Many, many people have helped me bring these books to you. Some people have directly assisted with the writing itself, by reading, editing, commenting, and correcting. Others contributed by allowing me to discuss ideas and test out various analogies, even though they didn’t know where those metaphors would eventually end up. And then there were those who helped simply by getting me through my darkest days. I wouldn’t be here, writing and publishing, without the support of the people in my life. I am truly grateful to all of them.
First and foremost, I thank my husband, Brian. You have loved me for years; for better and for worse, in sickness and in health. You make me smile and laugh when I just want to cry. When everything feels like it’s falling apart, you hold me together. I never dreamed that I would find someone like you but I am grateful every day that God has brought us together. Thank you for loving me so deeply and so truly; and for all the mundane and magnificent ways you show it. The little, every-day things that you do for me have become my bedrock.
And thank you, also, for reading and re-reading every draft of everything I write (books, website, descriptions and miscellaneous) to help me make them ready for public viewing. Your patience (and honesty) is greatly appreciated.
Next, I thank my family. I thank my sister Katelyn, who is and has always been my best friend and partner in crime. You were the one I could tell anything to; the one I could talk to endlessly even when I didn’t know what I was trying to say. You have helped me sort out the spaghetti-mess of my thoughts time after time. We have walked through the trials of life together, and have come out the other side fellow survivors and conquerors. Thank you for always having my back, always offering a listening ear, and always standing strong when I needed someone to lean on.
To my mom, who has tried so hard to understand me, thank you for your unending support. I didn’t always have the words to tell you what was going on or what I needed, but you never wavered in doing your absolute best to help me. I know that you have felt helpless, often, in the face of my struggles. I can only say that your efforts were not in vain. Though they were not a magic cure, they were nonetheless one of the handholds I clung to.
To my dad, thank you for your steady example and your practical wisdom. You have taught me how to be strong, and still know when to be vulnerable. You’ve showed me how to fight for the ones I love, and when to prioritize comforting them instead. Never has a day passed when I did not know I was loved. You have never shied away from talking about difficult subjects, even when you didn’t know what to say. I look forward to sharing the words you gave me that kept me going.
To my therapist, thank you for giving me the push I needed. You challenged me to step up and create the resources I wished existed. None of this would have happened had you not supported me and believed in me.
To my college roommate, Melanie, who was the first one I ever talked to about my depression, thank you for being there. You are one of the strongest and most compassionate people I know. Thank you for your friendship, your insight, and your confidence in me.
Honorable mentions go out to my boss and coworkers, who helped me take the time I needed to heal and recover; to my many friends who have read and given feedback on the materials; to the friends-of-friends who were willing to be open and vulnerable with me so that I might share their thoughts with you.
Thank you, all, for helping make the world a brighter place.
Andre
Budge
Cookie
Emily
Jenny
Kelly
Mel
Anna
Cara
Devin
Jackie
Jordan
Megan
Taylor