Category: mental health

Those Words…Hold That Thought

I like words. All kinds of words, from the lofty to less than acceptable vernacular. Words have meaning, connotations, denotations, tell stories of their own volition. Words elicit control or a feverish pitch, a smorgasbord for the choosing. Words, as I tell my students convey not only meaning, but power.

Hold that thought.

I teach words to power in English class, how the history of words or phrases were (are) used to control, silence, denigrate, subjugate and alienate, how communities are taking back those words and reclaiming their power, why what we say needs more deliberate reflection. Some, are every day simple words, they, their, them, those. But in their simplicity is a tacit complicitness that “others” the people being referenced. Words can be a caress or a solid punch to the gut.

Hold that thought.

Dialogue. Teaching students how to disagree, using respectful language, to get their points across in ways that allow for understanding of both sides of any issue, even when the issues are challenging or when there may not be consensus, how dialogue means an opportunity to learn and grow.

Hold that thought.

I have a dialogue I may or may not ask students to parse. It’s a powerful example of dialogue gone wrong, a spiralling out of control into hurtful language that “others”, ridicules, denigrates, belittles one side of the argument, while centring and solidifying the power structure dynamics of the other side. In brief, a list of suggested educators to follow on Twitter was posted. A number of people inquired as to why there were not more IBPOC on the list. The following is taken from the responses to the request from those who sought to centre themselves and simultaneously to “other” those who were making the original inquiries.

Hold that thought.

To center…

-baffled by this business
-not going to change my behaviour
-proper response is to laugh at them to scorn
-more frantic they become the less serious anyone will take them
-speak up to bs
-bitch, bitch, moan, moan
-manners
-making good educators uncomfortable
-making a fuss about nothing
-multiple laughing gifs
-American History X gifs
-comparisons to “other marginalized things/people” Celts, xyz, pqr, marginalizing lmn, Australians, gingers, oat milk, almond milk, etc”
-terrified to say anything on twitter
-#LISTGATE has changed the teacher experience on twitter forever
-well reasoned arguments
-polite professional debate
-castigated 
-greater resolve to protect the community
-superb work
-damaging for all concerned
-awful-this too will pass
-ignore the silly comments
-ignore the rent-a-mobs
-being hounded and labelled
-attacked unnecessarily
-ignore the wokerati
-chant this too will pass
-baffled by this business
-abuse
-we should know better 
-privileged to be in the most honourable of professions
-challenging this damaging ideology
-children deserve better…their dreams and aspirations
-predictable when you apply the ideology they analyze
-sensible
-love, no apologies, don’t wear out
-block people
-comedy gold
-feel bad for you
-good work and intentions
-you’re still fabulous
-positive suggestions are more useful
-genuinely  nice guy
-generous
-insightful
-block, move on
-forgotten in a few days
-ignore
-astounded
-sad
-ridiculous
-sad
-think twice to tweet-I’m a liberal too, but…
-block
-block report all accounts
 -report comments to the police
-staggered
-tyranny
-slaughtered one way or the other, just do what you think f@ck the rest
-just say it, f@ck them
-screw the nutters and their fake accusations
-get your bullet proof vest on first
-toxic culture

Hold that thought.

To “other”…

-joining a gang
-wokish bores
-“holier than thou “ police
-communist
-non rational illogical
-name calling
-pile on
-behaving badly
-degenerates into insults
-vile, vitriolic, personal agenda
-bully en masse
-equivalent to a gang in  school
-accounts need to be shut down permanently
-extreme behaviours
-crazy
-more credence than deserved
-bullies
-silly comments
-vitriol
-rent a mobs
-combative fascists
-wokerati
-outraged mob
-badly socialized chidden
-mob
-Pavlovian
-witch hunt
-gang mentality
-brown paper bag test
-colourist
-cult
-BIPOC “a thing”
-BIPOC is one of those acronyms like TERF or SWERF made up by swivel eyed loons of critical theory trying to impart a veneer of legitimately to their drivel
-communist
-witch
-chip on shoulder
-unpleasant
-going out of way to be annoyed
-ridiculous pretentiousness
-unpleasant individuals
-harm to celebration of diversity
-beyond daft
-too much time on their hands
-twiter trolls
-people are crazy
-infighting within their groups
-not sane and irrational
-piling on
-black face gifs
-daft
-want to create a ruckus
-fools
-stupid
-opinions are worthless
-bunch of nuttas
-unadulterated crap
-convenient prop for their own egotism
-identity politics can give POC and their advocates enormous power and the authority to disrupt everyone and kids lose out
-a lot of people should be prevented from social media and they probably shouldn’t be allowed to vote
-‘The lady doth protest too much methinks”
-garbage
-kafkatrapping
-race hustlers
-nutters

