Toilet Plungers and Facebook

Toilet Plungers and Facebook

Several times over the last month, I have had a conversation with people which is similar to this blog post. 

The conversation starts out with the person stating how he or she is feeling “bad” about his or her life… Because it does not match the pictures of life he or she sees on Facebook.  Friends are having fantastic days.  Their selfies are spectacular.  Vacations are plentiful.  There are joyful moments.  Everyone else’s diets are rocking away the pounds.

And there is the person with whom I am speaking… Who is not on vacation.  Who has not lost ten pounds with the latest and greatest diet.  Who is not glamorous in a selfie.

The person who is frazzled.  Who did not get much sleep last night because he or she was up worrying about bills.  Who is going to be lucky to get a full 10 minutes to shower without interruption – a vacation is out of the question.

It is to these people I have asked the question:  Do you ever see pictures of their toilet plungers? 

After all, everyone eats.  Everyone sleeps.  Everyone has a life.  … And all those lovely Facebook pictures NEVER show people washing dishes scrubbing the floor, or unplugging the toilet.  I have yet to see someone posting a selfie of using a toilet plunger.

So when you see those lovely pictures and doubt starts to creep into your mind… I want you to think of toilet plungers.  Remind yourself that Facebook pictures are the shiniest moments of life.  But Facebook pictures ARE NOT representative of the vast majority of life we each live.  All those moments which make up the bulk of our lives – no one is snapping sparkly pictures of them.  No one is posting those pictures – the ones which never get taken.   Instead, people are busy LIVING those moments.  Just like you do. 

Just like we all do.

Safety Plan. Copyright, Laura Ann Collins 2015.

Safety Plan

I designed this safety plan for use with clients who are in counseling.  If you would like to use this, you are welcome to do so.  However, this safety plan DOES not take the place of obtaining adequate psychiatric, mental health, or medical care.  You are welcome to share this plan with others who might benefit from it.  Please ensure that your shared version also has copyright information attached.  Thank you.

Uplifts and Downdrafts

I have worked in the person-centered field of mental health care.  Due to this experience and my own personal life, I have often found taking care of ourselves falls by the side of the road.  Life is so very demanding - and when we care for others it can seem almost selfish to take care of ourselves... to say - No, this is time I must have for myself.

However, there is truth in the statement "you cannot take care of others until and unless you first take care of yourself".  If you have nothing left, then you have nothing left to give.

There is also truth in the statements I often hear, "I have to work to pay bills.  Just how am I supposed to 'take time' to take care of me?" or "Taking care of Jane Doe/John Doe is 24/7 - there is just no time left".

How then, do we reconcile these statements?

I suggest we change the playing field.  This is how:  Stop trying to find big blocks of time.  Instead look for and rejoice in the small minutes that you can use to replenish yourself.

Allow me to provide a few examples:

I may not be able to change the fact that I must work.  I cannot change that I have often worked a 50 hour work-week in order to accomplish all necessary tasks.

• But I CAN make the environment pleasant through full-spectrum lighting, arranging my office to my personal comfort, and ergonomics with my desk, computer and chair.
• I CAN set playlists to which I listen as I work through the day.  
• I DID order glasses with blue-coat on them to reduce glare from computer screens (I spend a lot of time looking at computers as I read through documents about services provided).  
• I CAN make sure that at least twice per week, I am home early enough to cook dinner, eat leisurely, and spend time with my son.  
• I DO leave paperwork and concerns at the office.
• I TURN OFF my phone in the evening when I am ready to start settling down for bed (Do not disturb functions on smartphone are absolutely wonderful!).  
• I DO practice 1 or 3 or 5 minute moments of closing my eyes and simply breathing.
• I DO use desk and office stretches to keep my body from stiffening if I am sitting for a long period of time. 
• I TAKE BREAKS every 45 minutes to change what I am doing - perhaps I will move to file paperwork instead of spending 2 hours straight at the computer.  Perhaps I will contact clients or clinicians and use the phone time to pace a bit around the office.

For many, work may be one aspect of our lives.  For others, it may not be.  However, everyone has a home life of some sort.  We can each increase our wellness by ensuring we make things as pleasant and beneficial as possible.  How?  For me: 

Media

• I turn off the computer in the evenings.  It does not benefit me to stay up late chatting with friends or playing Farmville or other games.
• I turn of the TV (mine only has a DVD player attached to it - I do not have TV channels.)
• I got rid of TV channels.  I do not stream shows online, either.  I am much happier not spending hours of my life watching television shows.  I am less negative not watching the nightly news.
• I DO listen to NPR in the morning on the way to work - this makes my world a larger place.  I listen to NPR sometimes in the afternoons at home or on the way home.

