends. When you’re at lunch or dinner or drinks or coffee with your friends, you should be talking about the Psych Central Podcast. I would consider it a personal favor. And remember, you can get one week of free, convenient, affordable, private online counseling anytime, anywhere, simply by visiting BetterHelp.com/PsychCentral. We’ll see everyone next week.

Announcer: You’ve been listening to The Psych Central Podcast. Want your audience to be wowed at your next event? Feature an appearance and LIVE RECORDING of the Psych Central Podcast right from your stage! For more details, or to book an event, please email us at show@psychcentral.com. Previous episodes can be found at PsychCentral.com/Show or on your favorite podcast player. Psych Central is the internet’s oldest and largest independent mental health website run by mental health professionals. Overseen by Dr. John Grohol, Psych Central offers trusted resources and quizzes to help answer your questions about mental health, personality, psychotherapy, and more. Please visit us today at PsychCentral.com.  To learn more about our host, Gabe Howard, please visit his website at gabehoward.com. Thank you for listening and please share with your friends, family, and followers.

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[brentrogers]

Podcast: A National Non-Profit is Born From a Random Encounter

In today’s Psych Central Podcast, Gabe talks with Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to helping people who are struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. Jamie shares how the idea for the non-profit was born in 2006 after he spent 5 days with his new friend Renee who’d recently been turned down for rehab. After writing about the experience and posting it on Myspace, people began to respond with their own stories, and the seeds for the non-profit were planted.

Tune in to find out how To Write Love on Her Arms helps people struggling with mental illness and addiction and how you can get involved.

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Guest information for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms’ Podcast Episode

Jamie Tworkowski is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and tell a story. Since then, the TWLOHA team has responded to more than 210,000 messages from over 100 countries, in addition to investing more than $2.5 million directly into treatment and recovery. Jamie’s TWLOHA blogs are a source of hope and encouragement for thousands, and he speaks frequently at universities, concerts and conferences. Jamie lives in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He loves surfing, music, basketball and being an uncle.

    About The Psych Central Podcast Host

Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations, available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.

Computer Generated Transcript for ‘Jamie Tworkowski- To Write Love on Her Arms‘ Episode

Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript has been computer generated and therefore may contain inaccuracies and grammar errors. Thank you.

Announcer: You’re listening to the Psych Central Podcast, where guest experts in the field of psychology and mental health share thought-provoking information using plain, everyday language. Here’s your host, Gabe Howard.

Gabe Howard: Welcome, everyone, to this week’s episode of the Psych Central Podcast. Calling into the show today, we have Jamie Tworkowski. Jamie is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury and suicide. To Write Love on Her Arms began in 2006 as Jamie’s attempt to help a friend and to tell a story. Jamie, welcome to the show.

Jamie Tworkowski: Thanks for having me.

Gabe Howard: Well, it’s really excited to have you here, I’ve been aware of To Write Love on Her Arms for a long time, so it’s exciting to talk to you. I don’t want to sound like too much of a fanboy, but you’ve done excellent work out in the community and you’ve really resonated with me personally as someone who lives with bipolar disorder. So first off, thank you for all you do, and it’s an honor to meet you.

Jamie Tworkowski: Oh, man, you’re so welcome. I love that our story and our work somehow ended up on your radar. That’s really cool.

Gabe Howard: Oh, very cool. So for those who don’t know, can you tell people what To Write Love on Her Arms is?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. So you read the mission statement. But I tend to go back to the very beginning. Our nonprofit didn’t start as a nonprofit. It just started as an attempt to help a girl who quickly became my friend. Her name is Renee, and I met her back in 2006 when she was dealing with drug addiction, depression, a history of self injury, suicide attempts, and was denied entry into a local treatment center. And I ended up writing a story about the time we spent together getting to know her. And that story was called To Write Love on Her Arms and shared that online on social media. And I was met with a really surprising response and just learned that her story represented so many people in so many places. Initially started selling T-shirts as a way to help pay for her treatment in central Florida and then in a few weeks realized that this thing had a lot of momentum. And we were looking at the chance to do more than tell one story and do more than help one person. And we were able to over time create a 501(c)(3) and become a nonprofit and build a team and basically continue to invest in professional help in the forms of treatment and counseling. But more than anything, just to communicate a message of hope and encouragement, connect people to resources and try to break down the stigma that surrounds mental health and just let people know it’s okay to be open and it’s okay to be honest.

