Behind the Scenes: Navigating Life's Challenges and Neurogogy's Future
March 11, 2024
It’s been much longer than I intended since my last post here, and I feel it’s important to explain why, though I aim to keep the focus broader than just my personal story, which is not unique. The end of 2023 was unexpectedly tough for me. My mood took a dive in November, which deepened into major depression as December arrived. My winter break lost all restorative potential for me, and to add insult to injury, I was ill for nearly all of it.
Spring semester was already in full swing, presenting its own set of demands, when my medication adjustment finally began to take effect, slowly clearing the dense darkness of depression and allowing glimpses of my normalcy to return. Unsurprisingly, I got sick again late January and just when I thought I was getting over it, I caught the same thing all over again (or perhaps I never got rid of it the first time). I’ve almost completely cleared the sickness out of my system, just in time to navigate a heavy and pressing family matter.
Sharing this journey isn't about seeking sympathy but rather acknowledging the complex interplay of mental health, physical well-being, and external events that many of us navigate, often in silence. The past few months have been a stark reminder of the unpredictability of mental health and the impact of physical illness, reinforcing the importance of seeking help and adjusting treatments when necessary.
Sharing this story is about more than just opening up; it's about forging connections through shared experiences. My aim is to foster a community where conversations about mental health are not limited to private whispers but are part of our everyday interactions, including among peers and colleagues. If you're navigating similar waters or supporting someone who is, know that there's strength in community and resources ready to help. We're in this together, and no one has to walk their path in isolation. I have been so grateful for my friends during this time.
Despite everything that has happened recently, you may be surprised to hear that I actually have been working on Neurogogy behind the scenes! Along with some amazing colleagues, I’ve been working on a very big project that I hope we can unveil this summer. [← Public accountability!] Separate from that, Jennifer Kindred Mitchell and I are currently writing an article on neurodiversity and legal education; we will be presenting at the Empire State Legal Writing Conference in May.
Unrelated to what I’ve been working on, but related to what I’ve been reading:
Mari Cheney, Annalee Hickman Pierson, Geraldine Kalim, and Julia Pluta were published in the March/April 2024 edition of AALL Spectrum. Their article, How We Can Best Support Neurodivergent Patrons (pp. 30-32), contains very actionable and relevant suggestions that can be applied beyond the law library to many academic departments.
Katherine Kelly has an article forthcoming in the Arkansas Law Review, Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Neurodiversity in Legal Education. You can read it now on SSRN, as I plan to do this week!
Katie Rose Guest Pryal’s newest book, A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education, was released last month. I’m eagerly awaiting our copy.
I’m pleased to see new readers to this Substack, despite my publishing lull. Welcome! More Neurogogy content is planned and coming, as quickly as life permits; post submissions are open, send me an email if you’d like to contribute. A small reminder to us all: keep moving forward, embrace the support around you, and find strength in vulnerabilities.