Hold that thought.

More than words and phrases, those centring and digging in, negated any chance of actual critical, thoughtful dialogue by turning it into a reductive parody, equating a genuine inquiry for equitable diversity to asking for the list to include : bearded teachers, Celts, Australians, unicorns, lmm, pqr, gingers, bald and so on. It was even taken to the extent that colour charts were brought up and individual colours were remarked up such that it mocked the very nature of the original question. Furthermore, those inquiring were derided as someone “woke”, a soy latte drinking evangelist sitting in a coffee shop, engaging in a Twitter war. Comments such as “reminding I am woke”, “emotional labour”, “taking time from my soy latte to educate you”, which then devolved into others commenting “Is your soy latte inclusive? Monster!”, followed by numerous laughing gifs and the argument that other milks were being left out and marginalized, thereby negating any sense of seriousness of the conversation.

The number of laughing gifs, congratulatory gifs, high five gifs after all the comments only served to remind people that there was a ” side” being supported and all rational, respectful debate be damned.

Hold that thought.

All, or almost all the participants were educators, involved in education in one form or another.

While a fantastic example of how language is powerful, how a dialogue can break down into hurtful, name calling, belittling statements, reductive humour, I am hesitant.

Hold that thought.

What is the greater lesson behind this? Language choice, debate, dialogue…But…

Hold that thought.

How will this make my students feel? What lesson will they actually be learning? That when someone pushes for equity, for more diverse representation, for people who look like them to be recognized and heard, given an equal opportunity to be celebrated and handed the mic, that this is what they need to expect? That this kind of behaviour is the reality? That they will be ridiculed, redacted and “othered” in such a derisive and dehumanizing fashion? How much trauma would such a lesson cause my students. And if I am concerned about it, why weren’t the powers with their laughing jibes and insulting, derisive quick come backs? Is this the display the they want their students to know then for?

Hold that thought.

Teachers. The very people who are supposed to be role models for the very children they say they are sent to serve. And I mean that literally, “serve”. That they should stoop to model such behaviour is a lesson I don’t know that I’m willing to dish out to my kids, because for many, it just serves to remind them that this is the reality, their reality.

Words. Are Powerful.

Check yourself.

Reflect.

Your students are watching. And learning.


Featured

Hold That Thought-Emotional regulation and control in the contemporary classroom

Emotions. Crisis. Trauma.

Human beings with real feelings. Real dilemmas, issues, lives.

Teachers and students.

Waves. Sometimes waves upon waves.

Highs and lows. Undertows.

Hold that thought.

Grab your board and let’s ride while we chat.

We know that Social Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, Mental Health is something all of us need to work on. And I say all, because even as adults, we are not necessarily the best at identifying, regulating and speaking our truths and we’re at our own places on the journey and this must be respected.

We have programs we can work with, many of them fabulous resources which helped us lead kids to awareness and empathy. But…

If we know this is important work, why are we simultaneously alluding to the fact that teachers must needs always be these Mary Poppins like robots of calmness, zen like and stalwart in the face of all, “managing” and directing the class at all costs?

Hold that thought.

Someone needs us.

It’s the middle of class and a student from one of your other classes is outside your door, shaking, breathing irregularly, tears threatening.

They need you.

Now.

