Shrinking the couch: Why your story matters
Dear Absolutely Everyone,We've only been up for about 10 days, and are already feeling quite silly. Excited, but silly. People are repeatedly asking us if their story about mental illness is worth publishing. We're left confused. Scratching our chins, even. Obviously we've done a piss-poor job of explaining ourselves.Our idea is simple - professional help is ideal, but if that's a while away for all of us to have comfortable access to (for any reason), let's just start with helping each other! We have the internet for God's sake!Let's shrink the couch, and talk about that oversized elephant sitting on it! Please tell us everything you've seen, heard, experienced, felt, loved and hated about mental health and illness.
Tell us in your own words. Rant away. Vomit it out. Just put them down in an email and send them to us!
We're collecting meaningful stories around mental illness and a climb to success. And yours is missing! Please send us anything you have to say about any of this, and we'll get back to you! If you're unsure, tell us - we'll walk with you till you figure it out. If you need a nudge, tell us - we'll be happy to push you over the edge (kidding).On a serious note -
Writing is cathartic.
Please write your experiences on a blank piece of paper. It will help you shape your own story, in your own words, about your own life, using your own memories. It might help you cry immediately, but you will feel stronger for it. Always! Burn it after if you must! But put it down at least once.
Reading is encouraging.
Not everyone knows where to start writing, or trust themselves to be able to express precisely what they're feeling. Reading someone else's honest thoughts often connects with us somewhere deep, and we can use their story to feel understood, and to know that we're not alone.
And there's us - TSC - making the writing reach the reading.
We want you to know that with every text and email to write in, we feel overjoyed. But also, we feel a huge sense of responsibility. We have the highest respect for your individual voice, and do nothing to jeopardize your trust in us.Ready to share?
writein@theshrinkingcouch.com
If not, tell us why - feeling anxious to share? or perhaps think we've got this all wrong? Definitely write to us, also at writein@theshrinkingcouch.com Waiting to hear from you,Proud & Grateful Editors