A Personal and Hand-Picked Collection #02 by Dr Amy Gunter, Editor and Curator of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium and Substack
Dear Readers and Writers,
Welcome to the second edition of my mental health curation.
Continue reading for free
I serve as an editor for three Illumination Publications:
As an editor and curator of mental health writing, I have selected stories mainly from ILLUMINATION publications.
This is not a competition or ranking. It’s a personal curation meant to honor writers and their stories.
Stories were selected based on some or all of these criteria:
- Use of voice
- Depth of inner experience
- Authenticity — writer’s own truth and voice
- Vulnerability on the page
- Emotional tone
- Vivid descriptions — The reader could imagine themselves in the scene.
- Use of “I”
- Personal insight
The writers accomplished the mission of allowing the readers inside scenes of their lives. Due to their use of self and the scenes described, I was able to make movies in my mind as I read their work. This shows me that the writers used both voice and craft to create.
Editor’s Note: Because this curation contains personal narratives that bring you into the writers’ inner experiences, some material touches on sensitive topics such as sexual assault, child abuse, depression, and domestic violence. Please read with care and reach out to your mental health or medical provider if needed.
The following support resources are available 24/7:
Suicide Crisis Text Line International
- US & Canada: Text HOME to 741741
- UK: Text SHOUT to 85258
- Ireland: Text HELLO to 50808
Global Directories
Find A Helpline | Free emotional support in 130+ countries
Global vetted directory of helplines, hotlines and crisis lines. Chat, text or phone support with suicide, anxiety…findahelpline.com
- Befrienders Worldwide: Global network of support centers offering confidential emotional support.
Sexual Assault and Abuse Help
International No More Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence — connects users to crisis hotlines in over 200 countries.
NO MORE Global Directory * NOMORE Global Directory
No More Global Directory is dedicated to ending gender-based violence worldwide. Explore resources, support, and ways…nomoredirectory.org
U.S.
Have you or someone you love been sexually assaulted or abused? You are not alone. Contact RAINN 24/7 to connect with a real, live person who’s trained to help.
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
800–656-HOPE (800–656–4673)
Advocates are also available to chat 24/7.
National Center for Victims of Crime
855–4-VICTIM (855–484–2846)
Digital Safety Note: Internet browsing can be monitored by an abusive partner, and private browsing modes do not block all tracking software. For maximum safety, use these resources on a device your partner cannot view, such as a trusted friend’s phone or a public library computer.
In solidarity and in community, I turn your attention to the important truth-telling from these writers.
Why Do We Fail the Emotional Layer of the Brain
A concise sample chapter from my book “What the Brain Needs, Why We Fail, and How We Can Fix It”medium.com
He Pushed Me Until I Reacted, Then Called Me Controlling
When their behavior disappears and your reaction becomes the problemmedium.com
The Weight of Being Five Years Old
“Touch it — it won’t hurt you”medium.com
Why Do We Always Blame the Victim?
Whenever something terrible happens to a woman, a young girl, or even a child, why is the first question always about…medium.com
Beyond the Human Condition
What Connects Us is what we’re Still trying to Heal frommedium.com
The Children We Notice Too Late
After the Tacloban school shooting, perhaps now is the best time to ask ourselves, ‘What kind of children are we…medium.com
The Hardest Part of Writing Is Showing Up When Nobody Cares — My Days of Mental Stress
I Write About My Schizophrenia Living Being An Educated Personmedium.com
Morning Thoughts On Life: From Present to Past, From Sadness to Healing
Join me in the momentmedium.com
Before Losing the Will to Live: A Father, Mounting Debts, and Silent Sobs
A wildfire of inflation is burning down everything in its path, while innocent kids wait anxiously by the doorway…medium.com
The Way I Chose to Arrive-Atami
A quiet walk through Atami, and a reminder that the path can matter more than the destination.medium.com
Surrendering to the Truth of Who You Are
What It Means to Surrender, and Why You’re Ignoring the Call From Your Soulmedium.com
A Metaphysics of the Unfinished
Thirty-Three Years in the Presence of Absencemedium.com
If you missed the first episode, here is the link to it:
Thank you for checking out these stories. To hear more from me, receive regular mental health resources, and follow along with future curations, you can find me here:
Website: Explore the Full Toolkit to get 3 free coping cards or check out the coping card decks and updates.
Substack: Subscribe to the Newsletter and exclusive subscriber tools.
YouTube: Watch & Subscribe for video walkthroughs, coping tools, and discussion.
To Potential Contributors of ILLUMINATION Publications: Please note that new writer applications to our publications are via our registration portal. Please review our quality checklists and the onboarding pack before submitting your stories to our publications. You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack. Accepted writers for this round will be listed towards the end of this story.
You are also welcome to be a guest blogger on the Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem. We curate blog posts and share them publicly and with our subscribers. Here is an example:
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