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A Neurodivergent’s Guide to Burnout Recovery

“We treat burnout like a problem to diagnose, rather than approaching it as an opportunity to build a life that is more sustainable, authentic, and even joyful.“

Healing Your Inner Child When You Don’t Remember Joy

When our history is this painful, being asked to search for a glimmer can feel like an outright betrayal of our younger selves and what they endured.”

3 Questions to Heal Your Fawn Trauma Response

“This fawning part of me was still in the driver’s seat, believing that we couldn’t be safe or loved if we simply showed up as a whole person.“

Past Writing

Mental Health

5 Things Suicide Loss Survivors Should Know | Healthline

While I can’t speak for every person who has struggled with suicidal thoughts, I know there are some commonalities in our experience.

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How to Support Someone in a Mental Health Crisis | Healthline

When someone we love is struggling, our instinct is to throw ourselves into the fray… but without being intentional, we risk burning out.

Two individuals sitting and smiling at each other on a yellow couch, in a room with bright pink walls.

How to Stop Being a People-Pleaser | Healthline

“Am I coming from a place of self-honor or self-betrayal?” Fawning is a trauma response — but in safe relationships, it can be unlearned.

A person with a dark ponytail and white headphones stands facing a leafy bush.

What is Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy? | Alma

Finding a therapist who “gets” your neurodivergence can be transformative. But how can you tell if they’re truly affirming?

Two light-skinned hands holding a black paper heart against a white background.

Why I’m Not Fighting My Eating Disorder Anymore | Alma

It may sound like “giving up,” but accepting and even loving my eating disorder was truly the best thing I ever did for my recovery.

Demand Avoidance: A Guide For When ‘Easy’ is Too Hard | Alma

“I was desperate to know: Why had something as simple as taking a shower become so fraught? Why couldn’t I just do the thing?“

Crazy Talk: How to Stop Intrusive Thoughts | Healthline

I’m going to challenge you to consider that, no matter how horrifying your thoughts are, you still deserve support.

A person with long red hair sits on a red couch, dressed in all denim, looking down at a laptop.

How to Break Up With Your Therapist (Templates & Tips) | Alma

Ending therapy doesn’t have to be awkward. Learn how to respectfully communicate your decision with tips and expert guidance.

A blurred silhouette of a person with their hand stretched out, gesturing as if to say, "Stop." They appear to be on a balcony, with a hint of blue sky and a city backdrop.

My Friend Self-Diagnosed Herself Autistic. I Don’t Buy It | Ask Alma

“My friend has recently self-diagnosed herself as autistic. I’m autistic, and to be honest, I just don’t see it.”

Community & Wellness

5 Design Mistakes to Avoid In Your First Apartment | Greatist

Friend, learn from my mistakes. If you’re designing your first new space, heed this advice from my older, wiser self.

Woo Curious: Embracing Change with a Fiery Full Moon in Aries | Greatist

Swift captures the essence of this full moon perfectly in “The Archer”: “I cut off my nose just to spite my face / then I hate my reflection for years and years.”

An LGBTQ+ Guide to Trying Sobriety | Them

Becoming more present can be transformative, especially when many of us are tempted to reach for substances to dissociate from our feelings.

5 Science-Backed Lessons from Animal Crossing (Yes, Really) | Healthline

As someone who studies positive psychology, the nerd in me was struck by how many elements of the game actually hold water.

Why I’m No Longer Striving For My Best, Highest, or Healed Self | LQTU!

We set ourselves up to live in constant shame, with every step forward feeling like an apology for who we were before.

Your Joy is Not a Betrayal in the Fight For Social Justice | LQTU!

It is exactly because I am paying attention that my anger, grief, joy, gratitude and joy all exist side-by-side.

Social Impact & Cultural Analysis

Youth Sex Trafficking Still Happens. Here’s What You Should Know | Upworthy

For these youth, “Do I leave?” is just one question among a million they’ll be faced with.

11 Lives Were Lost in 11 Days. For the LGBTQ+ Community in Utah, Enough was Enough | Upworthy

“These are the kids who feel like God doesn’t love them, their parents [and] their community won’t understand who they are,”

5 Myths About Transgender Mental Health | ShareCare

Pushing back against false notions can create room for more honest, empowering conversations about the needs of the transgender community.

Doctors Using a Transgender Patient’s Correct Pronouns Is a Life-or-Death Matter | Teen Vogue

“Almost half of us will attempt suicide,” I told the doctor. “I will not be your last transgender patient.”

Why I’m Done Being a ‘Good’ Mentally Ill Person | The Establishment

Those who can’t ‘pass’ as reasonably sane are given less agency, respect, and dignity as they navigate psychiatric care.

People-Pleasing Isn’t ‘Manipulative’ — It’s Self-Abandonment | Alma

Call it what you will — but are we even asking the right questions?

Personal Essay

So I’m (Accidentally) Self-Quarantined with My New Boyfriend | Greatist

I’ve never been so protective over sweetness before. That sweetness is now my lifeline.

When Your Violin is Supposed to Be a Cello | Huffington Post

I can tell you the exact moment I realized, without a doubt, that I was not a woman.

When They Misgendered You At Your Memorial | LQTU!

“My friend has recently self-diagnosed herself as autistic. I’m autistic, and to be honest, I just don’t see it.”

I’m Giving My Eating Disorder Away | LQTU!

I approached connection the same way I did food: Trying to get by with as little as possible, and then blaming myself when I couldn’t manage my life that way.