Yes, it’s “inconvenient”. Yes, your job is to teach the students in your class. Yes, you’re not a _____ fill in the blank. I honestly can’t count how many times over the years I’ve had to switch gears on the fly. Address the class to keep the work going, in such a way it respects the dignity of the student(s) outside, call the office, guidance, whoever I can get in touch with immediately, and out my door I go. To sit on the floor, sometimes hold some hands, talking, slowly, calmly, quietly talking, breathing if need be, telling my own story about anxiety attacks, letting them know it’s ok, we can get through this, breathe and breathe again, until it subsides and support arrives. Sometimes, the others will take over my class while I do this work, other times, we’ve gotten through it and they are ok to move to a different space. Regardless, we ride the waves until the waters calm and we can paddle back to shore.

But, you said we shouldn’t be models of control and calmness, zen and stalwart. Which is it? I need to manage my classroom and my students. I can’t be taking breaks for this; it’s not my…

When we ride the waves, we can get tossed about, we can get sucked into the undertow. Sometimes we absolutely must be a calming centre in a tempest especially when dealing with a crisis, or trauma, or someone else’s anxiety attack.

And my kids, they get it because I model, model, model.

It’s when classroom or emotional “management” takes precedence, classroom management and academics timelines take over the teachable moments, like bulwarks they stop the natural flow of things and we lose out on what could be defining moments for our students to learn core skills that help with relationships, team work, mental health, empathy.

Sometimes the point of the lesson is that we need to change direction; we must go where the students are taking us, to meet them as them as they are, where they are and this includes emotionally.

From my modelling this, my students learn that emotions are ok. We all have them. They learn to be empathetic not judgemental. They learn that if they too are riding the waves, there are safe harbours. They don’t question, judge or look askance when another student comes in, sets up camp beside my desk on the floor, pulls out art supplies, ear buds and just starts to create. They know from experience that my space is a safe space where, when they can’t cope, regulate, function, they can work on other class work here, or work through their emotions using whatever materials I have on hand.

But that’s chaotic! What about their other classes? I can’t be responsible for other students? What will their teachers say? They need to be in class learning.

Hold that thought.

How much learning do you think will happen when a student is not regulating? Sometimes, they can’t even articulate which emotions they are feeling.

They. Just. Feel.

This is where your relationships with your colleagues come into play.

Call their teacher (rule #1) and let them know where their student landed.

Call guidance etc. to let them know what’s going on with that student.

Chances are, had they not landed with you, they would be out of the building, most likely for the rest of the day, self medicating, possible self harming, definitely not learning.

If they’re not being disruptive (rule #2), then they are safe, and you are providing them with an opportunity to work things through, and you are modelling to others that processing is normal depending where each student is on their journey.

But that takes so much time! It’s disruptive. It’s not fair to the students in my class. I don’t have time and you still haven’t explained your criticism of “Mary Poppins” perfect teachers. This is too overwhelming!

Hold that thought.

Here’s the deal and my perspective.

Emotions are real and everyone has them. We need to make time, to role model what we expect students to learn from programs or packages. We need to walk our talk, not just show them a video or read some slides. We need to be real and authentic about our emotions. We can’t just suppress all the time, put up false fronts of placid professionalism because what does that look like and what do they learn?

Perhaps it’s because the students I work with are older, perhaps it’s the relationships I build with them.

They know I am calm in the storm, the bounce in the groove, and I am authentically me.

Contrary to some recommendations, I will name my emotions.

I am…frustrated, sad, joyful, amazed, bewildered, angry, tired, happy, overwhelmed.

They hear it and they see it because I’ve called it directly, in my outside voice, and they respect and honour that honesty and vulnerability, because then they learn it is safe to have emotions and how to name our emotions.

But we can’t go around being angry, or crying, or upset because that will have a negative impact on the emotions of our students! We need to buffer their emotions so that things don’t get out of control. A teacher must always be in control of themselves! A teacher must always be in control and manage the emotions of students!

Hold that thought.

Yes. And no.

It’s the what comes next that’s important. When they hear me name it, then they see me role model what I do with it.

They learn that maybe I need to take a minute to breathe and recenter. Maybe I need to laugh so hard tears roll out my eyes. Maybe I need to shed tears of joy, or sadness, to let them know just how very much I care and they affect me.

They see it. They understand it and itt gives them strategies and tools.

