It’s International Day for Tolerance, so today I want to talk about tolerance from the perspective of a mental health advocate.  If you spend even a small amount of time interacting with others, you’re bound to find differences. From race and gender to political beliefs and worldviews, diversity is all around us. And as the […]

We’re heading into the Halloween weekend, and as I look at everyone’s costumes on social media I can’t help but think about masks. I’m not talking about actual masks, of course. I’m talking about the masks that people put on in everyday life – the ones that hide their true personalities, identities, and intentions. I’ve […]

Now that the chaos of the first – ever Ruthless in the Rockies retreat is over, I’m reflecting on everything that happened – all the good and the not so good. And there is so much to share with you!  But the thing that’s been on my mind the most is the topic of ‘detoxing.’ […]

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week. This year’s campaign theme is ‘Talk Away the Dark.’ So let’s start a conversation about what we can all do to prevent suicide! Most of us have been touched by suicide in some way. After all, it’s the 11th most common cause of death in the US today, […]

My 9 – year anniversary was yesterday, which is always a tough time for me. But in the midst of the complicated emotions, I’m so grateful for the close friendships that are getting me through it all. I want to discuss the important role that friendships play in your overall mental health. From toxic friendships […]

July is Bereaved Parents Month–and my guess is that you don’t even know. Because there’s little to no support available for grieving parents. There’s little support available for people grieving, period. And the support that is available doesn’t meet people’s needs according to their own reports, and it’s not provided for them. Rather, it’s their […]

June 26th was International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Since the month of June is also PTSD Awareness Month, let’s talk about PTSD and drug use.    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a life-altering diagnosis. You probably think of veterans when you hear the term. But PTSD is more common than you think, […]

When someone enters a medical setting, they’re usually in an emotionally vulnerable place. After all, no one is seeing a doctor purely for the fun of it. So why is it that most medical practices seem to ignore the emotional and mental state of their patients? Is this really the best that we can do?  […]

We’re closing out Mental Health Awareness Month, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop focusing on your mental health. You can continue to create a lifestyle that prioritizes emotional health and wellness.    For many people, the summer months include changes to daily  schedules and routines.  A lot of people take the summer off […]

I spent almost 45 years of my life being told that I’m too sensitive and that my dreams were too big – by the people who matter the most to me.   It was so much a part of my life that I just got used to it…. even after I moved from Michigan to […]

I’ll always talk about Jim. He’s part of me. He’s part of everything I do. So anyone who thinks talking about him might upset me – PLEASE talk about him. NOT talking him is what is upsetting. He’s also connected to my career in so many ways… My first job “in the field” was at The […]

So many of my clients are going through similar things. At the same time. But they don’t know it because most suffer silently. Feeling alone. We allow the noise in this world to confuse us. To tell us things like boys don’t cry and girls can’t play football. Pardon my language, but it’s bullshit!! Major bullshit. And it […]