We all want immediate results. A change to our situation, but Mental Health recovery takes time, so let’s be patient with ourselves and others. ‘I wish this would go away’ were the unsaid words messaged in the face of despair, looking at me. I had seen that gaze many times, […]
Getting Well Staying Well
Many live under a false identity, a name used for the convenience of others, but when we learn their true name connection happens. So what’s your real name? She said what her name was I knew that it wasn’t her real name. Now that caught my attention because in front […]
Criticism, shouting, or being ‘put down’ releases the hormone Cortisol into our blood system. It causes us discomfort. When we know this, we can take greater responsibility for our responses. Four little words will send a shot of terror into a man’s soul. ‘We need to talk.’ On a local […]
When chaos comes, or we become aware of the mess we are in, we have choices to make. Charge at it, retreat from it, or engage in the mystery. All the nicely laid out plans had been turned upside down. I had a recipe for life, and now all the […]
One failure in life seems to collect another failure, but love can cut through any collection of failures. We need to listen for the shame that has been collected then meet it with heartwarming arms. If you can talk about failure, you can talk about anything. As he opened up […]
How did I get here? Well, it was probably down a well-worn track in your brain that said ‘when you feel this feeling you do this.’ But we can choose new ways of behaving out of our emotions. When you are feeling anxious you can choose a new motion out […]
Men need help for their Mental Health but have reasons they avoid counselling and therapy. We need to understand men and the obstacles they face so they can get the help they need. When I suggested he go to see a counselor to get some help with his anger, I […]
The verbal abuse kept raining down until the thought ‘I am a problem’ got nailed into the brain. But then they discovered that a problem is a problem, not a person, and they began to separate their identity from the issues. It was abuse. Verbal abuse. Dished out every day […]
Nurses, doctors, counselors, etc. can all make a difference to our mental health recovery, but the more lasting help will come from a committed companion — someone like Ruth who will break bread with us. It was like a revolving door of people entering their life and then leaving it. […]
A feeling of being sad is something that everyone experiences. Sadness needs to be validated as being real and OK. Life hurts at times, and if we don’t embrace the pain, then we can miss a grace offered. Permission to be sad ‘I give you permission to feel sad.’ It […]