Yale’s Centre for Emotional Intelligence created a program called RULER. “RULER is an acronym that stands for the five skills of emotional intelligence: recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing and regulating emotions.”

It is built in to the every day of the school environment such that it helps students and staff navigate emotions.

Some have called this emotional labour.

Hold that thought.

I call it an emotional investment.

Sometimes we just need to – Stop. Listen. Ask questions. Name your own emotions. Be vulnerable about ourselves. Role model, make suggestions for ways to change directions if needed.

When we do so, kids see us learning to deal with our fears, our hopes, disappointments and frustrations. We model learning (sometimes, when we’re not so lost in our socratic superiority). Why not model emotions? Model naming it. Model strategies. Model getting help. Model apologies. When you build this base then you can…

Hold that thought

Help.

Be there for.

Set the groundwork.

Kids in crisis. Kids who have experienced trauma. Kid who are experiencing depression/anxiety. Kids look to us for guidance, for themselves, for their friends.

I’ve handed more kids canvases and sketchbooks and told them to take your brain off that train, whatever that needs to look like. Anxiety, depression, trauma, the need to self medicate, self harm…put it into music, on the canvas, into words.

And when we model real, authentic emotions, we give them license to feel, to name their emotions, to work through them. And sometimes, it makes all the difference between one step. One fatal step.

I’ve cried. In front of a student (and my VP). A student who was near and dear started slipping. I knew something was off, but couldn’t put my finger on it. I asked them to name it.

Depression.

Severe depression.

Scale of 1-10?

9.

I had given the class something to work on, called admin and had taken it into the hall. There I discovered cutting, slashing and suicide ideation- to the extent they knew the how, but hadn’t gotten things together, just “thoughts”.

I started to cry.

Sitting there in the hall, holding their hands and feeling those words rain down like hammer blows to my heart, the tears dripping down my face, I named my emotions: great love, pride in their accomplishments, overwhelming sadness, pain at the thought of possibly losing such a phenomenal human being from my life, and determination, that together we were doing to get help to help figure this out.

Did it make a difference? I don’t know. But I knew that at that moment, at that time, that heart needed to know my heart.

In my 25 or so years of doing this, I have never regretted naming emotions, building those relationships and riding those waves.

My only regrets are the ones I have missed.

Hold that thought.

I am not you and you are not me and we’re all going to work as we are comfortable.

Furthermore, we cannot do this work without supports. We all need supports, our teams of professionals, our personal supports because heart song work can kick your ass and drain you as much as it is some of the most joyous life affirming thing you might do. Secondary trauma is a very real, and potentially debilitating thing. Always make sure that you take care of yourself after dealing with any crisis or trauma.

My final question to you?

When you are presented with that opportunity to connect and do the heart song work, what can you do a little bit differently to make those connections, model emotions and how you deal with them, such that your students will feel safe, supported and heard?

It’s an investment. It’s a journey.

Mental…Hold That thought

Mental, mental health, mentality…

A lot of “mental” and much of it

Conflated

Misused

A lot of times

Weaponized

Abused.

Hold That Thought.

Mental:

  1. relating to the mind.”mental faculties”synonyms:intellectual, cerebral, brain, rational, psychological, cognitive, abstract, conceptual, theoretical; More
  2. 2. relating to disorders of the mind.”a mental hospital”synonyms:psychiatric, psychogenic”mental illness”

I’ll be frank. I don’t like the phrase “Mental Health” or “Mental Illness”…”Mental” anything. Reminds me too much of the term “mental patient” with its images of straight jackets, unkempt physical appearance, desperate eyes or drooling, zoned out, over medicated lobotomized caricatures. We need to do better.

“But, we don’t have those kind of stigmas anymore! We have mental health days and posters and…”

Hold That Thought

We do. It’s a start. Programs create awareness in an attempt to teach and destigmatize, but it still “others” those who are experiencing mental health issues.

Truth is, whether adult or child, we still (historically and today) tie mental health issues to competencies and efficacy in terms of how we function in our personal lives, professional lives, family lives, school lives.

