Health & Wellness
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COVID Didn’t End for Me, And I’m Still Waiting for Answers
What started as a terrifying COVID diagnosis in 2020 didn’t end when I survived. Years later, I’m still living with long COVID, navigating the lasting impact of hyperadrenergic POTS, and asking difficult questions about the systems we trusted during one of the most vulnerable times in modern history.
Aunty Christine, chronic illness awareness, COVID aftermath, COVID relief programs, COVID survivor story, COVID-19, Government Accountability, healthcare system, hyperadrenergic POTS, institutional trust, invisible illness, life after COVID, long COVID, mental health awareness, pandemic impact, pandemic trauma, personal story, post viral syndrome, public health, VA Home Loan -
What If Fort Armistead Became a Veterans Justice and Healing Campus?
Fort Armistead sits on Baltimore’s waterfront, but today it reflects neglect, safety concerns, and lost purpose. What if it became something more? This piece invites readers to imagine a Veterans Justice and Healing Campus rising from what currently feels forgotten.
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Self-Care Isn’t Selfish—It’s the Secret Sauce to Mental Wellness
Mental Health & Relationships Series Let’s be real for a second. When someone says “self-care,” most of us picture candles, cucumbers on the eyes, or a frothy lavender-scented bubble bath while lo-fi beats play in the background. That’s cute and all… but according to therapist and mental health expert David…
Aunty Christine, boundaries, burnout prevention, counseling, David Yeager, emotional wellness, healing journey, holistic health, mental health awareness, mental wellness tips, mental-health, mindfulness, personal growth, relationships and wellness, self-care, setting boundaries, stress management, therapy, Tortally Therapeutics, trauma-informed care -
A Deep Dive into the Gen X Woman’s Sexual Awakening, Confusion, and Reclamation
Okay, Gen X sisters. Let’s have a heart-to-heart. Let’s talk about how we actually learned about sex. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t during some sweet, coming-of-age moment with a parent lovingly explaining the birds and the bees while handing us a pamphlet and a hug. Nope. For most of us? It…
Aunty Christine blog, body confidence, embracing desire, female desire, Gen X identity, Gen X women, generational differences, healing shame, midlife relationships, midlife sexuality, perimenopause and sex, real talk for women, reclaiming sexuality, sensuality after 40, sex and aging, sexual empowerment, sexual freedom, sexual healing, Starting Over at 47, taboo topics, women over 40, women’s liberation -
The Art of Letting Go (When You Were Never Taught How)
Nobody teaches you how to let go. Not really. We learn how to hold on—tight. To grudges. To people. To memories. To jeans that haven’t fit since the Obama administration. Somewhere along the line, especially if you grew up in a family that survived more than it thrived, the message…
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Starting Over at 47 – Perimenopause, New Beginnings, and Finding My Footing
Hello, my beauties! Today, I want to talk about something that has been a significant part of my journey lately: perimenopause. Perimenopause is the phase leading up to menopause, where our bodies begin to transition and hormone levels fluctuate. It’s like puberty’s older, sassier sister who shows up uninvited and…
decreased libido, emotional well-being, health and wellness, hormonal fluctuations, hot flashes, irregular periods, lifestyle adjustments, menopause transition, midlife changes, midlife journey, mood swings, night sweats, perimenopause, self-care, sleep disturbances, Starting Over at 47, support network, vaginal dryness, women’s health -
Starting Over at 47 – Making Peace With My Body
Let’s talk about something real for a minute—our bodies. Or more specifically, my body. It’s been through a lot with me. Three marriages, two kids, surgeries, heartbreak, grief, love, stress, joy, moves, dancing, growing babies, growing gardens—you name it. And for most of that time, I talked to it like…
body positivity, emotional healing, healing after divorce, healthy habits, intuitive eating, lifestyle change, loving your body, making peace with your body, Mediterranean diet, midlife health, Midlife Transformation, midlife wellness, personal growth, relationship with food, self-love, starting fresh, Starting Over at 47, sustainable living, weight loss journey, women over 40 -
Starting Over at 47 – When They Can’t Handle Your Healing
Not everyone will cheer for you when you start to rise. That’s been one of the hardest and most heartbreaking lessons in this chapter of my life. As I’ve worked to rebuild, realign, and rediscover myself—some of the people I thought would be in my corner have either fallen silent…
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Coffee in Bed and the Power of Slow Mornings
Every morning, sometime between 3 and 5 a.m., I wake up. Not to an alarm clock. Not to chaos. But to the quiet sound of Oscar bringing me a fresh cup of coffee, still steaming, delivered with a kind smile while I’m still tucked in bed. It’s such a simple…
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Slow and Steady Healing: Real Talk About Mental Health
Let’s take a moment to get real, mental health isn’t always pretty, and it’s definitely not predictable. Life has a sneaky way of throwing curveballs just when you think you’re finally getting your footing. I’ve been through it, multiple losses, heartbreak, betrayal, and just… existing in the aftermath of it…
Aunty Christine, coping with grief, emotional wellness, grief and loss, healing after loss, healing journey, mental health, mental health awareness, mental health support, mental resilience, overcoming loss, personal growth, self-care, self-compassion, self-love, slow healing, therapy, Tortally Therapeutics, wellness reminder -
10 Things That Instantly Put Me in a Good Mood
Life can be chaotic, stressful, and full of those ugh moments that make you want to hide under a blanket. But no matter how rough the day is, there are always little things that can turn it around in an instant. Some are simple, some are silly, but all of…
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The Art of Doing Absolutely Nothing (A Skill I’ve Perfected Thanks to POTS)
The Art of Doing Absolutely Nothing (A Skill I’ve Perfected Thanks to POTS) Hey, hons! Let’s talk about something truly magical, the fine art of doing absolutely nothing. Some people might call it laziness, but I prefer to think of it as energy conservation. See, some of us don’t just…
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The Case for Napping: Why Aunty Christine Declares War on Productivity
Listen up, hons, it’s time we have a serious discussion about something very near and dear to my heart: naps. That’s right. The glorious, snooze-filled, midday mini-vacations that society has tried to rob from us in the name of productivity. For too long, we’ve been told that hustle culture is…