Author's posts
Unworthiness nearly killed me
In 2016, I sat on a hospital bed in Utah, having flown from North Carolina for specialized medical treatment as my life was slowly slipping away from starvation. During this time, I was in the Air Force and an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident co…
The top regret of the dying: Are you living your true life?
During her time working with people who were dying, nurse Bronnie Ware found that one of the top 5 regrets is, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” (Source: The Top Five Regre…
Words of caution when considering the use of “terminal anorexia”: perspective from lived experience
After reading the article “Terminal anorexia nervosa: three cases and proposed clinical characteristics,” I was grateful to have not had access to the article a year earlier – when I would have personally met criteria. I was holding o…
Embracing life’s unexpected turns and finding contentment along the way
I sometimes grieve the life I left behind … and that’s OK. Necessary, even. I wonder if I got in my own way, if I tried hard enough, if I fought hard enough. What would have happened if I believed in myself? Trusted that I could accomplish …
Why allowing yourself to embrace discomfort is necessary for personal growth
Life coach and author Martha Beck’s 4-Phase Change Cycle begins with Phase 1: “Death and Rebirth.” Martha’s blog contains the Phase I Mantra: “I don’t know what the hell is going on … and that’s OK.” Many…
What was right with me when I developed severe depression?
For several years, I fixated on what was wrong with me rather than seeing what was right with me when I developed symptoms of severe depression. If you’re struggling, too, you’re not broken, either. What is your brain telling you? While I a…
Reflections from a (former) self-compassion and boundary setting skeptic
Self-compassion does not make you soft. Boundaries do not make you closed off or selfish. I had to repeat this many times before I started to understand how true and how essential self-compassion and boundaries are in our lives. I did not realize how m…
What does self-compassion look like in your life?
I’ve spent years deeply uncomfortable in my skin. Wanting to disappear. Last night, a wave of anxiety hit me as it often does when the world gets quiet. In tune with my body for a brief moment, my heart ached. Why? I envisioned that moment when w…