Loonies, loony bins, psych wards, psychos, disturbed, the crazy aunt, hugged secrets and stories of shame, people who disappear for a”rest”…whack job, fucking nuts, psycho, on her period, buddy’s lost it, couldn’t cope, what the hell is wrong with you, get over it, aren’t you done with that yet, didn’t the meds fix that, why are you always so tired, you off again, why didn’t you get your assignment done this time, what do you mean you can’t present in front of class, everybody can do that, ok, so you’re a little blue, you can push through that…

Hold That Thought

Some information quoted directly from CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association), Bolding and italics are mine.

____________________________________________________________

Fast Facts about Mental Illness

Who is affected?

  • Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
  • In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
  • Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.
  • Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
  • About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).

How common is it?

  • By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
  • Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.
  • Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
  • Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
  • Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
  • The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.

What causes it?

  • A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
  • Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
  • Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.
  • Mental illnesses can be treated effectively.

How does it impact youth?

  • It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.
  • Today, approximately 5% of male youth and 12% of female youth, age 12 to 19, have experienced a major depressive episode.
  • The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
  • Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.
  • Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children; with Canada’s youth suicide rate the third highest in the industrialized world.
  • Suicide is among the leading causes of death in 15-24 year old Canadians, second only to accidents; 4,000 people die prematurely each year by suicide.
  • Schizophrenia is youth’s greatest disabler as it strikes most often in the 16 to 30 year age group, affecting an estimated one person in 100.
  • Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are ranked as the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.
  • In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them.

____________________________________________________________

Unfortunately, those stats are related to the 2013 studies and surveys. If anything, the numbers are low and do not reflect the current data. The newer trend in schools right now is that intervention, targeted education programs are needed at much younger ages with school programs lowering the target age for messaging and strategies to 7-10 year olds from 12-15 year olds.

Adult or child access to effective, ongoing therapy or care is extremely challenging, even with supplementary insurance. Wait lists are long, and unless someone (including children) is in “crisis” and proves to be at risk for self harm or harming someone else, there is absolutely nothing one can do other that negotiate the ever expanding wait times. Basic therapy. Psychiatrists who specialize? Professionals who come to the home to help de-sensitize child with anxiety to get them out of the house? Good luck. Let me know when you find unicorns too please.

Children as young as 4 or 5 have expressed anxiety and depression and suicide ideation. One mother who wanted to spread awareness of the fact that very young children can indeed experience severe anxiety and depression, interviewed on 1010 radio said her daughter didn’t know the words to say “kill myself”. Instead, she said she wanted to “be with the angels“. How many callers jumped on the bad parenting, you’re just creating that dynamic for your child, another nutter damagingly their child, rather than critically looking at the hard cold truth that this is an issue for everyone, and age is irrelevant. Childhood anxiety and depression sometimes seems to come from out of the blue and can railroad a previously engaged, excelling student or athlete. Days, weeks, months of school can be lost, families are stressed as it affects everyone within that world. Factor in, kids (and adults) who start self medicating to alleviate the pain and distress, those who quietly self harm and conceal. This isn’t even tapping into those students who conceal so well, they fawn/fix/false front so that you would never know the struggles/battles that are internalized.

How are we as educators supporting these students? Do we have sufficient training to recognize symptoms, behaviours? Do we have relationships with these students such that we can have conversations? What supports, safety networks do our schools have in place? What accommodations policies do our schools/classrooms have in place to facilitate their capacity to learn separate from the health issues? Because a student with mental health issues is indeed capable, what that might look like is an entirely different matter. What supports are in place for the educators who do this work? Secondary trauma is a real “thing”. Dealing with crisis scenarios, working with students who are cutting, self medicating, at risk of suicidal ideation, panic attacks is intense and takes a toll on those working with them no matter how professional or grounded you are. What support/safety network is in place for your own emotional and mental well being?

Hold That Thought.

And speaking of teachers…what about the adults in the room? You read just one set of data. That potentially means that roughly (give or take because older data and I don’t know the ages of all my readers) 50% of us have experienced or are contending with mental health concerns.

And yet…so many of us do not disclose that we are going through these things.

Why?

