Coping with Change The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life.” There’s no doubt that everyone experiences changes throughout life. Some changes are welcome and others are unwanted. Some changes are gradual and others are sudden. Some changes are expected and others are unexpected. Some changes are small and others […]
Kirsten Barraclough
Patience, Persistence, and Your Health
Patience, Persistence, and Your Health Many things are available on demand these days, such as movies, TV shows, e-books, shopping, and information. Googling is now a verb, with information only a search away. The internet has become one big on-demand delivery system. On-demand content is quite useful. But sometimes we don’tfind a solution instantly. One […]
How Books Can Help You
How Books Can Help You Do you know what I love about reading books? I can enter places and times and experiences that aren’t mine. Besides the pleasure I get from reading, I have gained valuable insights into my own experiences and the experiences of others. There are many book genres for a reason. Different […]
Success in Employment: It Takes Work
Success in Employment: It Takes Work The process of finding employment can be discouraging for anyone, and when you have the added layer of a disability or health condition, it is even more difficult. I hope the following information is helpful. The first thing to consider when trying to find a job is what type […]
Be Prepared for Adulthood
Be Prepared for Adulthood How do you feel when you hear the phrase “transition to adulthood?” Are you excited? Are you scared? Are you confused? Are you overwhelmed? You likely have moments where you experience all these emotions. Everyone is nervous when they make life transitions, but when you have a disability or mental health […]
How I Made It Through School
How I Made It Through School How I Made It Through School Everyone has their own story of the onset and progression of their disability or mental health diagnosis. For those of us whose onset was birth or early childhood, our first awareness that we are different from others may be when we go to […]
Get Support in Your Community
Get Support in Your Community Get Support in Your Community Family and friends can be an amazing support system. But no family or group of friends has all the expertise that someone with a disability or mental health struggle might need. There are times when we need support from community organizations. However, when we are […]
Giving and Receiving Support
Giving and Receiving Support There is a poster hanging in my home that says, “None of us is as strong as all of us.” It shows a strong-looking person, but when you look more closely, it is made up of a bunch of different people, put together like a puzzle. And, if you add a […]
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
Patient Rights and Responsibilities Patient Rights and Responsibilities The Patient’s Bill of Rights was first adopted by the American Hospital Association in 1973. Patient rights were developed with the expectation that hospitals and health care institutions would support these rights in the interest of delivering effective patient care. A physician’s ultimate goal should be patient […]
Gratitude for Little Victories
Gratitude for Little Victories In Roald Dahl’s children’s story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, five Golden Tickets are hidden inside five chocolate bars. In the craze to find these rare Golden Tickets (and thereby win an exclusive tour of the chocolate factory and a lifetime supply of chocolate), many people lost sight of the joy […]
