I Am Hope In The Chaos

06/01/2026

June is PTSD Awareness Month.

When many people hear PTSD, they immediately think of our military and veterans—and rightfully so. Countless service members have carried invisible wounds home from war, and their sacrifices deserve our respect, gratitude, and support.

But PTSD doesn’t only come from the battlefield.

It can come from surviving abuse, assault, violence, medical trauma, childhood trauma, accidents, disasters, loss, or experiences that changed a life forever.

PTSD doesn’t care what caused the trauma. It doesn’t compare one person’s pain to another’s. It simply reflects what happens when the mind and body have endured more than they were ever meant to carry.

For those living with PTSD, the battle may not be visible. It can look like hypervigilance, nightmares, panic, avoidance, flashbacks, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, or simply trying to make it through another day.

This month, let’s honor our veterans, support survivors of all forms of trauma, and continue breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.

If you are carrying invisible wounds, please know this:

You are not weak.
You are not broken.
You are not alone.

There is hope. There is healing. And there is always hope in the chaos. 💙

05/31/2026

Happy 2nd Birthday to my little sidekick, Mozzie. 🐾💙

When I brought this tiny puppy home, I never could have imagined just how much he would mean to me. Somewhere along the way, he became so much more than a pet. He became a source of comfort on hard days, a reason to keep moving when things felt impossible, and a constant reminder that unconditional love still exists.

The bond between humans and animals is incredibly powerful, especially for those living with severe mental illness. While psychiatric service animals can be life-changing and even lifesaving for many people, they are often difficult to access and afford unless someone has a visible physical disability or qualifies through a veteran-specific program.

Today, as I celebrate this mischievous little guy’s birthday, I’m also feeling grateful for the role animals can play in our mental health journeys and wondering how many others could benefit from that same kind of support.

I’d love to hear your thoughts: Do you think more resources and support programs should exist to help people with severe mental illness access psychiatric service animals?

Drop your thoughts below. 🐾💙

“Sometimes the smallest paws leave the biggest impact on our mental health.” 🐾

05/31/2026

Today I hiked for su***de prevention.

American Foundation for Su***de Prevention Utah put together an incredible event focused on supporting the construction community, an industry that has been deeply impacted by su***de. Despite the rain, we had an amazing turnout, wonderful sponsors, and a beautiful hike for an incredibly important cause. 🦺🩵💜

Su***de prevention and mental health awareness are causes that are deeply personal to me. Through my own struggles and the losses I’ve witnessed, I’ve learned just how important it is to keep showing up, speaking out, and reminding people that they are never alone.

Thank you, American Foundation for Su***de Prevention-Utah , for creating such a meaningful day and for all you do to save lives and bring hope to those who need it most.

***dePrevention

05/30/2026

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the people who have walked beside me through some of the hardest moments.

This photo was taken in Boston while supporting my incredible friend as she shared her story of living with OI and undergoing complex spine surgery. The journey that brought us there wasn’t always easy. The last seven months have held challenges, difficult conversations, tears, growth, and moments that tested both of us in different ways.

But sometimes the very experiences that stretch us the most are the ones that create the deepest connections. When you walk through struggles together, when you show up for each other on the hard days, and when you choose to keep moving forward despite what life throws at you, something beautiful happens. Trust grows. Understanding grows. Friendship grows.

Mental health challenges can feel isolating, but they can also remind us how much we need one another. Some of the strongest bonds are formed not during life’s easiest moments, but during the ones that ask us to carry a little of each other’s weight.

As this month ends, I’m grateful for the people who have stood beside me through the chaos, and for the opportunity to do the same for them.

You never know how much your presence might mean to someone who is struggling. Sometimes simply walking alongside another person can change everything.

05/28/2026

Some people think depression always looks like crying, staying in bed, or looking visibly broken. But sometimes true depression looks like answering texts while falling apart inside. It looks like showing up for everyone else while silently wondering how much longer you can hold yourself together. It looks like smiling in photos, going to work, taking care of your kids, making jokes, and still feeling completely exhausted by simply existing.

Depression is not laziness.
It is not weakness.
And it is not something people can just “snap out of.”

For many people, the hardest part isn’t even the sadness…
It’s feeling invisible while carrying so much pain inside.

