I was born and raised in Neillsville, Wisconsin. As the youngest in a blended family, I had the unique experience of growing up surrounded by people, yet often feeling like an only child. When my parents divorced, that feeling only grew stronger. Splitting my time between two homes left me feeling like I didn’t truly belong in either one.
Growing up, I was often the target of bullying and abuse. With emotionally distant parents and no real support system, I never learned the healthy coping skills I needed to navigate life’s challenges. The neglect I experienced also meant that my mental health struggles went unnoticed and untreated for years. Like those around me, I learned to ignore my own needs and hide my pain.
I’ve lived through many experiences that have shaped who I am today from growing up gay in a small rural town, surviving emotional trauma, neglect, and abuse, losing my brother to addiction, enduring an abusive relationship, and even experiencing harm from within the mental health system itself. Mental health struggles run deep in my family, and I’ve lost loved ones on both sides to suicide. For most of my life, I’ve lived with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and OCD.
Over time, I realized that healing meant breaking the cycle of neglect, learning to care for myself in ways I was never taught. Recovery has allowed me to rediscover who I am and what brings me joy. These days, I find peace in nature and photography. When I need to recharge, you can find me hiking trails, sitting in a local coffee shop, or exploring antique stores for vintage cameras. I also enjoy working on my car, it’s another way to feel grounded and in control.
My experiences have taught me that mental health recovery is not one-size-fits-all, it’s personal, complex, and unique to each individual. Through Momentum Peer Support, I hope to use my story to help others grow into the people they want to become, on their own terms and in their own time.
