Existential Reality

Life of Addiction ( It’s not just me, guys.) — Life All Day: Live Like A Pro

I’m an addict. I’m addicted to drugs (in recovery), caffeine, and cigarettes. This makes me a criminal, a moral failure, and generally weak all around. Would you agree with this assessment? Many people would. In fact, perhaps most people would. Let’s look a little closer. I bet if we really thought about an examined this, […]Life of Addiction ( It’s not just me, guys.) — Life All Day: Live Like A…

As a species, we have evolved to rely heavily on technology. Most of us spend most of our time in front of screens whether we are working or playing. We there is a big disconnect between human existence and the natural world. We belong in nature, we started there. Yet we have moved away from […]On Nature and Mental Health

That’s Not Politics…

Valerie Rice | August 4, 2021 Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com Who wants to go on a rant today? Oh, I do! ME!  Have you ever had a psychiatrist drop you from a practice because you missed an appointment? Has it sent you into a spiral of terrible mental health consequences directly related to not having your medication? Does it seem like that should be considered unethical but they…

GASLIGHTING: HOW YOU DO IT TO YOURSELF

Valerie Rice | August 3, 2021 If you were raised in a high demand religion or a cult (mormons) or by a narcissist or were in a relationship with an abuser, you may have a tendency to gaslight yourself. Say whaaaaaat? Yep. And you probably don’t even know you are doing it.  Most people don’t even think too much about their internal monologue, if they have one, but for those of us who were abused,…

WE DON’T EAT ROCKS (until we do)

Valerie Rice | July 30, 2021 Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels.com There was a time I could not imagine myself telling someone not to eat rocks, but then I had children. And yes, most parents have the phase of removing nonfood items from the mouths of their wee ones. At some point we assume they grow out of it. But what happens if they never do, and how do we know what age they are supposed to…

Symptom Overlap and Misdiagnosis: Serious Side Effects of Womanhood

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com Valerie Rice | July 29, 2021 If you are female, or AFAB, raise your hand. Okay, if you have been to see a mental health professional and been given a series of diagnoses raise your hand. You are not alone. The reasons for this are many. Not only is diagnosis an art form and not a science, but the diagnostic criteria is for men. White ones. With money. This…

Complex Trauma: Not Your Average Abuse

Valerie Rice | July 25, 2021 Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com It sounds a lot like I am saying important things, right? I sort of am. I assumed for a very long time that everyone knew and understood the difference between trauma and complex trauma that leads to PTSD. I was wrong. So after having a delightfully horrifying conversation with someone we are here. Not all traumatic…

Let’s Change the Formula

Valerie Rice | July 17, 2021 Photo by S Migaj on Pexels.com I am terribly sorry for my absence, I have been sick. And with that I want to talk about a trend I am watching unfold across various social media platforms, and that is the enlightenment of the mental health field. Yes, I know, it seems a strange thing to say. But I think it is essential that we take to task everyone who upholds a…

Do What You Want

Valerie Rice | June 21, 2021 Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Pexels.com Let’s get back to Pride Month. I know I have mentioned this before, but I am going to say it again: gender is a social construct, so do what you want. The only person who knows who and what you are is you. So let me introduce myself” Hello, my name is Button, I am Nonbinary, and that means that no matter who I date it’s…

The Infantilization of Disabilities

Valerie Rice | June 18, 2021 Screaming at someone who can’t hear If you have ever sat in a room of people who are trying to determine the fate of someone with disabilities, you probably know what I am going to say. The goal of every IEP, 504, or adult version of these meetings is to create goals for someone else. Goals for daily life and behavior. Once this meeting is over, the person in…

ONCE UPON A TIME

Valerie Rice | June 17, 2021 Photo by Patrick Perkins on Unsplash Once upon a time last night I made the mistake of walking the dog. Now, why would I call this a mistake? Was it because it was dark? Was it because it was after midnight? Or was it because I managed yet again to watch people get shot in my neighborhood. Yeah, it was the last one. And yet again my children were present. But THIS…

Valerie Rice | June 16, 2021 Photo by fotografierende on Pexels.com I bet you have heard a whole lot about this recently, and I find it a little bit funny how this phrase can bring about both rage and confusion in melanin deficient people. For me, it sparked curiosity. So I decided to use my autistic superpowers and take a serious trip down the rabbit hole. Fear not! I will summarize and…

On Coping Through a Loved One’s Illness I wish I could write on what’s actually important. I wish I had the experience to do that. Living with chronic illness is something that I’ve never done, but I’ve definitely seen. I wish I could take the pain away, I wish I could take it all away. […]Sitting Helpless

Jelly, Ice, and Bread

Valerie Rice | June 15, 2021 Photo by Jane D. on Pexels.com Once upon a time we all went to a health class. I am betting that at some point the teacher told you about eating disorders, you might have even seen a film about a couple of girls. You know the one. The one where the girl who doesn’t eat gets sick and her friend who does eat vomits? Yeah, it was a Hallmark moment…. Anyway. I want to…

Be Gay, Do Crime

Valerie Rice | June 6, 2021 Once upon a time a few days ago, our new favorite Uncle Grandpa decided that June of 2021 could be National Pride Month. Cool. Thanks? But did you know that once upon a before time (as in, before it was cool) being gay was a crime and the original pride was a mother fucking riot? Yeah, it was, so TODAY we are going to talk about why you should go ahead and be gay and…

The Personal Terror of Religious Trauma

Valerie Rice | May 26, 2021 Once upon a time someone mentioned that cult behavior from a religion was fine if the overall intent was good. Sounds legit, right? RIGHT? So do the ends justify the means? Yes, it is still mental health awareness month. I did promise, after all. Today is story time of an example from my past highlighting cult brainwashing. WHEN I WAS A CHILD… Please keep in mind…

Aaand… They’re Back! — Life All Day: Live Like A Pro

A guide to not pulling your hair out and running screaming into the night this summer. Let’s face it, covid still has us all in its grasp. This last school year has been, well, something out of hell let’s say. At least it was for me. Most of the school year my kid had to […]Aaand… They’re Back! — Life All Day: Live Like A Pro