The Week in Review Week 5 This past week has been all about things being chronic and complex. Both when it comes to the Jeffry Stijn Foundation for Mental Health and Patient Advocacy and when it comes to living with metal illness in a small society with limited resources. As well as for me personally,…
Category: Blog
Complaint Respaldo
When I first started at Respaldo, Aruba’s National Mental Health Foundation, I was immediately informed that there probably wouldn’t be fitting treatment for me here on the island. That I’d have to move abroad. Or try to get sent abroad for medical treatment. I was informed that the chances of that happening would be pretty…
Service Animals: The quest to get my doggos certified
Ever since I got the okay to be sent abroad for treatment, I have been trying to find out how to get my dogs, Azula and Monroe, certified as service dogs, or at least emotional support animals. Initially I was told by Respaldo that they knew of one person who had managed it. This was…
It’s called self-actualization, Einstein
You know that last missing puzzle piece? The one that just doesn’t fit, or has mysteriously been missing? Turns out mine has been something called self-actualization. I’ve been asking for help with this for as long as I can remember. I just didn’t have the word for it. And now that I’ve found it… well….
Setting boundaries and conditions
I had been running into a similar pattern over and over at a certain point. When I tried to make agreements with my employer or people in my environment something went wrong. A very wise and management guru, offered to help me figure it out. And see what I could do to change or break…
Week in Review 3 – back to basics
The past few days have all been about going back to basics. Basic explanations about incredibly complex subjects. Basic ideas that will be the cornerstones of the Jeffry Stijn Foundation for Mental Health and Patient Advocacy. And the basic fact that I really need to put my mental health first, and consciously focus on self-care….
Why do I write about mental illness and trauma?
Why do I write about mental illness and trauma? I’ve been asked that a lot lately. Most people appreciate the information, but don’t really understand why I write. “Shouldn’t you be…?” followed by a huge list of things they think I need to do, or “isn’t too painful?”, they ask. And just like I wrote…
Week in Review 2 – I’m late, I’m late, I’m very, very late
For all you Alice in Wonderland fans, I’m sure you recognize this. The White Rabbit running around with his pocket watch, hurriedly exclaiming, “I’m late, I’m late, I’m very, very late!”. The whole I planned and God laughed theme just kept right on, right onning, this week. So here’s the week in review week 2….
Week in Review 1 – I planned and God Laughed
The short version: yes the first week was successful – both for the Jeffry Stijn Foundation and me personally. But it came with a LOT of unexpected twists and turns! What’s that saying? We plan and God laughs? For the first week of the Jeffry Stijn Foundation my plans were pretty simple. Basic start-up things…
The discussion on human rights with the permanent representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations | part 2
In part 1, I wrote about the session at the University of Aruba with Mr. Bekkers. He is the permanent representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, and yesterday he met with community members (including us) in regards to Human Rights. There were a few silver linings. One activist managed to…