Pets

• I play with Inky and Chai (our dogs).  There is something soothing in interacting with furbabies.  For me, having a dog settles me and gives me an anchor in this busy world.  Cuddles with a dog makes so many things less overwhelming.

Sleep

• I make sure I get enough sleep.  If I do not have 8 hours of sleep, I come to the end of myself before the end of the day.  This is not good for anyone.
• I meditate 15 minutes each morning and each evening. 
• Meditation does not have to be the "clear your mind and go "ohmmmm" type thing so many people think it must be.  
• For me, I spent 15 minutes noticing and naming all that I sense.  There is no judgement.  My mind never stops; but in allowing myself to be still and through channeling my mind to notice what I am experiencing, I can step outside of the rush and so can rest.  
• I have noticed over the last 18 months of doing this that my anxiety levels have decreased over 45% based on mood trackers.  
• I have also noticed I fall asleep faster and my sleep quality has increased dramatically.  I used to need 12 hours of sleep.  Now, I am rested and well with 8 hours (although I do sleep in on weekends and get 9-10 hours).
• I use my CPAP machine.  Sleep disorders result in chronic sleep deprivation.  This has multiple impacts on mood, physical health, ability to function, mental health, etc.  Simply put - if you have a sleep disorder you do not address you are shortening your life and reducing the quality of your life.  
• I sleep in the dark.  Lights can interfere with the production of melatonin.  

Organization

• I attend to household tasks each day so my home is a haven, a refuge, where I can rest and replenish.
• When I come home, I try to ensure that I put things into their place.  This reduces the amount of time it takes me to clean my house.
• I try to keep dishes done each day, which increases the hygiene of my home, reduces chances of having bugs, and makes living here pleasant.  
• There is something anxiety provoking to me to walk into a kitchen with dirty dishes in the morning.  
• Conversely there is something calming about being able to make breakfast and lunch in a kitchen that is both clean and organized.
• I plan ahead.  I do the majority of my cooking on the weekend.  That way, during the week, I can make quick and nutritious meals without much time or cleaning.

Introverts and Extroverts.

• I am an introvert.  There is often confusion about what an introvert is and is not.  Robbie Gongaware, one of the most impactful mentors in my life, explained introverts and extroverts like this:  An introvert is someone who builds up energy in solitude.  An extrovert is someone who builds energy in the companionship of others.  Neither introverts or extroverts should always be solitary or in company.  For each type of person, balance is essential.  However, for each type of person, what makes balance is different. 
• I have found that I am happiest when I have some dedicated solitude built into my day as well as some dedicated time to interact with others.  When I spend too much time in solitude, my world becomes a smaller place.  When I spend too much time with others, I have no energy and become very frazzled. 
• Once a month or so, I deliberately take an entire day to be alone.  This is the time I set my mind free and simply surf the flow of thoughts.  This is when I am most creative and when I generate the ideas I work on bringing into reality over the rest of the month.  I create new recipes and then have the pleasure over the month of trying them out.  I seek new experiences I might want to try.  And, I review the previous month to determine what I want to change over the next month.  I find this time invaluable and a great source of strength. 

Friends

• I have many friends.  A good proportion of these are online friends from various interest and support groups.  Some of the online friends are ones who became friends in "face-to-face life" and then have moved beyond visiting range.  
• I have local face-to-face friends.  I do not interact with these friends as often as I should based on society's standards... but that is part of the introvert balance I have spoken of above.  I touch base with them regularly.  And, I get together with people a couple times per month.
• I understand the difference between friend and acquaintance.  Often I have found that people get their feelings hurt when expectations of an acquaintance exceed the bounds of the acquaintanceship.  
• For caregivers, the tendency is to do "too much" for others.  When this tendency intrudes upon friendships, it creates imbalance and slowly destroys the friendship.  I have found it important to be willing to ask friends for assistance - EVEN WHEN I CAN DO IT MYSELF.  When I was trying to do everything, the unspoken message was that I was "more capable" than my friends.  Now, that I ensure I honor my friends' ability to be capable, I find I am much less stressed and my friendships are stronger.  It was never necessary that I do everything myself.  By doing so, I denied my friends the chance to provide caring and to demonstrate strength and ability.  I have learned to be less arrogant, which has reduced my stress.
• It is okay to say "no".  People who are caregivers often have a difficult time saying no.  After all, if someone asks then he or she must "need help".  This is not the case.  Sometimes people do need help.  Sometimes, the request is instead an offer to spend time with the person.  On occasion, the request is manipulation.  It is important to be able to parse the difference between these, to determine WHY the request is being made, and then to honestly evaluate if this is something you can do and that you are willing to do.  It is essential to not become the martyr who accedes to all requests and resents the time filling those requests take.

