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My Mental Health Journey

When I was old enough to leave home, I had no idea how to relate to people. The resulting loneliness forced me to examine myself.

I started by learning to meditate. The simple act turned out to be harder than I expected, revealing an ocean of confusing thoughts. To sort them out, I wrote in a journal every day. The outpouring of words gave voice to many emotions. No wonder I couldn’t figure out other people. I didn’t even understand myself.

Then I discovered self-help books and recordings. Each one taught me new ways to think about myself and my relationship to others. I was surprised to discover that the more I understood about myself, the more I liked other people. Gradually, I emerged from isolation into the mutual support of friendships. But deep down, I still felt confined by old mental habits.

My breakthrough came when I entered therapy. The feedback and guidance of my therapist helped me grow past limitations I couldn’t see myself.

By the time I was fifty, after a lifetime of learning how to break down my own rigid walls, I wanted to share what I’d learned with those who needed it. I enrolled in a program in Counseling Psychology at Villanova University. Learning how to provide therapy helped me grow even more.

After I earned my degree, I listened to clients. Every one of them was looking for insights, guidance, and support to take the next steps of their journey. I am thrilled to help them sort through the wealth of tools available for personal development. And I discovered something about self-help that I had never noticed. Serving others is the greatest self-help tool of all.

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