The Therapist Diaries

Hello and Welcome Back to The Therapist Diaries,  As a Crisis Intervention Clinician and Truma Therapist, one of the most meaningful tools I’ve worked on with clients has been the safety plan. September is Suicide Prevention Month, and while awareness campaigns often focus on important statistics and slogans, what I’ve found most impactful in real lives are the small, tangible steps we can take when the world feels too heavy. A safety plan is one of those steps. When I talk about safety plans, I describe them as a kind of personal roadmap. It’s something you create in your own words, for your own life, to guide you through moments of crisis. Because when our emotions are dysregulated and suicidal thoughts show up, clarity often disappears. Memory gets foggy, hope feels far away, and even the simplest choices can feel impossible. A safety plan removes the pressure of having to figure it all out in the middle of that storm. I’ve sat with people who tell me, “I’ll just remember what t...

Hello and welcome back to The Therapist Diaries,  It's Wellness Wednesday and today  we’re talking about mental health survival kits because  let’s be real: adulting is a lot. You’re  out there working, commuting, navigating relationships, juggling bills, trying to eat vegetables   and   remember your login password for the 12th time this week. Some days you feel like you’re in survival mode… because you are. As a Clinical Social Worker who works with young adults in their 20s and 30s (and as someone firmly in the “functioning but tired” crew), I’ve learned this:  mental health isn’t just about therapy or deep healing work. Sometimes it’s about what’s in your bag when everything feels like too much. So here it is:  my on-the-go Mental Health Survival Kit. Some  actual, tangible items I (and my clients) carry to stay grounded, centered, and  human  in the chaos of real life. I keep mine in a small pencil case at the bottom of my bag,...