Uplifts and Downdrafts

• I have found it helpful to create lists of the short things I can do to renew myself ... as well as a list of things to limit as those items "drain my batteries".  For example, I love a cup of hot tea, looking at flowers, or cuddling my dogs.  These are some uplifts.  On the other hand, dealing with inaccurate bills, interacting with a few select people, or doing dishes are things I find unpleasant and prefer to avoid.  Therefore, when these tasks need doing (and dishes are a daily thing), I ensure to pack uplifts around the unpleasant to buffer out the stress of unpleasantness.  I change the environment to reduce impact of unpleasantness - an example would be listening to favored music while washing dishes.  Another would be steeping aromatic tea while doing dishes to have a cup of hot tea afterwards.
• A previous entry on this blog, April 23, 2103, Box of Joy, discusses how to create a system for uplifts using index cards.  If you are not used to taking time to experience uplifts, this may be something helpful to you.

Exercise

• For me, this is perhaps the most difficult part of wellness.  I have chronic illnesses which sometimes limit my ability to be very active.  However, when you realize that exercise is simply another word for movement, then the whole frame of thinking changes. 
• How many ways can you move your body?  Some days, I find myself doing stretches while soaking in a tub of hot water with Epsom salts.  Other days, I may be hiking.  There are days when I walk with my dogs out in the back yard.  And there are days I dance around my house while taking care of cleaning and dusting.  Instead of thinking "ugh, I have to get some exercise", try thinking "how am I going to move around a bit today...  What will be joyful?"
• If you have chronic structural or systemic issues (osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, etc.), try for just a COUPLE MORE MINUTES of moving than the day before.  The biggest problem with "starting exercise" for people with these type of challenges is the doing-too-much-and-so-cause-too-much-pain-to-continue.  And, often it is because on the "good days" there is such need to "get things done" that overdoing becomes a cycle.  Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.  So, maybe changing things up a bit would create a different result.  Pacing works!!

Vitamins and Nutrition

• If you have allergies or dietary restrictions it is very important to make sure you are getting adequate nutrients and vitamins.  For example, due to my allergy to corn, I do not eat any iodized salt (corn-based substance used to attach iodine to salt).  My hair started falling out.  I did some research and talked with others who are allergic to corn.  Figured maybe it was an iodine issue.  I purchased kelp supplements and started taking them.  My hair stopped falling out and is starting to grow back in.
• YOU KNOW YOUR BODY.  Please do not assume that someone with a degree or a license knows more about you than you do.  You are the expert on you.  Many diseases and disorders have YEARS of typical search for answers before diagnosis.  Some conditions are misunderstood or mislabeled due to multiple factors - including societal bias. Homosexuality was once consider a mental illness.  African Americans die of heart disease more often than Caucasians due to treatment disparity.  Socioeconomic status is often tied to outcome for medical and mental health treatment. 
• So, please, develop confidence in your ability to determine what is normal for your body and what is not... and be willing to persist until your providers listen, do your own research, talk with others - but with the awareness that what works for them may not work for you, take charge of your own health  and wellness.  The joke goes that the chicken is involved in breakfast, the pig is committed.  It is very true that no one is more committed in your health and wellness than you are.  Your providers are involved.  You are committed.
• Eat as well as you can.  I will not go into the arguments about GMO, organic, or other food issues.  Instead, I will simply suggest that the healthiest way to eat is to balance your meals between types of foods (dairy, meat, veggies, fruits, grains, other), pay attention to portions (you eat less if you use a smaller plate), get enough liquids (water is best), and reduce as much as possible the more processed foods.  My personal opinion is the closer it is to something grown (whole food - which means the less processed the item is) the healthier it is for you.
• Learn to cook.  Pretty much any item you cook is healthier than that same item bought in a package.  Often, it tastes better as well!
• Avoid, as much as possible, things (notice I did not call those items "foods") high in preservatives, trans fat, and sugar or sugar substitutes.
• Fad diets are fads because they do not have enough foundation in science, nutrition, or common sense to remain in use over time.  DIFFERENT DIETS (eating plans) WORK FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.  I do well when I eat a diet low in carbohydrates.  I feel sick when I eat too many carbohydrates.  However, the same eating plan that works for me, sends my sister into serial episodes of hypoglycemia.  So, if a diet does not "work" for you, modify it until it does or try a different eating plan.
• Dietitians - For some people, they can be invaluable.  For me, with the allergies I have and the extensive prevalence of corn derivatives in America, several dietitians provided advice which was dangerous to me.  "This item is safe for you."  Uhm, no, it was not.  So, as with all experts, please make sure that you blend the information provided with the truths your body experiences.  Consultation with experts, did however, provide me with new ideas to trial to new avenues of information to research.

