Write With Us: Contribute to the Paths Uncharted Blog.

In Paths Uncharted, we’re exploring mental health in context—through lenses that are lived, layered, and sometimes unexpected. We write about healing, grief, trauma, identity, and relationships—especially where they intersect with neurodivergent and queer experience. We want to hear from others walking paths that don’t always follow the map.

If you’re someone with insight, reflection, or a story to share, we invite you to pitch a contribution.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome submissions that explore:

Neurodivergence and queerness from lived or clinical perspectives
Healing that’s nonlinear, culturally aware, and anti-oppressive
Grief and trauma in under-recognized or marginalized forms
Relationships that challenge normativity and invite care
Mental health as it’s shaped by systems, identities, and context

We especially welcome voices that are often missing in mainstream mental health spaces—writers of color, trans and nonbinary folks, disabled writers, and anyone exploring intersections with curiosity, nuance, and clarity.

What We Aren’t Looking For

We’re not here for prescriptive advice, pathologizing language, or sweeping generalizations. If you're going to speak to shared experiences, we expect that you do so with humility and clarity.

I'm an AuDHDer who doesn't like strawberry ice cream.

That doesn't mean AuDHDers don’t like strawberry ice cream.

Only the correct ones (joking, geez).

We honor the importance of individual stories and the responsibility to avoid representing personal truths as universal. It’s okay to speak to patterns—but we expect contributors to distinguish personal insight from research or general commentary, and to cite thoughtfully if using data.

How to Pitch

Please email a brief pitch that includes:

A short summary of your idea
A few lines about who you are and why this matters to you
A 2–3 sentence bio
A draft of your contribution of around 1200-1600 words
A link to relevant non-spammy professional work (we do not link to social media)

Send pitches to uncharted@divergentpathwellness.com with the subject line: Paths Uncharted Pitch. Please follow the directions. Putting intention and effort into responding to pitches that couldn't be bothered to send a bio is tiring.

Note on Submissions from Clients

For ethical and professional reasons, we are unable to accept submissions from current or former clients of Divergent Path Wellness or Way Forward Virginia. If you are a client who wants to share your story publicly, we’re happy to offer a list of independent platforms and organizations where your voice may be welcome.

Our Publishing Rhythm

We publish 2–4 contributor posts per month, and every featured post is shared with our mailing list and across Divergent Path Wellness’s social media.

A Note on Voice

You don’t need to be a professional writer—just someone who thinks deeply, writes clearly, and respects the complexity of the work. We love nuance, voice, and honesty. We’re not afraid of irreverence or vulnerability, and we aim for writing that makes space without making assumptions.

If you're unsure whether something is a fit, pitch anyway. We’re messy humans who appreciate the integrity of raw vulnerability.

Amplification & Community Sharing

We love when contributors share their published posts with their personal and professional networks. Once your piece is live, we’ll send you the link and any graphics we create for our newsletter and social media. If you’re comfortable, we’d appreciate you sharing it too — every voice helps us reach more people who need to hear it.

Helen Dempsey-Henofer LCSW ADHD-CCSP

AuDHDer, Psychotherapist, Slow hiker, Grumbly complainer

Divergent Path Wellness, Way Forward Virginia, Paths Uncharted Founder

Want to be a therapy client and not a contributor?

Check out divergentpathwellness.com