What you don’t see on the recovery pamphlet is that for many of us, it’s part trauma response. Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, races, and sizes.

It doesn’t change what happened to you, but it might change how it lives in your body and transform something that feels heavy and shameful into something bearable. And for me it makes me think, See? I’m not crazy! They’ve felt it too.

ADHD isn’t just a quirky “ooh, shiny object” condition, as it’s often portrayed. We’re not just airheads who get distracted now and then; it’s definitely not a superpower. Forgetting appointments and struggling to focus on boring but necessary tasks won’t save the world from villains.

We’re not meant to fix each other’s pain - we’re meant to stay with it. This piece explores what to say when you don’t know what to say, how to hold space without centering yourself, and why real connection often starts in the quiet, uncomfortable moments we tend to avoid.

That’s why apocalypse isn’t always bad. It’s uncomfortable. Revelation shows something you thought was true isn’t. Something you built your life on gets exposed. Something has to end for something real to begin. 

The way depression is diagnosed, with a questionnaire about your feelings and behaviors and their durations, is not as perspicuous as, say, a blood test for diabetes. There’s no way of knowing that you’re in need of medication until you give it a go and see if it helps with symptoms.

This might look like intentional connection with someone who seems out of place in the group. It might mean asking about something specific rather than the usual “How are you?” It could be offering a genuine welcome, letting them know you’re glad to see them or that you’re looking forward to being with them. It might take the form of a heartfelt compliment. Or even just a smile.

We gather in person, around a real table to create space for honest conversation, healing, connection, reflection, and sometimes even laughter and tears.  It’s not a class. It’s not a lecture. It’s something softer, deeper, and more connected. It’s a space we co-create every time we show up.

Healing sounds like such a pretty word but in reality it can be long and painful. I’m doing all the “right” things, but some days I still find myself…affected.

…at first glance, binge-watching TV is bad for us. But like most things in life, it’s not inherently bad or good, but more about how we choose to engage with it that decides whether it’s a healthy part of a balanced and fulfilled life.