Wellness has so many components more than what were discussed here.  Spirituality, purpose of life, continuing education, etc.  I hope that each person reading this explores the different aspects of wellness and then spends the time required to develop a plan of uplifts and wellness to keep his or her batteries filled.  :)

Indicators versus triggers - knowing about these can help you control symptom expression

In managing chronic physical health or mental health conditions, it is important to know the difference between indicators and triggers.  Identification of the two allows for increased control of symptom expression.

An indicator is something that often (or always) PRECEDES symptom expression.  A trigger is something that CAUSES symptom expression.

Allow me to provide an example from my life.  I have migraines.  When I am exposed to an allergen such as the chemicals in someone's perfume, that TRIGGERS a migraine.  In other words, I have no migraine symptoms, encounter the chemicals, and develop a migraine.  Often, migraine intensity is linked to how much I was exposed to the allergen.

Once or twice a month, I have a random migraine.  This migraine is not tied to ANY trigger I can identify.  However, each time one of these migraines comes along, I feel really, really happy for 48 hours prior to onset of migraine pain.   While I am typically content and positive, I rarely am happy to the point of giggling.  So, I watch for giggling and out-of-my-ordinary happiness.  When that happiness occurs, I can increase my sleep amounts, make to to be extra careful in avoiding triggers, and start taking preventative medication.

Knowing triggers and indicators can allow you to reduce symptom expression.  Another example, for someone who has bipolar disorder, tracking stimulus for several weeks/a couple of months will often show a pattern of how much stimulus results in mood switching.  When I have worked with people who have tracked stimulus, the people typically find that a certain level of "good stimulus" (eustress) and a much lower level of "bad stimulus" (distress) will result in mood change.  With this information, the person can then plan events to reduce likelihood of mood switching.

Specifically, if John Doe can tolerate 2 eustress activities (like going to dinner with friends, and staying up late to watch a movie), but can only tolerate 1 distress activity (finding out he has work that is past due), John can plan to take care of the work over the weekend.  To avoid mood switching, John will have to change the evening out to another weekend.

Sometimes using mood tracking, the person will be able to link intensity of stimulus to length of mood change.  For example, when I was working with a person who had bipolar disorder, that individual found it was possible to predict the length of depressive episodes by tracking how much stimulus was being experienced.  Using this information, the individual was able to attend a week-long, highly-important-to-the-individual event.  The person planned self-care activities throughout that week to reduce stimulus.  And the individual understood the level of stimulus would likely result in a 3 week depression afterwards.  The depression lasted 2 1/2 weeks.

When processing the entire chain of events, the individual was able to state unlike previous depressive episodes, having an expected time frame for the depression and understanding that the depressive episode was part of how his body and brain worked resulted in the individual being able to resist suicidal impulses.  Prior to understanding how the individual's bipolar disorder worked, the individual would self-harm while depressed.  With the tracking tools and education the individual was able to use planning, self-talk, and understanding to reduce anxiety about depressive episodes.

There are excellent tracking applications, websites, and files on the internet.

• Psychologytools.org has multiple worksheets.  
• PatientsLikeMe.com has some lovely possibilities.  
• Latuda (medication for bipolar disorder depression) has a great mood tracker on its website (http://www.latuda.com/bpd/treating-bipolar-depression.html).    
• SparkPeople.com lets you track food and exercise.
• It is also possible to track triggers and indicators just using pen and paper.  