So today, check on the strong ones too.
The quiet ones.
The ones who say “I’m fine” a little too quickly.

And if you are the one struggling right now:
Please stay.
Please reach out.
You are not a burden, and you do not have to survive this alone.

988 is always there for immediate mental health support if you need someone to talk to. ❤️

05/27/2026

I recently had the opportunity to preview the documentary No One Cares About Crazy People, inspired by Ron Powers’ heartbreaking and powerful book of the same name. This film takes you into the real-life chaos, pain, stigma, and reality that so many individuals and families living with severe mental illness face every single day.

As someone who lives with severe mental illness and advocates openly about it, this film hit deeply. There were moments that were hard to watch — not because they were exaggerated, but because they were real. So many people will see pieces of themselves, their loved ones, or their own struggles reflected in these stories. It shines a light on the parts of mental illness society too often looks away from. The fear. The isolation. The systems that fail people. The families desperately trying to hold everything together.

But underneath all of that pain, there is also humanity, compassion, and the reminder that these stories matter. These people matter.

If you want a better understanding of what severe mental illness can truly look like beyond stereotypes and stigma, I highly recommend watching this film now that it’s available for streaming. It’s emotional. It’s intense. But it’s important.

Sometimes awareness starts by simply being willing to witness someone else’s reality. 💙

No One Cares About Crazy People

05/26/2026

Listen in on this wonderful Cancerland, The Podcast I was interviewed on. It is always a difficult thing to open up about mental health and our struggles. But I truly believe that we as a whole can save so many lives as we talk about it, spread awareness and reduce stigma.

Being able to relate mental health struggles is something I feel any human can find connection in.

Give it a listen, and always remember that you are not alone. If you are in a mental health crisis, please reach out to 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline

🎥🎙️: https://youtu.be/21ufMYMbX9I?si=bIa68wXvTjgnAKKj

Jamie Wenn Kodra I Am Hope In The Chaos Brian O'Sullivan Danny Gereg Jeff Stibelman

Season 1, Episode 3: Mental Health, Identity, and Navigating the Sy...

05/26/2026

Watching my daughter graduate elementary school and prepare to head into 7th grade has me emotional in the best way. 💛

Life has thrown both of us challenges we never expected, yet somehow through all the chaos, we have continued holding each other up through it all. And that is something I never take for granted.

As she steps into this next chapter, I hope she soars to new heights, grows into everything she is meant to be, and always remembers this:

She never has to carry life alone.

Neither do you.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do for someone is simply remind them:
“I’m here.”
“You matter.”
“You are loved.”
“You are not alone.”

If you are struggling today, please reach out to someone. And if you are in crisis or having thoughts of su***de, call or text 988. 🤍

Because even in the chaos… there is always hope.

05/24/2026

Sometimes the people who feel the deepest… think the deepest too.
And while overthinking can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and heavy… it also means we notice things others miss. We care deeply. We analyze because we want to protect, understand, love better, and make sense of a world that can feel incredibly loud inside our minds.

While in Boston for an advocacy event, my sweet friend and I saw this bear and immediately had to stop for a picture because it felt way too relatable. 💛

“Hold on, let me overthink this.”

Mental health isn’t always visible.
Sometimes it looks like smiling in a store holding a teddy bear that perfectly explains your brain. 💛

Honestly, that little bear made us laugh because it felt so real. But it also reminded me of something important today:

Overthinking does not make you broken.
Feeling deeply does not make you weak.
And having a mind that runs nonstop does not mean you are failing at life.

Sometimes overthinking can make life harder… but sometimes it also means we are thoughtful, empathetic, aware, and deeply caring people trying to navigate this world the best we can.

Sometimes we just need grace.
A pause.
A friend who understands.
And reminders that we are not alone in the chaos inside our heads.

To everyone whose mind never seems to slow down… I see you today. 💛

05/21/2026

Sometimes healing isn’t about becoming someone new —
it’s about remembering who you were before the world told you otherwise.

That’s what Hope’s Journey is really about — finding your way back to the light that’s always been within you. ✨

📖 Hope’s Journey: Finding the Light — available now on Amazon. https://a.co/d/0dPDGBi8