actionfortheanxious-blog

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A really quick way to take action today

VOTE!!! City and state primaries can have a huge impact. It may not be a presidential election, but it's super important. If the last election taught us anything, it's that voter turnout is crucial and that your vote does matter. If you don't know who to vote for, carve out 15 minutes of time to do a little research. Local elections are how we can eventually impact change on a more global level. And, if you live in the city of Philadelphia, there's a huge DA race. This race is super important to helping Philly remain a sanctuary city, ending stop and frisk policies, and standing up to Donald's destructive and divisive reign. And afterwards, get yourself some ice cream. Even if you voted at 8 AM. It's never too early for ice cream.

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Especially in light of recent events (which seem to be daily now...) Keep fighting, keep resisting. Fight him every step of the way. Shoutout to @repmaxinewaters for her leadership in the resistance! Art by @newcolumbiasigns

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I'm not going to mention any names here, but this sounds an awful lot like a certain orange pile of garbage that currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue/actually the Mar-a-lago.

In the future, I'll write about how we can actively fight against emotional manipulation and gaslighting.

10 Types of Emotional Manipulator

1. The Constant Victim - This kind of individual will always finds a way to end up as a victim in their relationships.

2. One-Upmanship Expert – This person uses put downs, snide remarks and criticisms, to show that they’re superior, and know much more than you.

3. Powerful Dependents – They hide behind the mask of being weak and powerless – then use their helplessness to dominate relationships. That is, they send the subtle message “you must not let me down.”

4. Triangulators – This person tries to get other people on their side. They’re quick to put you down, and to say some nasty things. They separate good friends or drive a wedge in families.

5. The Blasters – They blast you with their anger or they blow up suddenly. That stops you asking questions - in case there’s a showdown.

6. The Projector – This person thinks they’re perfect and others have the flaws. They take no ownership – because they’re never, ever wrong.

7. The Deliberate Mis-Interpreter – They seem like a nice person – but they twist and use your words. They spread misinformation and misinterpret you. Thus, they deliberately present you in a false, negative way.

8. The Flirt – This person uses flirting to get their way in life. They want to be admired and to have an audience. However, your feelings and your needs are of no concern to them.

9. The Iron Fist – They use intimidation and throw their weight around, to use you for their ends, and to get their way in life.

10. The Multiple Offender – This person uses several of the techniques we’ve described – and they’ll often switch between them if it suits their purposes.

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So you’re going to see a therapist - part 3

If you’re just joining us, make sure to take a look at part 1 and part 2! This post is the last in this series - so we’ll get to other self-care and resistance topics soon, promise!

You’ve done your research and are ready to schedule your first appointment. But scheduling an appointment and getting started can be a daunting process, especially if you’ve never done it before. Here are a few tips and tricks to getting started with a new therapist and sticking with a good fit.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The therapist you think may be a perfect fit may have a full caseload. Or they may not have the time slot you’d like. Or maybe they’ve suddenly retired. Have a few options that you feel would work for you in case your first choice doesn’t work out. Also, don’t get discouraged if a therapist does not immediately respond. Many therapists (especially ones that practice individually) will designate a time to return phone calls and emails and may not get back to you for 24-48 business hours. Unless it’s a true emergency (in which case, reach out to someone you trust, go to a hospital, or call 911), give it some time.

Schedule a phone consult. Not all therapists will do this, but some will offer a brief 10-15 minute phone or email consultation before you get started . You’ll be able to get a feel for their approach and tone and ask any preliminary questions you may have. Some even do this in person before charging you for a full session. If they don’t do an official phone consult, see if they’ll answer some questions you have via email. And trust your gut here - you may not love speaking on the phone to begin with, but if you feel completely uncomfortable with the counselor over the phone, you may not feel entirely comfortable with them in person either.

Give it some time. Starting therapy or counseling can be awkward and uncomfortable. It’s not easy to tell a total stranger all of your deep dark thoughts and feelings! Building a really strong therapeutic relationship can take several sessions and you may not feel an immediate click. Trust the process! Also, your therapist should be pretty in tune with some of your discomfort – so talk about it! The more open and honest you can be – the better. It’s their job to help you process those feelings, and talking about the discomfort you’re feeling can help strengthen that relationship.

But not too much time. If you’ve been in counseling for a while and don’t feel a connection, or don’t feel like you’re making any progress, it’s time to change something. You should definitely bring this up with your therapist – if it’s a good fit, you will be able to work through this together and figure out what may be stifling you. If nothing changes after a discussion, it’s time to move on. You can use these sessions as a learning experience to determine your needs in counseling – don’t let it completely discourage you!

