Healing Through Words

A collection of writers who made a significant impact on my mental health and overall well-being.

Happy Friday, everyone. I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. My week has been relatively calm and relaxing, which has inspired the subject of this newsletter. At this moment, I feel at peace in a way I’ve never felt before. Getting here has been a long road, and today, I feel compelled to share more about my path to healing and self-discovery. Below, I will share the authors whose words led me to where I am today. I’ve experienced the healing power of words over the past few years. I’m sharing this with the hope that you can experience it, too. Enjoy!

Photo by Nathan Blackaby on Unsplash

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Mental Health and Wellness

Alex Elle, Tricia Hersey, Michell Clark

Alex Elle

Alex Elle

is a New York Times bestselling author and mindfulness teacher. I can’t remember the first time I saw a clear post-it note appear on my Instagram feed, but soon after, the gentle reminder post from Alex Elle became an unexpected highlight of my time on the platform. Her words feel like a virtual hug from a loved one, reminding you that everything is ok. I always feel like her words come across my screen at the perfect moment, and no matter what I’m going through, I always feel soothed by her gentle reminders that we are all human, we are not perfect, life is a journey, and we are all going through it for the first time.

Tricia Hersey

Tricia Hersey, the author of Rest is Resistance and the creator of the Instagram page The Nap Ministry, challenged my perspective on work. Instead of promoting a work ethic, she advocates for a rest ethic. She points out how capitalism has misled us into thinking that our worth is linked to our productivity. Tricia disagrees with this narrative and encourages us to prioritize rest as a form of resistance to the oppressive systems in our society and around the world. She believes that rest is a fundamental right, particularly for those who are descendants of slavery in America.

I discovered Tricia's work on Instagram in 2020 after completing a two-year graduate program and while I was teaching high school during a global pandemic. Although I agreed with her philosophy, I struggled to apply it to my own life in a practical manner. What does she mean by "rest," "lay down," and "take a nap"? How can I do that when there is so much work to do and bills to pay? Despite my questions, I continued to read her posts. Eventually, my mindset shifted, and I started to believe that I deserved rest. Only then was I able to allow myself to rest. This was the start of my journey towards rest and peace. I stopped seeing hard work as a badge of honor and stopped overworking myself. I started honoring my body's needs and stopped feeling guilty about not accomplishing everything. This shift significantly impacted me and changed my life for the better.

Michell Clark

I discovered

Michell C. Clark

on Instagram and instantly connected with his writing. He recently released his debut book, "Eyes on the Road," which I highly recommend. Clarke’s book is written for people like myself who are way too hard on themselves. It contains short passages and affirmations that remind readers that they are human and everyone makes mistakes. No one goes through life without making poor decisions or suffering setbacks, but we can always get back up. Clarke's words are relatable, and it's evident that they come from his own healing journey. As a reader, you can tell he has been through mental and emotional turmoil and come out on the other side. Through his writing, he guides his audience to do the same. Eyes on the Road is not just a book; it's a tool for empowerment. It is currently on my nightstand, and I refer to it often. You can flip to almost any page to find the words you need.

Love and Relationships

Todd Boratz, Jillian Turecki

Todd Boratz

Todd Baratz

is a licensed therapist and content creator on Instagram and Substack. His content is unique because it challenges many people's beliefs about sex, dating, and relationships. Todd's advice is based on the reality of what it takes to form and maintain healthy relationships, contrary to the romantic views that most people grow up believing. 

When I came across his post titled “Read this if you're single,” it was the first time I felt understood as a single person. At that time, no one around me could relate to what I was going through as a single person searching for a relationship. This post emphasizes how difficult it is to deal with the wide range of misguided advice given to single people and the invalidation of our desire for partnership. Todd's message to singles is that humans are wired for connection, and if a person wants to pursue a relationship, they should, regardless of whether or not they “are fully healed” or “love themselves.” He believes that healing takes place through relationships, not in isolation. Therefore, being in relationships is the best way to improve one's relational skills. 

Todd's advice debunks much of our collective understanding of love, sex, courtship, and forming healthy romantic partnerships. His content's primary purpose is to help us unlearn the thought patterns and behaviors that prevent us from having the fulfilling relationships we desire. His advice has helped me in many ways. His words motivate me to keep going, put myself out there, pursue romantic partnerships, learn, and gain a deeper understanding of myself.

Jillian Turecki

Jillian Turecki

is a relationship coach and content creator. She is like the internet big sister that all women need. She encourages women to choose self-love over remaining in unhealthy, misaligned relationships. Her content resonates with many women because it is the voice of reason we need when our emotional attachments cloud our judgment. Her posts often present truths about unhealthy relationship patterns and dynamics that we know to be true but are hard to admit. Reading Jillian’s words helped me feel less alone, and I realized that if someone was creating this content, many women share these experiences. Post by post, I internalized her words, and it helped me shift my mindset and approach dating and relationships from a more empowered standpoint.

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Along with my therapist, family, and friends, these writers helped me get through a rough period of burnout, anxiety, and depression. Now that I feel well, I have the capacity to support others and nurture relationships with family and friends. I have the capacity to work on creative projects such as this newsletter, and I am deeply grateful for that.

Please take what you need from this list, and be patient with yourself. Thank you for allowing me to connect with you.

Are you on a healing journey? How are you managing it all? Are there any authors you would add to this list? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments.