Community

I don’t know how to share about hope when I feel so hopeful but I have been making art and am hoping to create something beautiful that can share a human experience that I find hard to express with words. I hope to feel seen in this way.

To anyone who's struggling with addiction, anxiety, or depression, I want you to know that there is hope. I’ve walked through the darkest days where it felt like the weight of the world was crushing me—where every step felt like a battle, and every breath was a fight to stay afloat. But I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way forever. I’ve fought hard, for many years, with addictions and mental health challenges that seemed insurmountable. It often felt like I would never escape the grip of those demons. But through that fight, I discovered something that changed everything: psychedelic therapy and plant medicine. It wasn’t a quick fix, and it wasn’t a magic pill, but it gave me the space to confront my pain, to understand it, and to heal in ways I never thought possible. The healing process was messy and imperfect, but it helped me reconnect with myself in profound ways. It gave me the chance to break free from the cycles I thought were unbreakable. It allowed me to see the world, and myself, with fresh eyes—a sense of peace and clarity that I hadn’t known for years. The journey wasn’t easy, and it still isn’t, but I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear. There are setbacks, yes, but each day is a step forward, and every little progress counts. To anyone reading this: You are not defined by your struggles. You are not broken. There is so much power in you, even when you can’t see it. It’s okay to seek help. It’s okay to ask for support. It’s okay to feel uncertain. But trust me when I say that healing is possible. It may not look the way you expect it, and it may take time, but your life is worth fighting for. And you are capable of finding your way through the darkness, just like I did. Never give up on yourself. There is light at the end of this tunnel, and no matter how long it takes, you will get there. Keep going. You’ve got this.

I truly hope survivors can find a path forward in their lives and can work to inspire others on their healing path.

Please background check your facilitators prior to working with them.

Healing, to me, is a deeply personal and multifaceted process that goes beyond just physical recovery. It involves a reconnection with oneself—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—after experiencing some form of hurt, trauma, or disruption. It’s about returning to a place of balance and alignment, where you can feel whole again, but not necessarily the same as before. Healing doesn’t mean erasing pain or forgetting the past. It means learning to live with it, accept it, and, over time, transform it into something that no longer holds you back. Healing involves self-compassion and the willingness to face parts of yourself that you may have avoided or ignored. It’s about being able to process and integrate your emotions, thoughts, and experiences, and to let go of negative patterns that no longer serve you. This process requires vulnerability, and often a sense of trust in the support system around you—whether that’s through therapy, relationships, or other forms of guidance. Healing also involves a deep sense of forgiveness, both for yourself and others. It’s recognizing that people, including yourself, make mistakes, and learning how to move forward with grace, instead of being trapped in resentment or guilt. It’s also deeply connected to growth. Healing doesn’t mean you go back to a prior state, but rather that you emerge stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. It’s a continual unfolding of self-awareness, self-care, and resilience. At its core, healing is about reclaiming agency over your life and learning how to navigate the world with a renewed sense of peace, even amidst its challenges. It’s not an end point but a journey—one that can ebb and flow, where you continue to discover new layers of yourself along the way.

It is not your fault!

As my doctor said to me, "You did nothing wrong."

This trauma was very recent for me. Currently, healing for me is taking it day by day and trying to love myself through everything that comes up for me as I sift the the rubble the remains of the person I once was.

Healing is a life-long process of working to identify where my own personal boundaries are, with myself, with my friends and with the greater community. It's a beautiful, messy, unfolding of truth.