I’m only being a little ridiculous because I’ve been thinking for so long trying to figure out what I should say in the About Me page. It’s so ridiculous because I’ve written blogs seamlessly without too much thought (not always the best idea) and yet, I’ve been overthinking the About Me page for some time. However, I’m glad to say that I have a general idea of what to write about and here it goes. Hey there! I’m Carolyn and I live with my husband, Jacob, and my kitty girl, Katzi. I was on the road to becoming a counselor until I suddenly had a debilitating chronic illness. To say it was a bummer is putting it mildly. However, I’m happy with the life I have now, though it took quite a journey to get there! The absolute love of my life is creating. Whether it’s music, artwork, a dress, a short story, or even a blog, my whole life centers around creating.
I’m fortunate enough to have multiple passions and an insatiable desire to constantly learn. This desire, along with personal issues, is what drove me into the mental health field. I have struggled with panic disorder since before I can remember. My mom tells me the story of how she thought I was having a seizure when I was about 5 years old and took me to the hospital only to find out it was a panic attack. I honestly have no memory of this. I do remember the obstacles that panic disorder put in my path. It’s partly because of this disorder that I went into the mental health field.
As I said before, an unfortunate chronic illness halted my ambitions to become a counselor so I had to shift and find a new goal. However, I still love discussing and learning about mental health. This is where the blog comes in. I started Beside the Tree to share my knowledge on mental health and to share personal stories and lessons I have learned. I suppose you could consider this a self-help blog if you wanted to. However, I’ve found self-help books aggravating. Of course, this is mostly due to my rebellious nature and disapproval of people telling me what to do. Anyways, throughout this blog I’ll be trying my hardest not to have that tone. You know the tone I’m talking about. Ick.
Rather than tell you how to handle whatever situation you’re dealing with, I want to share with you the tools I learned, strategies I’ve found helpful, and have discussions about mental health. Let’s squash the stigma surrounding mental health and let’s stand up and talk about what we’re facing together. Whether you need to know that you’re not alone, or you need an upbeat affirmation, or you just want to read a book review that I wrote, I started this blog for you and for me. I want us all to feel happy, balanced, and at peace. Thank you for sitting with me beside the tree.
*Disclaimer: Beside the Tree blog is an informational and anecdotal website. The information presented should not be used to replace a mental health professional or mental health professional services. If you need help, please seek a mental health professional. Here are a few resources that may help:
-Mental Health Information https://www.mentalhealth.gov
-Women’s Health https://www.womenshealth.gov
-Suicide Prevention https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org 1-800-273-8255