The Spellwork of Survival: Mental Health Awareness Month
Most of the time, this space is filled with lit candles, crystals, my cat, pretty hair, moon phases and magic — the parts of my life that feel a little more presentable. But the truth is, all of that lives alongside something messier: the ongoing, ever-shifting terrain of my mental and physical health.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to share some of that with you.
I’ve been diagnosed with a handful of mental illnesses over the years, dealt with major depression and anxiety for most of my life, and later in life, found out I’m also neurodivergent.
There was a time when I kept all of this hidden. My health in one corner, my work in another, my magic somewhere off to the side. But healing, for me, has meant stitching it all back together. Seeing the way my nervous system and immune system communicate and interact. Recognizing how trauma shows up in not only in my mind… but in my joints, my sleep, and my gut, too. Understanding that my brain and body are not enemies — they’re allies, doing their best with what they’ve been given.
Mental and physical health are inseparable. You can’t fully care for one without the caring for the other. And yet, the systems we live in — medical, societal, and even spiritual communities — so often ask us to compartmentalize. To either “power through” or “manifest healing” without acknowledging the real grief, fear, and rage that come with being in pain for a long time.
But here’s the magic in it: the more I learn to live honestly with my whole self — diagnoses, sensitivities, cycles and all — the more aligned and in-tune I feel. Not because I’m healed, but because I’m present. Because I’m trying not to use up my energy pretending to be okay when I’m not.
My rituals look different now. Sometimes they’re just me, in bed, under the covers, doing a quick meditation. And that’s still magic.
If you’re navigating mental illness, chronic pain, or both — I see you. You are not a burden. You are not broken. You deserve care, softness, and spaciousness. Your worth is not measured by your productivity or your ability to “push through.” And your healing doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
This month — and always — I honor the sacred labor of survival. The rituals of resilience. The body as altar. The mind as mystery. And the reminder that wholeness isn’t about perfection — it’s about being real.
Resources for Support, Learning & Care
Because healing is sacred, nonlinear, and deeply personal.
Mental Health & Neurodivergence
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Education, support groups, and advocacy.
CHADD – Resources and support for ADHD.
The Neurodivergent Woman Podcast – Focused on autism and ADHD in AFAB individuals.
ADAA – Anxiety & Depression Association of America – Practical tools for managing anxiety and depression.
How to ADHD – Accessible, affirming content for ADHDers.
Witchy & Mind-Body-Spirit Healing
The Nap Ministry – Centering rest as a spiritual and political act.
Witchy Wellness Podcast – Holistic and magical approaches to chronic illness and mental health.
Jessica Maguire Nervous System School – Nervous system healing rooted in science and body wisdom.
Luz Warrior’s Instagram – Decolonial self-care, ancestral healing, and spiritual wellness.
Herbalists Without Borders – Community herbalism, trauma-informed care, and mutual aid.
For LGBTQIA+ Folks
The Trevor Project – Crisis support for LGBTQIA+ youth.
QTPoC Mental Health – Healing and liberation-focused mental health support for queer/trans people of color.
Trans Lifeline – Peer support and advocacy for the trans community.
It Gets Better Project – Storytelling and support resources for LGBTQIA+ teens and adults.
For BIPOC Communities
Therapy for Black Girls – Therapist directory, podcast, and affirming resources.
Sista Afya – Mental wellness for Black women and femmes.
The Brown Girl Trauma – South Asian diaspora mental health & generational trauma support.
Latinx Therapy – Culturally grounded mental health education and therapists.
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) – Healing justice and peer support trainings.
International & Global Mental Health
Mind UK – Mental health resources, crisis lines, and advocacy in the UK.
Lifeline Australia – 24/7 support for Australians in distress: 13 11 14.
Mental Health Europe – Pan-European resources and rights-based mental health advocacy.
International Bipolar Foundation – Global education and support networks.
United for Global Mental Health – Advocacy for mental health access worldwide.
Crisis & Peer Support (U.S.-based)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 anytime.
Text HOME to 741741 – Crisis Text Line, 24/7 emotional support.
National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Trans Lifeline (Peer-led) – 877-565-8860 (US), 877-330-6366 (Canada)
✨Your pain is real. Your healing is sacred. You are allowed to rest, rage, soften, shapeshift, and still be worthy of love and care. May you find what nourishes you, and may you never forget that you’re not walking this path alone.✨
