The Bear

The Bear

​​​ I’ve been watching, sometimes even re-watching on occasion, a show called The Bear in recent months. It’s probably the most honest, unflinching portrayal of what it’s like living in the unrelenting shadow of trauma, anxiety, and mental illness I’ve seen on screen,...
Pushing through life’s struggles despite the pain

Pushing through life’s struggles despite the pain

​​​ I’ve been talking a lot lately. To alcoholics, addicts, homeless people, neighbors, co-workers, family, friends, people I don’t know and people I know well. Sometimes I over share or volunteer things about myself that are pretty raw and occasionally unhinged, but...
Be thankful for how you learned life’s lessons

Be thankful for how you learned life’s lessons

​​​ I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. I’ve consistently been stubborn and obstinate when it comes to learning lessons and taking advice; there is something innate in my personality that tends to balk at suggestion, a burning desire to experience...
I deserve what’s best for me

I deserve what’s best for me

​​​​  “We only want what’s best for you.” I remember hearing this phrase from my parents at 19 years old. It was the beginning of my battle with substance use disorder and mental health issues. Sitting in a hospital room after my first overdose on heroin, I truly...
Embracing the here and now

Embracing the here and now

​​​​   I’m writing this from the backseat of a Toyota Camry heading west on the I-10. Swaths of open desert painted green with brush, wildflowers dotting the freeway margins, with random bursts of brilliant yellow and purple, create a picturesque landscape. My...