I was brought up on a sheep farm, and one of the most fascinating features of that farm was the tracks the sheep made across the paddocks. Right in the middle of a field, you’d find this narrow, well-worn path — pressed down by hundreds of hooves, over and over, […]
Mental Health Recovery
15 posts
Change is most fragile at the very beginning. If we can catch the little foxes that spoil the vine, the subtle saboteurs that kill new growth, the blossom has a chance to become a harvest. In this post: Why new change is so vulnerable The little foxes that spoil the […]
This didn’t feel normal AT ALL, but when they offered the words ‘That’s normal and you’re going to be ok’, a flood of reassurance swept into me. After they had told their story, the psychiatrist looked at them and, with quiet compassion, said these words. For what you’ve been through, […]
God, I need a miracle, but perhaps I need something more, and that is what God offers me and you. Something of depth and hope. Quick answer: When life falls apart, it is natural to cry out, “God, I need a miracle.” God does still do miracles, but in mental […]
Quick answer: When you’re stuck in a dark hole of depression, telling yourself to “pull yourself together” rarely works, and shame only makes you sink deeper. What helps is connection: a “bird’s nest” of people who each bring something to your recovery, a rope of reaching out so their support […]
Our brains can be so busy that it can feel like a concussion, but we can help the brain recover by finding some still waters to rest next by. When I wrote the first draft of this post, I was sitting next to a small stream. There wasn’t much water […]
‘Power over’ was normal, but ‘power with’ was what they needed. When we listen deeply, we move forward. Mental health flourishes when power is shared. She was small in stature, and I think she also saw herself as being a little person, insignificant. She was also quiet and never really […]
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. Quick answer: Mental health recovery takes time because healing involves physically rewiring the brain, one small neural pathway at a time. Shortcuts such as numbing, […]
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. […]
If you are in danger right now, call 111. In New Zealand you can free call or text 1737 any time to talk with a trained counsellor, call Lifeline on 0800 543 354, or the Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). Outside New Zealand, visit Find a […]