Into the Wilderness: Story 48 And then there was Joe. I didn’t want to pull this string. I let it dangle until I singed the threads, a definite end. He was smart, kind, gentlemanly, open minded, polite. I don’t remember how I met him, only that he was more enthusiastic about dating me than IContinue reading “Average Joes, Strings Part 3”
Category Archives: Into the Wilderness
Mamma’s daughter
Into the Wilderness: Story 46 June marks two sad milestones for my sister and me. On June 15, 33 years ago, our dear mother passed away. June 29 would have been her 88th birthday. In some years, these dates slip by, the loss a pattern of early summer, as familiar as the still-blossoming trees, theContinue reading “Mamma’s daughter”
Strings, Part 2
Into the wilderness: Story 45 Here’s another string I didn’t pull. It’s a handsome young man, military, muscled, groomed. He sat next to me in Middle English Language and Literature. He broadcasted unfiltered masculinity; he also was an English major. We became friends, often sitting on the grass of the University’s central grounds in frontContinue reading “Strings, Part 2”
Strings
Into the Wilderness: Story 44 At night, I struggle to sleep. I start my routine, washing and scrubbing my face, layering, vitamin C, snail mucin, hylaraunic acids, retin A and serums across my face. This is as much a way of separating day from night as it is an anti-aging regimen. Each elixir layers meContinue reading “Strings”
On the Spectrum-Republished
Into the Wilderness: Story 12 Raising Autism: Survey 101 I have yet to write about ASD, or Autism Spectrum Disorder. That’s because we had yet to make the connection. Girls are less likely than boys to be diagnosed with ASD, even when they manifest typical behaviors. Currently, boys outnumber girls with autism four to oneContinue reading “On the Spectrum-Republished”
The Ridge- REPUBLISHED
Into the Wilderness: Story 6 Our rented SUV was one of the last in the parent caravan. We drove along winding paved roads until we turned off onto dirt pathways, passing white clapboard houses nestled among the hills, weathered with moss, a lone horse, a few sheep hugging dilapidated barns. Then, we turned onto pittedContinue reading “The Ridge- REPUBLISHED”
Happy Birthday- Republished
Into the Wilderness: Story 5 On Catina’s 15th birthday, I gave her a drug test. She walked in the door from school, a rare smile on her face, and, without as much as a “hello, honey, happy birthday,” I stretched out my arm, holding the small cylindrical container for urine collection. Surprising me, she laughed.Continue reading “Happy Birthday- Republished”
Sunshine- Republished
Into the Wilderness: Story 4 When Catina went into the wilderness, we did too. Our wilderness was inside us, the intricate branching of thought and memory that builds up over time. The feelings we had pushed aside- that most adults push aside- sprouted like seedlings in sun. I became aware of my part. I haveContinue reading “Sunshine- Republished”
How Wilderness Therapy Saved My Family
Into the Wilderness: Story 43 Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of negative commentary on wilderness and residential therapy. Paris Hilton released Hell Camp, a Netflix documentary about her treatment experience. NY Times Author Kenneth Rosen has written “Troubled: The Failed Promise of America’s Behavioral Treatment Programs.” Prolific podcaster Tiffany Reese of “Something Was Wrong”Continue reading “How Wilderness Therapy Saved My Family”
Hi, it’s me
Into the wilderness: Story 42 With the latest family incident, I have concluded: I am the problem. Immediately, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” ricochets through my head: “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem.” I am a trauma magnet. I say ”magnet” because the trauma happens around me, to my closest family and friends. By extension, these areContinue reading “Hi, it’s me”
Walk the Moon 