22 Comments
User's avatar
Breeann Adam's avatar

“This Substack isn’t about self-improvement—it’s about self-recognition. It’s about remembering what the world tried to make you forget: your wholeness, your right to take up space, your power to name your own experience.” - ah, this is so great.

Thanks again for featuring me as a guest essayist! I think this issue will encourage a lot of readers to take even a single step forward in their own journeys. I love all of these stories, and I look forward to reading more of your work! Thanks again. You rock.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Back atcha! 😎 unite!

Expand full comment
Victoria Waddle's avatar

Great stuff. Thanks for this.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Glad you like it!

Expand full comment
Tessa T's avatar

You’ve truly created a special alchemy here and also created community, too. Writing, recovery, embracing the self. This always hits my inbox when I need it most. I’m going to work on that prompt tonight!

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Omgahhh yes! 🌻

Expand full comment
allison strong's avatar

When I was in LA studying theatre, that monologue came up frequently. The line I remember was in regards to her being a call girl, “It hurts less selling your ass to strangers.” Chilling.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Love @Ren Powell’s words! Chilling indeed.

Expand full comment
Ren Powell's avatar

It was everywhere for a while, that's for sure. But I was grateful.

Expand full comment
Jodi Sh. Doff's avatar

Thanks Kelly, for these peeks into recovery journeys of many kinds. Thank you https://open.substack.com/pub/shelleydurgakarpaty, for the reminder “The chaos wasn’t happening to me—it was just happening.” I heard something similar in early recovery, it came back to me in the beginning of what promised to be another huge family fight. I heard “They’re not doing it to you, they’re just doing it,” echo in my head and I didn’t engage. It changed my life and my relationship with my family forever. ❤️

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Love that. It’s so true Jodi. I often take things personal and then pay the price!

Expand full comment
Helen iles's avatar

I’m going to need to come back and back to this, but you’ve started something in my brain. The space for experience to speak alongside other similar experiences, it’s powerful. I didn’t want to use that word but I’m on my phone and this really wants to be read with more intention, so I can digest and perhaps respond with more eloquence, but for now, powerful is what comes… thank you to everyone involved in this. I’ll be back.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Thank you, Helen. This is the debut of a regular special feature on my Substack TNWWY Look for it quarterly if not monthly and submit!

Expand full comment
Scapegoat Healing Rebecca LMFT's avatar

So rich, so much here to dive into - Thanks, Kelly, and I'll share more than once with my subscribers.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Thank you! I’m thrilled with how it turned out; amazing work from @Shelley Durga Karpaty, Jay Siegmann, Ren Powell, Breeann Adam, and Libby Paulin!

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Thanks for the restack @Brad Wetzler and @Tessa T 💜

Expand full comment
Prajna O'Hara's avatar

👏👏👏💚💜💙🧡 great to witness

Thank you kelly

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Thanks for the read! 🌻

Expand full comment
Dr Deborah Vinall's avatar

Such brilliant stories of strength. 💛

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Right? 🔥

Expand full comment
Wild Lion*esses Pride by Jay's avatar

Wonderful stories! Do not miss Wayne's performance. A wonderful piece of musical storytelling.

Expand full comment
Kelly Thompson TNWWY's avatar

Thanks!

Expand full comment