Slow down. Learn to be bored. Cook everything from scratch. Put down your phone. Stop trying to optimize your life. Where have you heard these self-help tropes before? If you're expecting a blog post about one of those books that blames the downfall of society on smart phones or about trad wives in an MLM peddling natural supplements to cure hyperactivity, good guess, but we were actually looking for "anti-capitalists." "But wait, Stacie, isn't that how you describe yourself?

If your social media algorithm has any overlap with mine, you've surely come across "bean soup theory." Bean soup theory, coined from the comment, "What do I do if I'm allergic to beans, though?" on a video of a recipe for bean soup, has become internet shorthand for a particular social norm: not everything is for everyone, and we don't need to announce every way something doesn't apply to us. I do think that's a useful reminder sometimes, especially when we pour precious ene

As my co-author and I wrapped up the section of our book that challenges self-regulation as a gold-standard, universal mental health goal, we both admitted that we felt nervous about how it would be received in the current cultural climate. A few months later, I came across a social media post from an eating disorder clinician straight out of early-2000s-era diet culture suggesting that while eating when you're distressed might make you feel better temporarily, it's not a fix

Birthdays have been a therapy topic for as long as I've been working with fellow autistic folks. Usually someone mentions having seen a social media post about how hard it is to be the center of attention or to react in the "right" way to a gift, and don't get me wrong-I have no idea what I'm supposed to do while everyone is singing happy birthday to me. Do I look at the cake? Do I sing along? What do I do with my hands? But in my experience, most "why birthdays can be hard f

If you’ve spent any time in self-help spaces, parenting forums, or workplace “professionalism” conversations, you’ve probably heard some version of "Don't be entitled. The world doesn't owe you anything." Entitlement is framed as one of the ugliest personality traits one can possess. It's selfish, unreasonable, and corrosive to relationships, they say. And yes, entitlement can cause harm when it’s paired with exploitation or disregard for others’ needs. But fear of being seen