Hello There! I’m Jenni.
I love fresh peaches, clever words, my collection of drastically unused hammocks, the joy of fruit-roll up tongue tattoos, Jesus, my humble husband and creative children, the heavenly combination of white cheddar and tart apples, the dream of a clean counter, a genuine smile, grapes in my chicken salad and raisins in oatmeal cookies, running to discover just how far I can go, surprises, lounging near large bodies of water with a good book, sunsets and stars, imagination and creativity, a completed task, being known, sneezing, and artisan ice cream. Like God, I have loves, not reasons, to account for my behavior.
Like many of you, I hold no particular credentialing in the mental health field. I simply have learned (am still learning) how to care for someone I love who struggles with on-going mental health issues. My journey as caregiver when my husband’s sudden crisis with OCD, panic attacks, and depression hit has compelled me to be a voice for an often invisible community. Robert Farrar Capon writes, “Amateur and nonprofessional are not synonyms. The world may or may not need another cookbook [or mental health book], but it needs all the lovers- amateurs- it can get.” If there are 52.9 million Americans suffering with their mental health, there are at least that many, if not more, that love them and are affected as well. I want fellow amateur caregivers to know: you are not alone, you are not unqualified, and although the role of caregiver is often seen as an unwanted burden, it can actually be a space of discovery, joy and connection. I seek to bring practical resources, hope, and levity to those living in the gaps in the mental health care system by honestly sharing my journey with the ever-growing community of those who love someone struggling with their mental health.
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