I would suggest, if you are looking for indicators as well as triggers, to track activity, food intake, weather patterns, and as much detail as you can in your life.  Sometimes it can be a combination of things that result in triggering symptom expression.

Sometimes indicators are subtle and hard to identify without enough information to track down the indicator.  For example, one individual identified moon phases as her trigger for symptom expression,  The day after a full moon, she experiences increase in symptoms, with this increase lasting about 72 hours.  The couple days before the full moon, she feels very tired.  The fatigue is an indicator.  The full moon is a trigger.

A quick update :)

Well, it has been a while since I last blogged.  My life changed significantly and I had to take time to adjust to the changes.

I graduated from Capella in October.  I now have my Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree.  I got a job at EHS Support Services providing mental health support services to clients in Giles, Christiansburg, Radford, and areas in between.  Currently, I have 7 clients.  I really enjoy what I do and the people (both clients and coworkers) with whom I work.  I find my clients to be challenging, changeable, and delightful.  My coworkers are supportive and professional.  It is nice not to have to do politicking when I am at the office.

The transition from student to employed person required more adjustment than I had ever imagined.  I am working a 40-55 hour work week.  I was trying to take a Capella class also in order to obtain a certificate in Addiction Counseling.  However, I simply could not find balance between work and school and life.  So, I dropped the class.  Just recently I decided to drop the certificate program entirely.

Brian and I moved.  We now have a lovely little place.  However, the difference between communal living and independent living was unlike my expectations.  Brian and I have a huge backyard (a bit over 2 acres) in which the dogs love to run and play.  It is peaceful here with gorgeous sunsets.

We have Chai Chi (a rescue pup).  Chai is probably about 7 months old and is probably some sort of whippet mix.  Being young, Chai has more teeth than brains.  He loves to chew - so on days Brian and I are out of the house for long periods, Chai and Inky go to my parents' house for pet-sitting.

Brian had a sleep study done.  He was diagnosed with circadian rhythm disorder and restless legs syndrome.  While he does not stop breathing enough to meet criteria for sleep apnea (have to stop 5 times per hour), he does stop breathing (10 times in 6 hours).  We have a follow up appointment to see what that means.  Until then, he was prescribed Ambien for the sleep issues.  Since starting that, his sleep is normalizing a bit.

Brian has been struggling with his mood disorder (officially mood disorder NOS, I think he has bipolar I disorder with rapid cycling).  He had a moment of catharsis and epiphany.  Those changes plus the medication has resulted in his moods stabilizing for the first time in 7 years... a HUGE RELIEF for us all.

Working has me out and about in the community.  Exposure to allergens is common.  So, I am working on ways to minimize my exposure.  Fortunately, I am not reacting as badly to each exposure, but by the end of the day I am definitely having some allergic reactions.  So, I am taking benedryl each day and minimizing what I can.  This is letting me work... and I am hoping the trend continues.

I am still creating recipes and doing beadwork.  And, as I find balance with my new life structure, I am starting to return to the things most important to me - friends, blogging, reading, learning.  Life is good!

Webinar about the use of Ketamine for Bipolar Disorders

http://bbrfoundation.org/meet-the-scientist-august-2013

I attended this webinar.  I am not sure what I think about using substances which are also illegal street drugs, but...  For some of the people whom I have worked with who have resistant and uncontrolled bipolar disorder - anything might be better than the status quo.

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy –

Speaking for those who cannot or will not speak for themselves. 

Using your talents and abilities to help others have opportunities to grow, learn, heal. 

Not tolerating injustice, but also actively seeking to increase access to resources for people who do not have access.

Understanding that offering assistance, addressing institutional bias, and working within systems for change DOES NOT confer control over a person’s actions.  One is advocacy, the other is imprisonment – regardless of how benign and comfortable the cell.

Understanding that it not us versus them.  It is instead we.  It is essential that instead of being the Lone Ranger of advocacy, we gather groups of people (including people who would use that which we are seeking) to work together in advocating for change.

Accepting differences and celebrating those differences, while also understanding that opportunities and knowledge are not evenly distributed.  Further, it is understanding that not all people WANT the same opportunities.  It is important to listen to the preferences and needs of the people for whom we are advocating.

How do I advocate?  

I start with the client.  