Gabe Howard: It sounds like Renee was the impetus for all of this, and I believe you said that you didn’t know her very well. What made you put yourself out there in really such a bold and meaningful way for someone that, if I understand correctly, you hardly knew?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. I didn’t know her. So really, the story documents the five days after I met her. And people love to sort of paint me or imagine me as the hero. But I would actually say most of the credit goes to my friend David McKenna, who I was living with in Orlando. I was renting a room from him. And David has actually since passed away, but at the time was in recovery and became very much like a big brother to Renee. And after she was denied entry into this treatment center, she lived in our living room for the following five days. And so I was just staying up late and being curious and getting to know her. And we were trying to keep her safe and keep her smiling and essentially pass the time to when she would be admitted into this local treatment center. So a lot of it was just being moved by getting to know someone. And like you said, it was very much a new friendship.

Gabe Howard: I’m still hung up on, you said that she was denied access to a treatment center even though she needed treatment. I’m just having trouble wrapping my brain around how somebody who is in need of medical care would be denied medical care. Can you talk about that for a moment?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, sort of the absurdity of that is highlighted. Someone just points out like you can’t get into rehab basically because you need rehab. So this particular treatment center, which actually does not exist today. They did not offer an element of detox. And I assume that was insurance-related, space-related. But their particular policy was that she was deemed too high risk in relation to the other patients who were already there. And that was because of the drugs in her system and also because of a self-inflicted wound. And that actually relates to the title of the story that I wrote and what has become the name of our organization. So the night that I met her, she ended up taking a razor blade to her forearm and wrote the word “f**k up.” And I share that not to be shocking or surprising, but simply because it’s real. It’s true. It’s what really happened. And I think it’s ultimately not about profanity, but instead about identity. And I think it really represents how stuck she felt, how sad she felt, how much regret she lived with. How much of a failure she felt like. And maybe, you know, that word might be jarring for a lot of people, but my guess is some version of that word has crossed our mind.

Jamie Tworkowski: And maybe we can relate to how did I end up here? How did my life turn out this way? Oh, my gosh. What have I done? How will I get out of this? And so I think that’s what was happening in that moment. But basically, she was denied entry because of the self-inflicted wound and the drugs that were still in her system. So all of that is the answer to why she was denied entry. And it feels important to point out that hopefully would not often be the case. And it certainly wouldn’t always be the case because this place, which, like I said, eventually went out of business, that this was not the standard entrance process for someone struggling. There are enough hurdles and barriers that keep people from getting help. Whether it’s shame, whether it’s stigma, whether it’s finances. And so the last thing we want to do is highlight another one that makes these places feel intimidating. So I think we love to highlight whether it’s in a moment like this or when I go speak somewhere, just that this would not often be the case.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for saying that, because you’re right, there’s an awful lot of fear in reaching out for help and feeling like you would be rejected. I can only imagine how that would feel. What was it about this friendship that impacted you so much? This wasn’t a romantic relationship. You guys are just friends. This was a friendship that led to something incredible. What was it about this collection of people at this moment in time that that made this create all of this?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think you’re right to say it wasn’t just her and I. But it was a small group of people and it was a group of friends trying to care for someone who was really struggling, was really hurting. You know, specifically, we were looking at this five day window where we needed to get her through that so that she could step into treatment and get the help that she really needed and deserved. And actually, a movie was made about primarily the five days kind of our origin story as an organization. And then I think I had never had conversations like this and I had never had an encounter like this. And so I think I was really moved by someone who was not only struggling, not only someone who had experienced a lot of pain, but someone who was also really gifted and really unique and had a lot of life in her. And so I felt like her life was very much a picture of contrast. And I was struck by that and moved by that. And then just wondered if other people might be moved by her story being told. And she loved the idea that maybe someone else could end up getting help. And it all just kind of went from there.

Gabe Howard: Well, I think that that’s absolutely incredible, so let’s fast forward to 2020, today. We know what happened back in 2006 to start To Write Love on Her Arms. Where is the organization today? In 2020?

