Post-traumatic growth (PTG) occurs in the wake of adversity, initially through grief work — recognizing that our lives have fundamentally changed as a result of trauma — and eventually through self-reflection. Once we mourn the loss, we can cultivate positive psychological change, recognizing personal strengths…
Ella is a social person. She loves developing relationships with others and is always up for a family night. She builds delicate yet sturdy friendships with people and navigates these relationships well beyond her years. Having SMA presents challenges. For many years, Ella watched her siblings…
The comedian Brad Williams has a great one-liner about writing jokes. Williams’ observational humor is predominantly rooted in his experiences as a man born with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism. When describing his writing process in the 2015…
Last week, I wrote that to properly address anxiety about the coronavirus, we must sit with our grief and accept it. But grief work is one step among many. Grief work is crucial and valid, but it also lends itself to forward…
I’ve noticed a trend in social media posts lately: Many of us are missing out on highly anticipated plans. Glorious vacation itineraries have been crumpled. Getaway maps have been folded up and tucked into glove compartments. Retreats sit silent without human reflection. We are all supposed to be somewhere we’re…
All three of our kids — Ava, Henry, and Ella — have been stuck inside the house for a month or so due to COVID-19 quarantine. They’ve been finishing school work, playing on their devices, and doing other small projects. Ella’s mom, Lindsay, and I…
As I entered week six of COVID-19 lockdown, I knew I had a choice to make. I could continue to experience the effects of being unable to go to my aquatic therapy appointments and allow my body to remain stagnant, or I could…
One of my readers asked me to write about coronavirus anxiety. I’ve spent the past week coming up with solution-focused approaches to the pandemic because that’s how my brain is wired — I spent seven years and tens of thousands of dollars on…
Like me, you’ve probably had far fewer face-to-face interactions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s no longer safe to have company over, and we can’t meet friends or family members for lunch. I’ve been unable to gather with my friends at Turnstone for over a month. These types…
The other day, I read one of my old columns and thought to myself, “Honey, if you only knew what was to come.” My January column, “Please Stop Glorifying Being Homebound,” was all about how I spend every winter hunkered down in my home to avoid…
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