I grew up with a traumatic childhood that included genuine physical abandonment. After my parents divorced, my father took custody of me and my younger brother, but when I was 14 and my brother was 12, he left us living alone in an apartment. I essentially raised my brother myself. Two years ago, I lost that same brother to suicide. My mother was the one who found him, and she has struggled deeply ever since while refusing to seek therapy. Watching her slowly deteriorate while trying to support her has been incredibly difficult. At the same time, I help care for my elderly father, who now has dementia. Alongside all of this, I’ve been dealing with chronic pain and ongoing health issues, recently lost my job in a layoff, and have reached a point of significant burnout. I’m neurodivergent with ADHD, dyslexia, and aphantasia, which adds another dimension to how I experience and navigate everything going on in my life. I’m also in a relationship with a partner who I know loves me in her own way, but who is largely emotionally unavailable. What has made this particularly difficult is that we haven’t been able to meaningfully communicate about the emotional disconnection itself. My attempts to explain what I’m experiencing often seem to be misunderstood or dismissed, leaving me feeling as though there is a wall between us that I haven’t been able to find a way through. It has left me profoundly lonely while also making it difficult to find the space to get that emotional connection and support elsewhere. After carrying so much for so long, I’m trying to find my way back to physical and emotional health, find meaningful human connection and support, and figure out what the next chapter of my life looks like. I also hope I can offer some of that support in return. I’ve lived through a wide range of difficult experiences and somehow kept finding ways to adapt, persevere, and move forward. If some of what I’ve learned along the way can help someone else feel understood or navigate their own difficult chapter, I’d be glad to share it.