Jamie Tworkowski: So we’ve been able to grow, you know, in all of those years since we’ve been able to build a team. We’re still based in central Florida. I believe we have 17 full time staff members. And then we always have five or six full time interns who literally come from all over the world to live together, to work together, to work alongside our team. You know, we got our start on Myspace. So we joke that the Myspace has indeed slowed down. But social media has kind of been our heartbeat ever since it’s been sort of home base for us. And we’ve been able to make all the transitions over time, you know, to Facebook and Tumblr, Instagram. We love using social media and the Internet to meet people where they are to communicate, hope to connect people to resources. And then we love the face to face opportunities as well. Whether it’s music festivals, college campuses, we were at a high school yesterday, I think in 2020, we’ve just seen so many surprising doors into different communities open, seen doors open into Hollywood and into professional sports and into the world of gaming. And ultimately, we know that these are issues that affect people. And so we just want to try to bring hope and help to all sorts of people. But it’s been really incredible just to see folks be generous and to be welcoming and inviting us into all these different spaces. We love to do what we did initially for Renee, which is help pay for her treatment, help remove that financial barrier. So that’s a part of what we do. We have a find help tool on our website where people can come and enter their zip code and find a list of local mental health resources, including free and reduced cost services in their community. So there’s a whole bunch of things. We post blogs, we use design. We definitely value creativity. And I think more than anything are trying to move people from a place of hopelessness to hope and maybe not knowing a lot to becoming educated. And so we’re thankful that almost 14 years in, we’re going really strong.

Gabe Howard: Let’s go back to your origin story. I have so many questions about Renee. And one of them is how is she doing now?

Jamie Tworkowski: First off, she’s alive and she’s doing well. She had a baby boy about a year ago. There’s been a lot of highlights. There’s been a lot that she’s been able to pursue from music to writing a book to speaking events, ways that we’ve been able to work together on things. We sell her jewelry. She hand makes these rings that we sell and consistently sell out of in our, you know, in our online store. And then with that, I think she’d be the first to admit that it’s been really hard. It hasn’t been a fairy tale. There’s been relapses. There’s been hard seasons, hard years. But I think it’s fair to say that she’s doing well. And I think as it is for anyone who pursues sobriety and mental health, it’s one day at a time. It’s going to meetings. It’s going to counseling. It’s not trying to do the whole thing alone.

Gabe Howard: I imagine that that would be a lot. And thank you so much to her for allowing you to share. Now I’m looking at your mission statement, and one of the things that I notice in it that is different is self injury. You know, addiction, depression, suicide, that’s all commonplace. A lot of mental health charities highlight that. Can you talk about why you’re so open about self injury?

Jamie Tworkowski: It really was not or is not a strategic thing. It literally just showed up in the life of my friend that all of this started with. And I think because we shared her story in a way that was honest, we continued to hear from people for whom that is personal, you know, and we continue to hear from people who struggle. And especially in 2006, not a lot of people were talking about it, especially in a healthy way or in a way of bringing hope and solutions to it. I think people responded and were surprised and maybe it felt inviting. And so we love to even expand beyond our mission statement and could add anxiety. You could add eating disorders. We think ultimately this is about pain and what do we do with our pain? How do we respond to pain? So we hear from all sorts of people, young and old, who deal with different things. And I think we try not to fixate too much on do you deal with this or do you deal with this? But to even zoom out and just say, hey, we it’s hard to be a person. A lot of the time we deal with grief. We deal with sadness. We deal with mental illness. It looks differently for a lot of people. But how can we quickly move to community and also to professional help?

Gabe Howard: We’ll be right back after these messages.

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Gabe Howard: We’re back discussing the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms with founder Jamie Tworkowski. Whenever I talk to people who have started movements and non-profits, they always have a very personal experience that usually is the impetus of all of this. Now, we’ve heard your story with Rene and how it impacted you, but you have a story personally. You’ve been very open about your own struggles with your own mental health issues. Where do you fit into all of this as a person living with a mental health issue or a mental illness?

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah. And as you said, I’m open with the fact that I am someone who deals with depression. I’ve gone to counseling for years. I’ve been on an antidepressant for years. And I think the silver lining for me is just hopefully it allows me to relate to people. And it puts me in the boat with everyone else, you know. And so I can certainly relate to pain, to struggle with different feeling stuck or off at times. Yeah. And then I think I love that, you know, I literally went to counseling yesterday. And so to be able to speak not hypothetically about the counseling experience, but to be able to talk about how much I’ve benefited in my own life, you know, hopefully that makes it that much more real or authentic when I talk about encouraging people to take that step and, you know, even to be able to talk about meds as someone who has benefited and found stability. So, you know, I don’t wish depression on anyone, but I think I have been able to find the silver lining in my own experience.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you say is that you realize that the biggest obstacle to mental health challenges and mental illness was the stigma associated with talking about it. How did you realize that? What’s the story surrounding that? A lot of people don’t realize how difficult it is to even say to friends and family that they’re suffering from mental illness, let alone publicly.

