The Tear

“Does your weakness show as your strength?” Rivka leans towards me from behind a scratched wooden desk in her office at Neve Yerushalayim Girls’ Seminary. The thin metal folding chair I’m sitting on creaks as I cross and uncross my nylon covered legs under my long blue skirt. It’s October, Read more

Lynda Levy

Lynda Levy is a retired psychologist and life coach. After 30+ years living in Los Angeles, she recently moved to Phoenix to be close to family and is now (sort of) adjusting to the open spaces and thinner air of the desert. Lynda has worked her way through a series of absolutist-cultish groups, from Orthodox Judaism, to Primal Therapy, to Kleinian psychoanalysis, and finally (maybe) has stopped looking for "the" answer and is more interesting in expressing her own take on the world as she sees it. Lynda has been in writing classes and workshops with every writing guru in Los Angeles and will continue to try to learn from others while knowing that no one else can tell you what you have to say. When she's not writing Lynda is cooking, reading, studying Italian, watching films, or traveling.

High School is Quicksand

I will have been at this school for nine years and it’s starting to make me feel unshiny. Like a blanket that’s been washed too many times and isn’t soft anymore or a word that’s been said too much and has lost it’s meaning. After my second year here, I Read more

Emily Peotto

Emily Peotto is an aspiring writer who likes to talk a lot, sing loudly, and psychoanalyze her friends. She wants to write about things that matter, and she wants to figure out what matters. A special thank you to the people that brought her here today (you know who you are).

8 Ways to Find You in 2016

Want to change up your life in 2016? It’s a whole new year with a world of possibilities ahead of you. Why not take the leap and change your life into something you’ve always wanted it to be? Don’t wait another year, month, week or day. You deserve the best Read more

SA Smith

SA Smith has always loved the magical life. She is the bestselling Amazon author of FOREVER, her four part young adult paranormal romance series. She is an advocate for women of all shapes and sizes. Believing that we are all enough just as we are, and needing to spread that word far and wide. Having been diagnosed with CRPS over 12 years ago, SA also uses her writing to increase social awareness of the disease. Writing is her passion. She often tells friends that writing is a journey for her. It’s like spending time with friends. "I just follow my characters along on their adventures, like a fly on the wall, and see where they take me." SA currently lives in Florida with her best friend/husband and their one son.

Rounding the Madness: My Depression and ECT

Squinting, I could see the clock on my cell phone. It had been daylight for hours now, and the bright sun shone in the white room making shadows on the cheap blue carpet. Clocks are meaningless when time is irrelevant. Back against the cold concrete wall, I sat up on Read more

Kristina Farrow

Kristina is a lover of art, poetry, philosophy, Dostoevsky (and other classic lit), everything French and Japanese, cats, the West Coast and dreams...

What if Introverts are Just Bullshit Intolerant?

According to society, I’m a textbook introvert. I love people, but I recharge when I spend time alone. I absolutely need ‘me’ time, to the point where I have to force myself to schedule time into my week to socialize otherwise it just won’t happen. And it’s not that I Read more

Denise Mills

Denise resides in Millthorpe NSW; a small town 20 mins away from the wine-guzzling, foody town of Orange, with her inarguably awesome teenage son. She is an imperfectionist, life enthusiast, reformed Chartered Accountant, and NLP Practitioner. Denise enjoys writing about life, imperfection, relationships and personal growth. She’s a contributor for Huffington Post, and her articles have featured in Elephant Journal, Indie Chicks, YFS Magazine and more. Other important facts of note: Denise is a UFC fanatic, does a breathtaking rendition of Old McDonald in Japanese, has huge triceps and can sing the alphabet backwards, really, really fast.

Homeless: Tongue and Groove

I am the crazed lady, barefoot and blistered. The annoying pebbles and gritty gravel burrow deep inside the open crevices and souls of my naked feet. I own nothing. I wear tattered, ripped dirty dollar store hand-me-down jeans and some tossed aside beige stained football hoodie. I recall some arguing Read more

Jacqueline Cioffa

A retired, international model, and celebrity makeup artist. Co-Author of Model Citi Zen, the guide. Founder of http://modelcitizenmakeup.blogspot.com/. Author of numerous prose pieces in various literary magazines. Most recently published in Little Episodes Brainstorms the anthology, among esteemed artists Sadie Frost, Melvin Burgess and Todd Swift.

Why Expressing Yourself Like a Teen is Good for You

I’ve been using Emily Robert’s book Express Yourself in my psychotherapy practice since it came out in the spring. It’s perfect for adolescent girls and boys. I saw the book on a Facebook timeline of my friend Lisa who is the founder of The Leshne Agency. I paid immediate attention because men should always pay Read more

Michel Bordeau

My name is Michel Bordeau, aka Area Frenchman. I am a Therapist and an Education Coach in private practice in Atlanta. Born in France, I have spent half my life in the US. I am culturally French and academically American, so you can safely assume that I know a thing or two about love (gender respectful, validating, unconditional, non-threatening) and the pleasures of life (many friends, much cheese, little w(h)ine). When I don't blog about mansplaining, teen assertiveness, guru shaming, toxic work environments and toxic people, motherhood, mindful parenting, immigrant entrepreneurs, bipolar disorder and body dysmorphic disorder, I dedicate my time speaking about the lessons I have learned as a therapist and a coach. I am the host of Le Kindness Couch on Youtube. I created this channel to demonstrate that today's therapeutic modalities are kind, validating, and solution-focused. We don't read mind or blame your mom for everything.

I’m on it Like Blue Bonnet

Something my mother used to say. Or still does, I would imagine. As my youngest brother and I got older, we’d start to wonder out loud what all these little phrases our mother used to say actually meant. I remember us laughing in my car on a two AM highway Read more

Allie Burke

Allie Burke is a bestselling author, magazine editor, and mental health advocate. She lives in Los Angeles.