We challenge and work through internalized messages of lack and damage hidden within “the stigma” of mental illness.  I encourage growth and client-led therapy choices.  I have lists upon lists of community resources which I use to provide access for my clients so that they can obtain needed resources (food, shelter, income).  I encourage my clients to consider self-actualization through education, volunteering, or spiritual development. 

I start with the gatekeepers.

I advocate though developing a network of gatekeepers in the community.  And, when I contact them to see what services they offer, I make sure they have my information and provide them with any information which might enhance or further their mission.  I have done this for long enough that people will call me asking for specific resources. 

I start with my community.

I talk about mental health in my community, spreading information among all that I know.  In this way, correct information gets out into the population and stigma can be decreased.  I have Facebook support groups I co-admin or I host.  I share information sources with people there and on my personal wall.  I create a blog that is open to the public. 

I start with my life.

Advocacy is not only what my future career suggests (ACA Code of Ethics), it is part of who I am.  I am open and honest about my own mental health issues (OCD, depression (or cyclothymia, which is more likely), SAD).  I am open and honest about physical health issues (fibromyalgia, arthritis, nerve damage, allergies).  I use my life as an example of thriving around, coping with, and living through chronic conditions and illnesses.  And, I am very much aware that my experience, as blessed as it has been, is full of resources and opportunities that other people may not have.

Laura Collins

An Introduction

I have never posted a blog before.  I have friends who post blogs and their continual creativity awes me.  How they find daily postings within themselves confounds me.

I have posted recipes, thoughts, and other work to my facebook page for the last several years.  However, my facebook page is locked and private.  And, as time passes, I find within myself the urge to share my recipes and thoughts…  and so… a blog.

Over the next several days/weeks, I will post the backlog of work from my Facebook page.  And then, as I create new recipes, have a thought here or there, or take photos of spring flowers, I will add to this blog.  I welcome your comments.  You are free to share anything you find here provided you attach my name to it and do not use it for your own financial gain.

Who am I?

That may be important as well – if you are deciding to follow this blog.  

I am an emerging counselor.  That means I am in the last bit of my Master’s of Mental Health Counseling Program.  Right now, I am an intern at the local Free Clinic.  So, much of what I think about is the state of mental health and trying to make sense of how different reality is from the myriad books I have read. 

**HOWEVER, any information posted on this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT meant for diagnostic or individual counseling purposes.  If you feel you have mental health needs, please consult a qualified mental health professional or go to your local emergency room.

I have multiple allergies/intolerances..  I am allergic/intolerant to wheat, corn, coconut, millet, all grains, bananas, and lots of other things.  Someday I will post about those.  I participate in online support groups for corn-allergies.  I have fibromyalgia, but when I control the allergies, I am able to reduce or eliminate almost all fibromyalgia symptoms.  My theory is that allergies cause underlying inflammation... and it is this inflammation which triggers fibro symptom expression.

I am the single mother of a 16 year old son.  Family relationships and being mom are topics of interest. 

I am overweight.  Weight control and weight loss are topics I return to.  Often, these are tied to the Prochaska model “Stages of Change”.  Between allergies/intolerance, weight, and a lifetime love of food – I create a lot of recipes.  

I have a small (25-30 pound) dog.  Inky is neurotic, but lovable   He is a rescue dog and has taken quite a while (over a year) to recover mostly from his previous home.  He still has lots of anxiety.  His hips have damage and he also has hip dysplasia.  He takes medication daily.  

I have my own mental health issues.  I am OCD.  It took me years to learn to control the OCD.  Now, I am organized, and adapting to change takes me effort, but it possible.  I no longer have lists of lists nor do I obsessively arrange things.  However, I can organize the heck out of any schedule or event.  I have some degree of depression or cyclothymia.  This is controlled with 20 mg daily of Prozac (which lets me sleep), cognitive methods, and practicing of wellness.  We’ll talk about that on occasion as well.  Wellness is extremely important to me.  Wellness allows me to channel my mental health issues into strengths (like organization, accomplishing projects when have the energy boost of low level hypomania, etc.)  I have a holistic view of wellness and like to incorporate multiple domains.

I am a liberal in most political aspects.  That is something that will on occasion be a topic of conversation.  So will religion.

Pretty much – this is a blog where whatever comes to mind will find its way onto the screen.  Hopefully, there will be bits and pieces you enjoy or can use.  And, when something neither appeals to you nor applies to you, you are most welcome to skip that post or comment on your own point of view.  

I hope you are looking forward to this as much as I am.

Laura