Jamie Tworkowski: Yeah, I think we began and I say we honestly had the time, it was just me responding to these messages. I began to see right away that the people were saying, hey, this is something I’ve never talked about. This is a question I’ve never asked. This is something I’ve kept hidden or kept secret. People talked about the shame associated with some of these topics. And I think it happened very quickly where we learned that so many people struggle and yet so many people feel alone and feel like this stuff has to live in secrecy or silence. And certainly we’ve learned over the years that two out of three people who struggle with depression don’t get help for it. And then I would add that I do think it’s getting better in terms of stigma. Certainly challenges remain. But I do think more people are writing about it, talking about it, thinking about it, being open to the conversation almost 14 years later versus when we began back in 2006.

Gabe Howard: One of the things that you want is for society to have a meaningful conversation surrounding mental health and mental illness. What do you think the most important thing that society can do to further those conversations?

Jamie Tworkowski: I think maybe it starts with learning about mental health. With realizing that it shouldn’t be treated any differently than physical health. With realizing that stigma and shame and silence that so much of that is built on lies and bad ideas and ignorance. And I think just writing, there’s such a need not only for education and wisdom, but for compassion, just for the reality that we don’t know what people are walking through, not only strangers, but at times we don’t know what our closest people are dealing with or how they’re feeling. So I think just a combination of those things, just inviting people to become educated and then to really wrestle with what does it look like to see people and to care about people? Many of whom might be dealing with something you don’t currently understand.

Gabe Howard: We’ve talked about 2006. We’ve talked about 2020. Let’s talk about 2025. Let’s talk about 2030. Where do you see your organization heading to the future?

Jamie Tworkowski: We want to continue doing what we’re doing. And obviously there’s a strategic element, but I think there’s also a big part of this where we’ve sort of always treated it like a creative project, especially early on. Just not operated from the place of a five year plan or a 10 year plan. And I think so many of our best moments, best campaigns, relationships, partnerships have been organic, have been things that we didn’t put on a whiteboard or put into a plan. So I think it’s wanting to continue to bring this conversation to as many people as we can. Different communities, different settings. There are new partnership opportunities that we’re working through. And so we continue to sort of smile at the doors that open. And I think we want to continue to be creative. I think we’ll always value writing. We’ll always value language, obviously. We started with a written story. We’ll continue to value design, whether that’s on our site, on social media, t shirts and merchandise that we create. We love to move people through the combination of words and design. And then, I think, hope to just continue to give people more and more ways to get involved, whether that’s in person, whether that’s online all over the world. More and more chances for people to be vulnerable in not only telling our story, but maybe more importantly, in sharing parts of their story and trying to invest in changing and bringing positive change to the stories that they’re connected to. So, yes, I think it’s a whole mix of things.

Gabe Howard: To our listeners who have want to connect with To Write Love on Her Arms, how would they tell their story or how would they get involved or how would they meet with you? Like we want to do something meaningful with your organization. What could they do?

Jamie Tworkowski: It’s a whole range of things. I mean, there’s individual opportunity. We see people get creative with fundraisers and creating events, sometimes benefit events or concerts. But we try to create campaigns and moments throughout the year where people can get involved. We do an annual 5K and we actually see more people do it, what we call virtually. We see more people participate in their local community than actually in person at the race in Florida. We do an annual event that’s a night of music and poetry and speakers and resources, and we see more people watch online than come to the event in Orlando. So I would just invite people to our site to follow us on social media, where we cover a lot of ground, whether it’s speaking events or different events that we get to be a part of. So we love to interact with people face to face, but we respond to the messages and the emails that we get and we’re constantly fielding partnership ideas. And so we would just encourage people to check out the site, follow us on social media. And yeah, I just know that even though our community’s small and spread thin at times, we’re open to ideas. But I think the healthy irony of what we do is we’re not trying to be everyone’s pen pal. We’re not trying to be everyone’s best friend. We have a really small team. So we’re not pointing to ourselves as the final solution. We want to connect people back into resources in their community. We hope we can give people tools to have these conversations in the places that they live. But it doesn’t have to be all about building a relationship with certainly me or even other folks on our team.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for starting the organization. Thank you so much for seeing a need and filling it. Thank you for everything that your organization has done in the last 14 years. And, of course, please keep it up for the future. For people who are interested in To Write Love on Her Arms, what’s your Web site? What is the best entry point for them?

