I am a web developer, and the creator of QueerMentalHealth.org. I run my own IT business. For this reason I have chosen to remain anonymous, so I have chosen the pseudonym "Hanners Ellicott-Chatham", which is a character from one of my favourite web comics, Questionable Content, by Jeph Jacques. I battle with PTSD, being a sexual assault survivor and a survivor of physical and emotional abuse as a child. I recently learned that I have schizoaffective disorder. Finally, I am also a transgendered woman.
It’s hard to believe 2 years have come and gone! This has been an eventful year. The growth of Queer Mental Health led to an opportunity for me to represent Queer Mental Health at the Trans Out Loud! panel, put on by the Callen-Lorde center in New York. On a personal note, I became fast [...]
One of our writers, Brynn Tannehill, is taking part in a contest to win a scholarship to attend this year’s Netroots Progressive Conference. Brynn is a trans woman, a veteran, an activist and blogger, and a wife and mother. To automatically win a scholarship, she needs only to stay in the Top 5, but we’re [...]
Hey All, I’ve recently moved, and am waiting to have the Internet installed. Due to various issues, this has been and is continuing to be delayed, and at this point it looks as though I may not have it installed until the end of the month now. During this time I won’t be able to [...]
Abilify is a second-generation antipsychotic. It works by regulating dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain.
Today is the day we remember all the trans people murdered in the last year. This year there are 61 names. This is the highest number of any year to date. I want to take a moment of silence to remember these people.
Editor’s note: this is a continuation of Fuck. Schizoaffective?
It’s been two months since my diagnosis. Two months to process the psychosis, the diagnosis. Two months to adjust to new medication.
I want to give my heartfelt condolences to one of our writers on this website, Ava Gaul. Three days ago she lost her wife Katie, to suicide. As some of our writers have pointed out before, a person’s suicide not only affects those close to them, but entire communities. Despite not knowing Katie at all, [...]
Hey all, I’m taking a short break while I’m out of town for a few days. Posts will resume on Monday. In the meantime, keep submitting those posts! I’m hoping to see a nicely-sized queue when I return on the weekend. Thanks everyone for your patience and support! Thanks, Hanners Ellicott-Chatham, Creator, QueerMentalHealth.org
One issue I’ve always struggled with is goal setting. Never mind that when I’m manic, I tend to set really high goals that I’m super-confident that I’ll reach, but also, when I’m depressed, I make goals that I believe are achievable, and yet I still won’t achieve them. Why? Because even though the goals I set are attainable, they’re made in a way that they appear overwhelming, and inevitably, I’ll abandon the goal, and beat myself up over yet another “failure.” It’s hard to motivate yourself to achieve your goals when they are too vague to actually define what a “success” is.
The fundraiser for my trip to New York to speak at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center about transgender access to mental health care has come to a close, and we exceed our goal, thanks to the generous people who contributed donations. I’d like to recognize the following people for their donations:
I want to also give a very special thank you to Yael Cohen for her very large donation of $694, which helped complete our goal!
Other donators who did not wish their amount to be listed, but still recognized, include:
And finally, thank you to all the anonymous donators out there who supported this trip!
Sincerely,
Hanners Ellicott-Chatham,
Creator, QueerMentalHealth.org
