User Stories
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The Role of Community in Suicide Prevention
It’s often said that you might not fully understand a feeling until it hits close to home. That was true for me when my brother confided in me that he had attempted suicide a couple of times in the past week. I was both shocked and scared, unsure how to process the gravity of what…
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Friends and “Friends”
A few days ago, I had a dream. I dreamed I was in a school building of some sort, talking to my old friend, Cole. He said “Bianca, how come you didn’t respond to my discord messages?” I replied bitterly, “It’s because you never responded back to mine, because you never talked to me unless…
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The Hidden Crisis of Ghost Networks in Mental Health Care
Imagine desperately seeking mental health support, only to find that most listed providers are unreachable. This is the reality of “ghost networks” in U.S. healthcare. With studies showing up to 82% of listed mental health providers unavailable, patients face a frustrating maze of dead ends. How can we transform these ghost networks into genuine lifelines…
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The Circle of Control
In our Youth Ambassador orientation, fellow youth ambassadors and I created a venn diagram of what kids could and couldn’t control. As you can see, the things youth actually can control in their lives is very little. Based on what was written in the “I cannot control” circle, what do you think that says about…
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Cipher in the Snow
I grew up in a little farmhouse, outside a small midwestern town. Being the seventh of eight children, one would think that, in spite of being 10 miles/16km from town, perhaps my socialization did not suffer so much. After all, I was surrounded by seven siblings. Right? … Wrong! The eldest five were born one…
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Over Twenty Years of Struggling with Unnecessary Guilt
In July, the midnight sun of Northern Europe stretches the beauty of the city into 20 hours everyday. Enamored with such a summer, I often wander aimlessly around the city even at 11 p.m. One day during one of these leisurely walks, I received a rejection letter for a job I had previously applied for.…
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Under the Weight of Expectations
Everyone needs help from time to time—even the people who seem to have everything going for them. Sometimes, it is especially the ones who do well at school/work, the ones who don’t make a fuss, the ones who mask their symptoms well who need your time and care. I work with a wonderful and growing…
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If There Is Love
Mrs. Doubtfire, what happens after family separates?
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Navigating the Candy Shop of Therapy: Finding the Right Therapist in a Sea of Choices
If you’ve ever been to an ice cream shop or a candy store, you know how hard it is to pick just one treat out of the many options. For me, and probably for many of you, finding the right therapist feels just as overwhelming. In today’s digital age, the variety of therapists—from cognitive-behavioral to…
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From Struggle to Success: How Accommodations at School Can Transform Your Child’s Life
Every student is unique: some children are naturally eager students who pick things up quickly. Some kids learn by doing. Some kids demonstrate fabulous talents in certain areas, but struggle significantly in other subjects. Some kids aim to please while others seem to enjoy chaos. Despite their personality differences, schools are designed for the “average”…
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Are You an Extroverted-Introvert? Take This Quiz to Find Out!
Note: This is just the title. There is no quiz. A while ago, four years I think, I was browsing YouTube for something to watch when I came across this video with the title “7 Signs You’re an Extroverted-Introvert!” When I saw this video, I snorted. There is no such thing as an extroverted-introvert, extroversion…
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Understanding Emotional Dysregulation in Looked-After Children: A Caregiver’s Perspective
What started as a fun karaoke night turned into one of the saddest tales I’ve ever experienced. The lyrics felt so sad and hopeless, and for the first time, I saw them without the masks they often wore. They let their guard down, and I felt the pain they had been trying to cover for…