Jamie Tworkowski: Well, first off, thank you for those kind words. It’s an honor and a privilege to do this work. I know our whole team feels that way and I feel like I get to bring my heart to work. And I know not everyone feels that way about their job. And so I try to remain grateful. And we are certainly going to continue to have this conversation and to invite people into it. And then to answer your question. We would love to invite people to our website. It is just our acronym, which is TWLOHA.com. It’s the same on social media. So @TWLOHA, on Instagram, on Twitter, Facebook. And there’s a whole bunch of ways to get involved. And we actually have a section of our Web site dedicated to that. And I joke that it could be as small as buying a t shirt and as big as joining our team in Florida and a whole bunch of ways in between.

Gabe Howard: Jamie, thank you so much for being here and please give a Psych Central welcome and a hug and a thank you to I know you said 17 employees, interns and of course, volunteers all over the country. I know that it’s all of them that makes your organization fantastic. And we, of course, appreciate them. Big props and a big hug as well.

Jamie Tworkowski: I’ll do that, absolutely. Thanks for that.

Gabe Howard: Oh, you’re very welcome. Listen up, everybody. After you are done checking out To Write Love on Her Arms, please, wherever you downloaded this podcast, subscribe.  Give us a rating. Share us on social media. And when you share on social media, if you could, do me a solid. Use your words and tell people why they should listen. Don’t be afraid to tag them. Don’t be afraid to email them. We all have friends. When you’re at lunch or dinner or drinks or coffee with your friends, you should be talking about the Psych Central Podcast. I would consider it a personal favor. And remember, you can get one week of free, convenient, affordable, private online counseling anytime, anywhere, simply by visiting BetterHelp.com/PsychCentral. We’ll see everyone next week.

Announcer: You’ve been listening to The Psych Central Podcast. Want your audience to be wowed at your next event? Feature an appearance and LIVE RECORDING of the Psych Central Podcast right from your stage! For more details, or to book an event, please email us at show@psychcentral.com. Previous episodes can be found at PsychCentral.com/Show or on your favorite podcast player. Psych Central is the internet’s oldest and largest independent mental health website run by mental health professionals. Overseen by Dr. John Grohol, Psych Central offers trusted resources and quizzes to help answer your questions about mental health, personality, psychotherapy, and more. Please visit us today at PsychCentral.com.  To learn more about our host, Gabe Howard, please visit his website at gabehoward.com. Thank you for listening and please share with your friends, family, and followers.

  Podcast: A National Non-Profit is Born From a Random Encounter syndicated from

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Small Things I Do Every Day to Manage My Depression

Some days you feel well, and other days, darkness envelopes you. You feel achingly sad, or you feel absolutely nothing. You’re exhausted, and every task feels too big to start. You feel weighed down, as though there are sandbags attached to your shoulders.

Managing the symptoms of depression can be hard. But even the smallest steps taken every day (or on most days) can make a significant difference.

Below, you’ll learn how five different women live with depression on a daily basis, and the small, yet pivotal actions they take.

Having a daily routine. “Having a daily routine helps me push through the days when I’m not feeling my best,” said Denita Stevens, a writer and author of the recently released poetry collection Invisible Veils, which delves into her experiences with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Stevens’s routine starts at night with two morning alarms: one alarm is optional, the second one, which rings around 7 a.m., is not. “I take a moment to gauge how I’m feeling before deciding which one I wake up to.  Sometimes I don’t always have a good night’s sleep and an extra hour of rest helps.”

When she’s up, she drinks coffee and reads. Then she focuses on work. The evenings are dedicated to personal time. This “gives me motivation to accomplish what I need to do during the workday in a timely manner and allows me to end the day investing my time in myself,” Stevens said. This me-time might mean socializing, exercising, relaxing, or working on a writing project—right now she’s working on a memoir about what it was like to live with undiagnosed PTSD and how she recovered.

On weekends, Stevens doesn’t have a schedule. “A balance between scheduled and unscheduled time every week seems to work best for me,” she said.

