I love this piece. It is so real. 2020 was so hard for so many. I was in Miami at the time. And the weather was a huge help. Being able to workout outside and go to the beach and just chill was such a privilege. So I totally understand why the move to Arizona made sense for you. You should be so proud of yourself for digging deep and doing…read more

Ashley, You are so much stronger than you think. Keep trying to change the narrative in your head towards a positive one. Minute by minute, day by day, you will start to feel better. Your strength is fighting for you! You got this! We are cheering you on. <3 Lauren

Sometimes the the things that all us to grow and heal are the most uncomfortable in the moment. But it takes so much courage to do whatever it takes to get better.

Also, the mention of socks stuck out to me. A girl I went to high school with started GripCity Socks after being admitted twice. I think you might find her story interesting.…read more

Telina <3, We are so happy you are back. I am sorry you have been going through a hard time, but I am glad you are feeling better and learning and growing through your struggles. You are so strong, and I admire you. Keep pushing forward. <3 Lauren

Danielle, You are certainly not alone. I tagged a few people who have written about their experienced with bipolar. Read their stories and write them back. @christinasantiago @jthomasdryandbarren-com @emdissocool @sarita @majdalism

Also, I encourage you to try and find as many ways and outlets as possible to feel better: exercise, writing,…read more

I think forgiveness is about freeing yourself from hurt and anger, and not so much for the person you are forgiving. You can forgive someone but not invite them back into your life. Forgive them so you can move forward without toxicity. Whether that’s with or without that person is up to you and your best judgment. <3 Lauren

Closure doesn’t always come from others but from ourselves. It’s a way of learning about ourselves. It’s important for us to realize that we must not rely on others for our happiness.

Forgiveness can be a very hard thing to give. But even though it can be difficult to give it does free your mind and yourself as a whole from the pain you’ve been through, and forgiveness is also one of the many steps to improving oneself. Thank you for sharing

Hannah, that was beautifully written. It made me think about my life a little and my experiences. Sometimes we can’t control other people’s actions but we can surely control our narrative and what we allow in our lives. Keep writing these great poems!

There is a famous quote that says “the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” When you are trying to do something different, or better, or if someone feels their power is threatened there are people who will hold you back and hurt you in effort to stop you Naysayers are almost a sign that you’re doing something right. The world needs…read more

Change is a slow process but it is important to know that you are an essential part of the process. Your efforts and dedication are contributing to a gradual transformation. You are the hope and inspiration for your students and so you should keep up the good work and always push yourself to do more good.

omg Ashley, this is so good. I love this part:

I’m a beautiful mess,
Doesn’t mean I’m counted any less.
It’s not my place to convince you I have self-worth,
I am proud of my new rebirth.

It looks like you have really learned how to take a deep breath and figure out what works best for you so you can live your best live. Keep pushing forward…read more

This reminds me of a game that I used to play called Empires Of The Underground. It’s a game about ants but the reason why I’m mentioning the game is because there’s this mad scientist that is studying ants and he’s putting them through these stressful and seemingly impossible situations, but the ants still prevail and they always beat his…read more

I love the idea of saying one thing I’m grateful for in the morning. I’ll start incorporating that into my morning. Sometimes through tragedy we find ourselves. We tend to be blindsided by our comforts and the second we allow ourselves to be uncomfortable we find ourselves. Our true self. Thank you for sharing.

This is so beautiful yet deep. You’ve gone through a lot and you’ve also changed for the better because you realized that you couldn’t and you shouldn’t live that way anymore and kudos to you for that. Thank you for sharing

Truly remarkable, the honesty about the difficulties you faced and the moments of shame and pain is powerful. Your commitment to living your truth and prioritizing your well-being is inspiring. This story of yours serves as a testament to the power of self-reflection and determination for a better life.

I’ve never heard of gratitude practice. I’m glad I’m hearing about it now. Changing your perspective on things and shifting your thoughts from stress to gratitude can’t be extremely beneficial. Just like the saying “stop and smell the roses” there’s also “look at the bright side.” Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for sharing Alicia. This is such an important thing to practice and I needed this reminder. It’s sooo important to practice this during the good times too! When you don’t “need” it. Then it becomes habit and when you’re feeling down you have this tool that is so easily tangible. This reminder to practice gratitude was something that I truly…read more

First off, congrats on your bachelor’s in psychology. Reading this shows that you’ve come a long way and that your journey has surely paid off. When you said “It’s hard to see the path forward when your head is down.” is so deep and powerful. If you don’t mind I just might start using this saying. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for sharing this inspirational story. We all should be grateful for what we have and what we will achieve in life. We should be happy for small things for the things we wake up in the morning and do the things we do.

I’m so glad you have such a strong support system. They’re no better feeling in the world than to have the ones you love to also support you and your passion. Thank you for sharing.

You have such a wonderful support system. And the fact that you’re surrounded by people who care about you and aren’t biased and keep it real with you is amazing. Thank you for sharing

Danni, I am so sorry you are going through this. I actually had a lot of stomach problems throughout my whole childhood. For years, I went to doctor after doctor. Endoscopies. Gastric Emptying Tests. Blood tests. Test after test. Nothing conclusive Except for LPR. For me, I realized after I started writing about my assault that my stomach problems…read more

I’m so sorry that you have digestive issues. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you. I to have recently developed some stomach issues and I’m not sure why I should do about it.

Aww Hannah, this piece really pulled at my heart strings. I am sorry your classmate was so meaner and I am so sorry your teacher didn’t do what she should have done. But you are so sweet, and you are most certainly lovable. I always say, what people say to you about you says more about who they are than who you are… let go of any shame you feel.…read more

This reminded me of the first time I experienced shame. It was the 2nd grade on the playground and a 5th grader told me to get off the monkey bars and before I could she punched me in the stomach. (Pretty hard too.) I never told anyone about it. I even held back my tears so the teachers wouldn’t ask questions. I’m not sure what I did to des…read more

This is wonderful and I’m proud of you. You’ve shaken the chains that bogged you down, albeit not in a quick fashion but after all of the pain and realization came together you’ve gained the ability to tell your shame to go kick rocks. Thank you for sharing

Thank you so much for sharing your inner dialogue. I can’t imagine how difficult your life might be because of what you’ve been through. Being beautifully broken is something I’ve heard before. In china, if fine china is broken it’s mended back together with gold. Showing the beauty in imperfections and that it’s worth is still valuable. You may b…read more

Hello Shelle, I understand the invisible illnesses all to well. The physical and the mental that came from first abuse and then MS. PTSD has calmed down as I work on regulating my nervous system and my physical ailments have changed significantly as I changed my life style. The memories of the abuse are still surfacing and I ride those waves as…read more

This is a very beautiful and emotional letter. you’ve clearly been through hell and back yet you’re still here, besides the depression and PTSD you’re still here to share your story. Thank you for sharing your struggle.