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In Paths Uncharted , we’re exploring mental health in context—through lenses that are lived, layered, and sometimes unexpected. We write...

Charlottesville still feels the impact of August 12. This reflection explores how trauma lives in our bodies and communities—and how healing begins with accountability, collective care, and liberation-oriented support.

Change can bring about feelings of anxiety, anger, or fear, the potential for regret and sadness. Learn about your window of tolerance and explore tips for navigating change with emotional regulation.

Complex trauma  is a term that’s gaining more recognition in both clinical settings and everyday conversations about mental health. For...

Feeling burned out by summer's heat, noise, and social expectations? This post explores sensory overload, internalized productivity shame, and how rest can be a radical act—especially for neurodivergent queer folks.

Whether it’s the personal loss of a beloved person or other animal, or the larger-scale loss felt as we experience the polycrisis of climate change, pandemics, and genocide, learning to accept the grief that we experience and carry with us as individuals and communities can be transformational.

If you’ve ever looked around and thought, “Everyone else seems to have this whole adulthood thing figured out—what’s wrong with me?” — you’re not alone.

It’s summertime in Virginia which means it’s swimming season. However, this summer also continues to heat up politically, and the image that comes to mind may be more raging whirlpool than cooling oasis. Discover how creative expression can help support self-reflection and emotional regulation.

In a world that often feels like it’s teetering on the edge—politically, economically, environmentally—it’s hard to know how to keep...

Amidst times of unrest, clarifying your values can help you live the life you want to live.

For LGBTQIA+ folks raised in rigid or rejecting faith traditions, healing can start with the radical idea that there was nothing wrong...

Religious trauma doesn’t end when you leave the church. It lingers in the body—in the bedroom—in the questions you’re afraid to ask. But...

When you're feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, slowing down and changing your relationship to thoughts and feelings can help.

By Helen Dempsey-Henofer, LCSW ADHD-CCSP Growing Up Queer and Neurodivergent in Rural Virginia I was a confused, socially awkward kid who...

When things get overwhelming and you're looking for ways to feel nothing, practicing experiential acceptance can help.

How to Decide Whether to End Contact with a Friend or Family Member Deciding to go no contact with a friend or family member is a deeply...

We’ve all experienced it—going about our day when suddenly, a song hijacks our brain. It might be an upbeat jingle or a barely noticed...

Every single one of us exists with an autopilot—an subconscious, evolutionary form of thinking or decision making that exists to preserve...

If you’re queer, neurodivergent, and alive right now, chances are you’ve felt it — the hollow ache in your chest when the world feels...

Holidays, whether those that get a lot of mainstream fanfare or those that are more a part of lesser-know cultural tradition, can be a...