From discussions with others and in my own experience, too often mental health is equated to professional and personal competency. We TALK about let’s talk about it, but only in the most superficial way, and with the unspoken caveat, as long as it is not disruptive, doesn’t last long, and doesn’t interfere with our relationships (personal or professional).

What would other people think? What would other people say? How will this reflect on how I do my job in the classroom?

It’s the fear of those comments, ” You know, you just HAVE to convince yourself you need to get out of bed every day; it’s really that simple”. “Aren’t you done with that yet? How long has it been? Surely here must be something they can do to fix it! You know, my aunt…” ” You just need to meditate, mindfulness, read positive things all day, go for a walk, do some yoga, play some sports, get out more, tell yourself you can DO it”. “Wellllll, I don’t know how she thinks she’s gonna continue to work, I mean if she can’t handle kindergarten how is she going to do this?” “There are soooo many other people who really want a job without having to deal with their absences”. “You get accommodations for THAT? Nice gig, how do I get that one?” ” You just need to grit everybody else does! My life isn’t perfect, but I don’t let it fall apart like that, that’s just playing the martyr, the victim, the drama queen”.

Hold That Thought.

And yes, I’ve heard these comments from people, both on here in variations and in real life. If that’s the attitude people are facing, why on earth would they want to disclose? Many celebrities have been talking more in the hopes of bringing a sense or normalcy to the issue, using their celebrity status to amplify awareness that people are not alone. Educators, however do not have the luxury of a massive fan base to fall back on and for some, job stability in terms of performative assessments skewed by conflating mental health and professional competency is an actual concern. So, people ” suck it up” and suffer in silence, unable to build their own safety nets and support systems, living a double life if you will, which in turn only serves to compound the root issues.

Furthermore, if this is how we discuss our colleagues, how are we relating with our students in classes? How are our own internalized biases being broadcast to those kids who need more than anything support and understanding? What double sided messaging are we giving them? On the one hand, “Let’s Talk About it”, “Mental Health Matters”, for a trendy day, or two or three. But there are no magical mystical wave a magic wands and done. Are we changing our expectations to meet students where they are, as they are? Are we accommodating mental health issues just as we would with an IEP, via differentiated assessment, extended timelines, not presenting in class, presenting with support? Are we punishing students for being late, absent, under the influence, not participating, expressing behaviours when we should be looking deeper, trying harder to understand the root causes and supporting our students to be the best they can be, as they are, where they are on their journeys, knowing the this can go backwards, sideways, full circle, full stop…knowing they are NOT doing this on purpose, knowing some days they just CAN”T!

Hold That Thought

We need to shift more. We need to actuate not just ideate and edu-blather about support and understanding that aligns nicely with “special days”. We need to be mindful. Of how our relentless positivity pumping affects others, those who are experiencing mental health concerns and those who knows some who is, and that the journeys are not easy. Positivity is a good thing, but wielding it like a panacea for everything weaponizes it and is debilitating to those struggling just to get out of bed, take a step out the door, interact with others. We need to stop looking side-eyed and talking in hushed tones about our students, friends and colleagues. If you can’t be truly supportive then shut the hell up and sit your ass down. Strong words? Perhaps, but seriously until you give your head a shake and learn some actual empathy and compassion, not just the buzzwords you keep eud-positively spewing; there is no place for your holier than thou, soul sucking drivel.

Hold that Thought

Training, support, comprehensive programs embedded into the curriculum, our policies and assessment strategies. How much training have we put into place to educate teachers on strategies to support students, both in crisis (panic attacks, suicide ideation, self harm, self medicating) and those who may be sliding under the radar, those who are missing substantial amounts of school due to ongoing struggles.

Hold that Thought

More conversations, yes. But more than that, we need to move beyond the positive feel good messaging into action that supports not only people on a mental health journey, but also the educators and facilitators who work with us.

Hold That Thought

I am an educator, facilitator, “werewolf whisperer”, advocate, artist, boy mom, fur baby mom, kayaking, former musher and a bunch of other stuff.

I am a survivor.

I have C-PTSD.

I am not my diagnosis and you better be ready to bring it if you mistakenly believe you can just place me in that box and shut the lid.

Hold That Thought

To be continued…