functionallymentall

Apologize to yourself

Elisa A. Escalante/ LCSW/ 3-18-2021 “Get used to a world where no one belongs to you, and no one cares all the way. Live in that truth, accept that truth, and learn to be your own savior.” -EaE I recently felt a dire need to apologize to myself. It was what I’ll call my firstContinue reading “Apologize to yourself”

Cool feedback, but, wrong person…

Elisa A Escalante/ LCSW/ 3-10-2021 This topic frequently comes up. All across the world, those that suffer from mental illness get bombarded with “practical” advice that unfortunately cannot help their debilitating chronic symptoms. People may mean well, but if they use these punchlines, they may not understand what suffering with a chronic mental illness entails.Continue reading “Cool feedback, but, wrong person…”

Using your Scars

Elisa A. Escalante/ LCSW/ 3-4-2021 “You can heal, but there will always be a scar. And that scar should serve as your lifelong reminder, always. -EaE You are ignoring many emotional battles and issue’s in your life, there is no doubt about it. I am as well, and we cycle in and out of thisContinue reading “Using your Scars”

Knowing when to Quit

Elisa A. Escalante/ LCSW/ 2-24-2021 “I can spend year after year building and cementing a life for myself, and in an instant, walk away from it like it never mattered. But it’s because I know how to admit to myself when something isn’t working for me anymore. My life is wherever I want to takeContinue reading “Knowing when to Quit”

Always a work in progress

Elisa A Escalante/ LCSW / 2-17-2021 Ever notice that we seem to change drastically in 5-7 year increments? At least, I would hope so. It’s the growth process, meets new people, meets new environments, takes on new challenges, gains wisdom and so on. Change means growth, growth means change. It’s also terrifying and painful atContinue reading “Always a work in progress”

Twenty important lessons I learned as a mental health worker

Elisa A Escalante / LMSW / 2-2-2021 1- Every action, behavior, emotion and thought has a story behind it. No matter how much someone doesn’t make sense, they will always make sense after you hear their story in its entirety 2- we are all entitled to as much pain as we want to handle. 3-Continue reading “Twenty important lessons I learned as a mental health worker”

Misfit

Elisa A. Escalante/ LMSW/ 1-11-2021 Who are you at the party? Are you the life of the party, everyone waits for you as you make your exciting late/ dramatic entrance into the room? Are you the one who comes with someone, so you are not alone? Are you the one in the corner sippingContinue reading “Misfit”

New Year… New… Me?

Elisa A. Escalante/ LMSW/ 1-2-2021 “I need to learn calmness in chaos, because chaos never ends.” -EaE Our traditions are dying, or perhaps changing, or perhaps they do not have the appeal they used to. Slowly, but surely, we see and feel the discomfort of change, and 2020 amplified it to a point noContinue reading “New Year… New… Me?”

ENVY

Elisa A. Escalante/ LMSW/ 12-14-2020 “The hardest thing anyone can ever do in the history of humanity: listen, nod, validate” -EaE We often stop at envy and fail to look at the root cause within ourselves. Meaning we judge, criticize, laugh at others for our own internal comfort/ gain without exploring what puts usContinue reading “ENVY”

Lower the Dosage (Mind shielding)

Elisa A. Escalante/ LMSW/ 11-25-2020 “We do not owe anyone the labor of our hands or minds. It is for sale or trade, not to be stolen by a vampire or zombie.” -EaE There is only so much stress we can allow into our minds and bodies before we start to feel the erosion/Continue reading “Lower the Dosage (Mind shielding)”