Fear Not
My greatest fearIs that I’ll leave no traceThat I was ever here.And I know that fear is irrational.I have childrenWho are growing intoAmazing young adults.My partner would argueThat I matter to him.My...
View ArticleReflections
Today turned out to be a time of reflection on life and death and change and permanency. My own personal losses—parents, child—and losses affecting many more people.I've always thought of myself as...
View ArticleTouchstones
I recently returned from my first trip to Israel as part of a tour group from my synagogue. I'm still processing it, but was able to capture some of what it meant to me in the following...
View ArticlePTSD: a poem
you hidein shadows and behind darkened memorieslooking for a weaknessa way ina break in my flawed façadejust a cracka whisperthe chance to turndream into nightmarelaughter to tearshope into ruin love...
View ArticleOn Getting Pregnant for the Tenth Time
I promised to participate in #gishwhes and apparently Misha promised someone else a SFW 2000-word essay on getting pregnant for the tenth time, and seeing as I’ve had a lot of practice (minds out of...
View ArticleShould You Trademark Your Indie Publishing Company Name?
One of the things I've been doing here and there is talking with people about whether big New York publishing, small press publishing, or indie publishing is best for their book and audience. And for...
View ArticleLiterary Orgasms
I've long said that the act of writing, whether a short story, a novel, or a poem, is like giving birth. The only difference between the three is the length of gestation.There is the initial orgasmic...
View ArticleIf I Belonged
> When did it start to feel like… Like you fit? Like you…belonged here?> Well, I'm still not sure I do.If I belongedReally belongedI wouldn’t feel the needTo prove myselfTo show my worthTo defend...
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Beauty in Loss
May 9, 2018Nine years ago today, my mother was dying. It was sad, and painful, and beautiful.Let me explain.The day before Thanksgiving in 2008, my mom was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer....
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Healing and Food
My turbulent relationship with food began when I was an infant. The story, as my mother told it, was that she was unable to nurse and had zero support with breastfeeding (not unusual for the late 60s)....
View ArticleThe Demon Hunter (Feat. Sheyna Galyan)
I had a wonderful conversation in this podcast, talking about everything from the importance of weather to the role of writing to hunting and vanquishing our demons. Includes a shout-out to Teresa...
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Balance
Sometimes labels are helpful. I have two new ones to add to my collection: post-exertional malaise and orthostatic intolerance.Post-exertional malaise: the crash that happens after every physically or...
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The Three Children
The following is a story I wrote over twenty years ago, as a way to understand multiple covenant theory (that there is more than one divine covenant with humanity). I'm guided to share this here,...
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My (True) Scariest Story
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View ArticleConnection
Time to reconnectBreatheListenThe gentle whispersSoft as caressesReminding meI amLoved and lovableNo need to Prove anything Trust It will all happenAs it should My focusMust be on What I can doNot who...
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Uh...
Uh…“Um,” “uh,” “you know,” and “like” were verbal diarrhea, according to my eighth grade speech and debate teacher. He added that using words like this made us sound stupid, and I did not want to be...
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On Confession, Denial, and White Privilege
Image by Betty MartinI’m white. I’m Jewish. I’m an abuse survivor. And I’m a former mental health counselor and current soul guides coach with a specialty in adult survivors of trauma. This collection...
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Stay In Your Lane
I spent several weeks in June helping my oldest son get all the practice he needed to take his driver’s license road test. And he discovered, as all of us who learn to drive do, that when driving on...
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The Journey to Love: Healing Birthday Trauma
Photo by Tore F on UnsplashAs I write this, it’s my birthday.Like many trauma survivors, my birthday has never really been a day of celebration and joy. Rather, it’s been a collection of traumas big...
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One Year Ago Today
One year ago today was the last time I gathered with people who were not my household family members or medical personnel for required medical appointments. One year ago today was the last time I...
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Soul Guides: What I Do . . . For You
Can you guess which of the following paid occupations I've NOT had?1. Law clerk2. Mental health counselor3. Journalist4. Researcher.....That was...a trick question. I've had all of them. But I want to...
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Set in Motion
SET IN MOTIONThis is how everything changed.This is how a life was saved.This is my story.Trigger warning for a brief mention of past suicidal intention.Also, bonus content in the last...
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What “living the life you’ve always wanted” really means
I say that I’m about helping people to live the life they’ve always wanted, the life that they were taught they couldn’t have or didn’t deserve.Let’s talk about what that means. And what it doesn’t.It...
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Guides Can Be a Source of Support
I’ve talked this week about trauma, especially unsupported trauma. This is where an event or situation takes place that overwhelms a person’s nervous system (their fight/flight/freeze/fawn response...
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MY BLOG HAS MOVED!
I am now blogging over at my own site: https://sheynagalyan.com, which launched today!Please update any bookmarks or blog rolls (is that still even a thing?)I'd love to see you over there! Come check...
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