But little by little,as you left their voices behind,the stars began to burnthrough the sheets of clouds,and there was a new voicewhich you slowlyrecognized as your own,that kept you companyas you strode deeper and deeperinto the world,determined to dothe only thing you could do—determined to savethe only life you could save. ~Mary Oliver, excerpt from… Continue reading Boundaries, Mental Health, and Burnout
Tag: mental illness
The Importance of Foundational and Wellness Needs for Mental Health
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu Originally I was writing this post thinking about needs associated with wellness and recovery, speaking to the needs that this blog series had explored. While writing about this, I also began to think of needs on a community level. Our individual experience… Continue reading The Importance of Foundational and Wellness Needs for Mental Health
Recovery Through Connection
"Connection is the energy between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued" ~ Brené Brown Photo By Meegan Simpson-Cooke Throughout this blog series I have mostly focused on people with lived experience of mental illness developing resilience through tools that they can explore on their own. In this post I am widening the circle… Continue reading Recovery Through Connection
Post-Episode Recovery: “A Slow Build”
“Sometimes it takes an overwhelming breakdown to have an undeniable breakthrough” Unknown I think this quote reminds me of how mental health episodes can lead to important life changes and self-understanding. Perhaps my biggest breakthrough after my last episode was returning to lifestyle choices and a life balance that supported my own wellness. Right after… Continue reading Post-Episode Recovery: “A Slow Build”
Mental Health Recovery Through Healing Trauma and Triggers
“To heal is to touch with love that which we previously touched with fear.” ~ Stephen Levine My mental illness is in part influenced by experiences in my past that have left a negative imprint on me. These layers of unprocessed feelings of fear, grief, anger and shame can be triggered in the present. Not… Continue reading Mental Health Recovery Through Healing Trauma and Triggers
A History of Art Making, Art Therapy, and Mental Illness
“Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing.” – Julia Cameron This was found art from Salt Spring Island ~ Photo Credit Meegan Simpson-Cooke I like this quote by Julia Cameron, author of the Artist's Way and other books on reclaiming our creativity and realizing creative dreams. Many people with… Continue reading A History of Art Making, Art Therapy, and Mental Illness
Looking Back, Looking Forward: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
"Healing Yourself is Connected with Healing Others" Y. Ono Photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a month to promote awareness and reduce stigma around mental illness and to offer support and resources to those with lived experience of mental illness, and their supporters. CMHA, the Canadian Mental… Continue reading Looking Back, Looking Forward: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Self-Guided Healing and Mental Health Recovery
“When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” —Rumi One of the underlying themes of this blog is to give those with lived experience of mental illness agency in their own healing. It is empowering to know that we can guide our own healing, tailoring it to fit with what we know to be… Continue reading Self-Guided Healing and Mental Health Recovery
How Art Therapy and Mental Health Recovery Values Align
“Art is a way of recognizing oneself” ~ Louise Bourgeois This blog post weaves in material from a paper that I wrote about mental health recovery and art therapy. The topic of the paper is that mental health recovery principles align naturally with art therapy and that people with lived experience of mental illness can… Continue reading How Art Therapy and Mental Health Recovery Values Align
The Ins and Outs of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and…
...A Sneak Peek at Mental Health Recovery Collages "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." ~ Mary Anne Radmacher Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is not something that I have personal experience with, but I know that it is a therapy… Continue reading The Ins and Outs of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and…