Living for Hope

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Living for Hope

Helping end the mental health stigma with unique products that show you're not alone

11/13/2024

Trigger Warning: This story discusses themes of domestic violence, emotional abuse, self-worth, and childhood trauma.

Introducing In Our Own Words, a new series where I share your stories—real experiences with mental health, growth, and resilience. Our first story is from Haley, who opens up about her journey through trauma and healing. Her words are a reminder that even in the hardest times, you are never alone.

Swipe through to read Haley’s story 🫶 If you have a story you’d like to share, DM me. Let’s keep breaking the stigma, one story at a time. ❤️

10/09/2024

If teenage me could even see a glimpse of my life right now, she never would’ve believed it. Depression makes you feel like there is zero hope and life isn’t going to get better. Depression is also a notorious liar and unreliable. Don’t listen to it.

And thank goodness I grew out my hair and opted for a middle part 🙏🏼

09/05/2024

I just feel defeated. How many more people have to die? And say this is just a mental health issue, then we need to make mental health care affordable and accessible. Instead we just endlessly send thoughts and prayers and if that method worked, I think we’d see some results at this point.

08/30/2024

I have talked about religion and religious trauma on and off on this page. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone and I didn’t know it was possible until I experienced it myself.

A couple months ago I asked you guys what questions you have regarding religious trauma and here is answering them.

This isn’t to say that everyone who participates in a religion is going to experience religious trauma and this isn’t going to be applicable to everyone. But when religious trauma does occur it is devastating and often lonely and isolating. So I hope this can provide some hope to the people who need it. I’ve been there and I know how difficult it is. I promise things will get better 🫶

08/15/2024

My last semester in school I took a class on M**A, Psychedelic, and Ketamine assisted therapy. Currently only Ketamine is legal, but there are several clinical trials taking place for other types of assisted therapy and I truly think this is going to change the mental health field. Assisted therapy allows for new connections to be made within the brain, which impacts things on a deeper level.

I connected with Haley online and have loved learning about her experience. As a social worker and someone who has had depression for 10 years, I’m excited to see where this modality will go and the future implications. It gives me a lot of hope.

02/15/2024

The only Valentines I need

02/01/2024

January Joy: Day 31

WE MADE IT TO THE END OF JANUARY. This month has dragged on, but she’s finally come to an end. Break out all the pink, red, hearts, and lips cause tomorrow is February 💗 (and celebrate yourself for surviving another January. It’s not an easy month)

01/26/2024

January Joy: Day 25

I read Gone Girl last year and I think about this quote a lot. I am what you would consider “high maintenance.” I have a lot of skin and hair care products. I have daily rituals and I feel that I’m pretty flexible, but I do enjoy things about my routine and having a consistent one.

So is it high maintenance or just self care?
I remember as a kid thinking the worst thing I could be is high maintenance, but I think it’s really just self care.

I think what we consider “low maintenance” or “cool girl” is just sacrificing our needs for men or others. If high maintenance means having needs and communicating them, then I’m absolutely high maintenance.

So is she high maintenance? Or has she just been conditioned to sacrifice her own needs for others and instead she’s taking care of herself?

01/23/2024

January Joy: Day 22

“But you don’t look depressed”

Depression challenges our schemas or the way we organize information. From a young age we learn what each emotion looks like. It’s how we develop empathy and communicate our needs. So it makes sense that when you see someone who appears to be happy but says they’re depressed, there is cognitive dissonance. It doesn’t make sense.

But depression is complicated and complex. It isn’t just about feeling sad, so you’re not always going to look sad. For many it is a chronic condition that waxes and wanes and some days are better than others. You may only be seeing someone on their good days and not their hard ones.

Depression doesn’t have one look for yourself or others.

01/19/2024

January Joy: Day 18

When I was in high school, I went to the movies all the time. I saw every movie at least twice and spent every cent I had there. I had a difficult high school experience and I felt powerless. But when I was at the movies I forgot about everything going on and became immersed in that world.

What I didn’t realize was I was using the distress tolerance skill “mini vacation.” Distress tolerance skills are for situations that you don’t have a lot of control over, like my high school experience.

The idea is to take a vacation or break from your life, just for a moment. Like going to the movies, going for a walk, playing a game of candy crush, etc. Just something that brings you momentary peace and pleasure. It doesn’t change what you’re going through, but it’s one way to make it more bearable.

And I recognize that this may not be possible for everyone. Each situation and help available is different and this is going to look different for each person. It doesn’t have to be things that cost money or require a babysitter, sometimes it’s as simple as showering or spending a moment by yourself. It’s all about what’s possible and available for you 🫶

01/16/2024

January Joy: Day 15

Here is some happiness from a wall of post it notes in Brooklyn 🫶

01/14/2024

January Joy: Day 13

Despite some of my best efforts, this January has been hard. So I’ve been trying to practice my opposite action and get out of my apartment most days for a walk. Sometimes it just helps to be in the sunshine and have a change of scenery.

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New York, NY

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