Setting boundaries. “Setting boundaries is extremely important to my mental and emotional well-being,” said T-Kea Blackman, a mental health advocate who hosts a weekly podcast called Fireflies Unite With Kea.

For instance, Blackman has set her phone to go into “Do Not Disturb” mode every night at 9 p.m., because she wakes up at 4:45 a.m. to exercise. “Working out has been beneficial as it helps to improve my mood and I sleep much better.” Going to bed around the same time and waking up around the same time helps her get consistent rest. “When I am not well rested, I am unable to function throughout the day.”

Exercising. “I make myself exercise even if I don’t feel like it,” said Mary Cregan, author of the memoir The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery. “If my mind is troubling me, I’ll try using my body instead.”

If Cregan’s energy is really low, she goes for a walk. And these walks have a powerful benefit: She gets to see other people—“little kids in playgrounds, old people walking with their shopping bags, teenage girls all dressed alike. People can be interesting or amusing, and help me get out of my own head.”

Cregan, who lives in New York City, also likes to walk along the Hudson or around the reservoir in Central Park, and admire the water. She likes to look at the plants and trees, too. “If the sun is out, I’ll sit on a bench with the sun on my face.”

Tidying up. Cregan also regularly makes her bed and cleans up the kitchen. This way, she said, “things don’t feel messy or ugly, because that would be depressing in itself.” Sometimes, she buys flowers for her home, since looking at them cheers her up.

Having downtime. Blackman prioritizes downtime to help her unplug and recharge. Sometimes, this looks like listening to water sounds—waves crashing onto the shore, water hitting the rocks—and putting on her essential oil diffuser as she listens to a podcast or reads a book. Other times, it looks like lying in bed and letting her mind wander, as she listens to the water sounds and breathes in the essential oils. 

Wearing comfortable clothes. Fiona Thomas, author of the book Depression in a Digital Age: The Highs and Lows of Perfectionism, regularly tunes into her inner dialogue. When she notices the chatter is negative—“you’re so lazy”—she decides to actively challenge the voice and be kind to herself instead.

“One small way that I’m kind to myself every day is by wearing clothes that I feel comfortable in as opposed to what I think people expect me to wear. If I want to wear leggings and a baggy jumper to the supermarket, then I do it.”

Creating small moments of self-care. Another way that Thomas is kind to herself is by going out for coffee, or taking several minutes to stand by a canal and watch the ducks go by.

Practicing self-compassion. In addition to depression, Leah Beth Carrier, a mental health advocate working on her master’s in public health, also has obsessive-compulsive disorder and PTSD. When her brain tells her that she isn’t worthy, doesn’t deserve to take up space, and won’t ever amount to anything, she gives herself grace. “This grace I give myself allows me to be able to hear these old tapes, acknowledge that they are fear based and my fear has a purpose, and then continue to go about my day.”

Taking a shower. “I try my hardest to take a shower every day even though I find this really difficult with depression,” Thomas said. “Even if [showering is the] last thing [I do] at night, I know it helps me feel healthier in the long run.”

Looking in the mirror. “I have also found that the simple act of looking at myself in the mirror, eye to eye, each morning and making a point to say hello to myself—as silly as it sounds—keeps me grounded,” Carrier said. “It is also a little reminder that my existence here on earth is allowed and OK, maybe even something to be celebrated.”

Of course, the specific small actions you take will depend on the severity of your depression, and how you’re feeling that day. The above actions are examples that speak to the power of small. Of course, it’s also vital to get treatment, which might include working with a therapist and/or taking medication.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that the pain isn’t permanent, even though it absolutely feels permanent in the moment. You won’t feel this way forever. “Having lived with depression since I was a teenager, I’ve discovered that even at my lowest points, I can still survive and it will get better,” Stevens said. “It always gets better. May not seem like it at the moment, but those feelings are only temporary.”

“I never believed it when people told me it would get better when I was in my darkest days and attempted suicide, but I remained committed to my recovery…,” Blackman said. She’s made various changes, and has seen a huge improvement in her mental health.

Don’t discount the power of small daily acts and steps. After all, before you know it, those small steps have helped you walk several miles—a lot more than had you been standing still. And if you do stand still on some days, remember that this is OK, too. Try to treat yourself gently on those days, to sit down, and extend yourself some compassion.

from World of Psychology http://bit.ly/304SmJ5 via theshiningmind.com