Wow, you're here. You found me. I cannot believe that I'm sitting in front of this microphone actually doing this. My name is Erin and this is my official introductory episode of healed Asphalt. First things first, let me tell you what I'm doing here and what you can expect from this podcast. This podcast is a product of years of being asked to take my message to a more public platform. This will be a place where we will talk about living your life after trauma, trauma, informed parenting, navigating relationships, taking a family based approach to mental health. But most importantly, we'll talk about what being healed as **** means and how you get there. We'll talk about the nuances and challenges of daily life as a person with mental illness, and how to define what mental Wellness looks and feels like for you. We'll navigate these conversations with humor, possibly some tears, and an abundance of the word pop. Oh. I should have warned you by now, this is not a G rated podcast. I will be using language that you may not find suitable for younger listeners. Listener discretion is advised. OK. So who am I and why should you keep listening? Well, as I mentioned, my name is Erin. I'm a married 39 year old mother of five. I have five dogs, two turtles, and a few dozen fish. I have an unchecked coffee habit and an aversion to most things that would imply that I'm a fully functional adult. So just your average run-of-the-mill shitshow? I have worked in mental health for many years, providing home based supports to families of children with mental illness. I also worked in special education for many years, working with children with severe and profound disabilities, primarily emotional disturbances. All that aside and most importantly. I am a person who has and will continue to navigate my own mental health journey. I am neuro spicy with a side

of complex PTSD, severe anxiety treatment resistant depression. I am a survivor of domestic abuse and childhood trauma. So I'm a barrel of funds sprinkled with a healthy dose of trauma induced humor. You're going to love it here. My goal in life is to spend every day making the world a slightly better place than it was the day before. A world that is accepting and inclusive. In a world where the stigma of mental illness doesn't hover like a cloud of doom, and people aren't plagued by shame and guilt or a struggle that is in absolutely no way their own doing. That seems like a lofty goal. And sometimes my efforts are made in seemingly the tiniest ways possible. If you've been looking for the people who are doing their best. Who understand that being healed is a marathon and not a Sprint. And who also understand that there is an ebb and flow to living with mental illness. You found one. I'm here and I see you. I'll be dropping a new episode every week. Some of those episodes will have guest appearances. So if you've made it this far, I'm glad you're still here. Please hit the subscribe button and join me on this adventure. Oh, and share it with all your friends. Thanks.

Listener note: none of the commentaries in this podcast should be construed as diagnosing or treating any mental illness.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or visit https://988lifeline.org/

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233