Ashley Magers
National Mental Health Month: Where In-Person Therapy is More Accessible
Can you imagine a world where it would be as accessible and acceptable to go to your therapy appointment as it is to get a workout in? Perhaps therapists would even have offices at...
Saint Patrick’s Day: A Quiz and Toddler Activities
Twelve years ago as a college student, I spent a semester studying abroad in Ireland, and since then, Saint Patrick’s Day holds an entirely new place in my heart than it did as a...
“Sit!” My Toddler is my Mindfulness Guru
It was a fairly typical January morning for my daughter and me, although I do remember she had been a little clingier than usual, as in, she couldn’t stand the few feet of distance...
What’s Your (Enneagram) Number?
As someone who has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Master of Social Work (MSW), it's not surprising I love studying ways of understanding people. I first discovered the Enneagram in 2011 when...
Is There a Lack of Gratitude in Modern Motherhood?
I had a conversation with a friend that left such a deep impression on me, I am still thinking about it weeks later. We have been close friends for more than a decade, and...
Ways to Help a Friend in Crisis
This spring I read the book Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. I enjoyed its insights and refreshing my mind on topics that I had not thought too much about since...
An Initial Reflection on Five Days in the Riley PICU
Wednesday, August 22, 2018 is now an unforgettable day for our family. It marks the day when our 14-month old daughter, Tess, took her first ambulance ride after becoming unresponsive at home and was...
The Privilege of Choosing to Work Part-Time
Like many little girls, I eagerly anticipated becoming a mom when I "grew up." I never doubted I wanted to be a mom and vividly remember talking to my best friend before our senior...
There’s No Shame in Your Feeding Game
I don't want to write this post. Every month when I sit down to write a post, this topic comes straight to my mind. But instead of writing it, I keep racking my brain...
New Mom School: Let’s Make One in Indy
As an avid podcast subscriber and intermittent listener, I was thrilled when I accidentally stumbled upon The Mom Hour podcast. As a clinical social worker and mom to a six month old at that...
Mom Tribe: Myth or Reality?
I readily admit every time I stepped into a new group of moms, whether fitness or spiritually related, I hoped I would magically connect with at least a few of the fellow moms and...
When Your First “Baby” Is Fuzzy
Before I begin, it's worth noting I was the child who cried watching Homeward Bound. And then the college student whose parents took her to see Marley & Me thinking it would distract me...
One Voice of #55strong: Inside the West Virginia Teacher Strike
With the exception of three years, all my K-12 education was in West Virginia. Yes, West Virginia, not western Virginia. I cannot tell you how many people I've met since I moved to the...
Normalizing Postpartum Anxiety
Every woman faces her own unique challenges in adjusting to motherhood. Some do it with such perceived ease and joy that others say, “She was born to be a mother.” Others, like me, do...