And finally, be wary of red flags. If you’re meeting with a counselor who physically touches you without your consent, pushes their views on you, is sexually inappropriate, self-discloses too much, or makes you feel unsafe, it’s time to go. There’s a difference between challenging you and being a jerk, and a good counselor will be there to provide support – even if they call you out. If you feel like your therapist is acting unethically or illegally, you have every right to contact the state board and/or your insurance company and file a formal complaint.

Any other tips that you have? Questions? Concerns? Post them in the comments!

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Cross-post. "Truth hurts but lies can kill." Staying creative requires keeping your eyes open and your bullsh*t detector on, no matter how much it hurts. Stay vigilant!

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So you’re going to see a therapist - part 2

If you are just joining us, making sure you read Part 1 to get caught up to speed!

Once you’ve narrowed down your factors, now’s the time to take a look at your options. You can do this a few different ways.

If price and insurance coverage is most/more important: If you want to use your health insurance, the best bet is to either call your insurance company for a list of covered clinicians or go to their website. From there, you can google the therapists to find their website, or go to www.psychologytoday.com to see their profile and contact information. Cross-reference a few of these names to see if they meet some of your other criteria. And if you/your household family member/insurance subscriber receives benefits through an employer, check to see if you have Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits – many employers offer a certain number of free therapy sessions with in-network providers to help their employees and family members with work-life balance. Use them if you can! Therapists get reimbursed the same amount that they normally would for a regular therapy session - so don’t worry about them not getting paid for what they do.

If clinical expertise/ideology/location is most important: Google is your friend. So are Psychology Today and LinkedIn. Also, ask your friends! Mental health professionals like to collaborate and refer to others if their caseloads are full or if they don’t specialize in a particular area. If you have a personal relationship with someone who happens to be a therapist, ask that person if they have any referrals. From there, you can check and see whether or not they take insurance or offer sliding scale fees. Keep in mind that if you are set on seeing a specific clinician and don’t use insurance, you are subject to the agreed-upon fee (therapists need to pay the bills/their exorbitant student loans too).

If you don’t feel like doing the work to find someone: Sometimes, your insurance company will be willing to offer an appointment search where they contact providers for you. Due to privacy laws, they can’t schedule the appointment, but they can get in touch with you and let you know when an appointment is available. Typically, they will connect you with the first available person – so this method isn’t recommended for those who are picky (and I generally advise against it, given that fit tends to be a key factor in making progress in counseling).

If time is of the essence: Most of the time, therapists tend to be flexible and you can get in to see someone within 10 days. Some clinics also have walk-in availability and/or can get you scheduled within 48 hours. Call around to as many clinicians as possible or take the appointment search option above if you need to. That said – if you need to see someone right away, you may be in a place where regular outpatient counseling may not be the best option.

If the idea of seeing someone in person really scares you: When doing a search for a counselor, look for “telephonic” or “telemental health” (video or skype) options. This method is becoming more and more popular and can also be covered by insurance. There are also apps that connect you to a therapist via text or online chat. That method can be great for short-term issues with an achievable solution, but I generally won’t recommend it for ongoing counseling – again, that face-to-face relationship is usually pretty important.

If you need medication: A counselor won’t be able to help you with that – you’ll need to talk to a psychiatrist. These days, psychiatrists tend to only focus on the medication management component, rather than medication and counseling. You can find a psychiatrist using the same methods already described. But heads up – it can take a long time to get an appointment with a psychiatrist (some are fully booked months in advance). Ask places if they have a waitlist (if your schedule is flexible), or see if your primary doctor would be willing to prescribe medication while you wait for an appointment. If you don’t think you can wait until then, go to your local crisis center.

A side note: There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication for mental illness. But medication is designed to balance the feel-good chemicals/neurotransmitters in your brain (if you want to know a bit more about how it works…I scraped by with a C+ in Neuropsychology in college, so I’m not the person to ask). It does not change what’s happening around you, and only targets the biological/neurological component of depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. At the end of the day, the decision to take medication is one between you and your doctor. Everyone’s treatment needs are different, so do what works best for you.

If you’ve narrowed down your list to a few options, stay tuned next week for part 3 – making initial contact.

Any other suggestions you’ve had/tips you’ve used to find a therapist? Tell us in the comments!

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Today's (yesterday - will get the actual video posted on here sooner or later once technology is figured out!) art by the wonderful and amazing April Ferry (insta: @aprilferryart). It can be tough to call out bad behavior of someone you're close to, but it's more important than ever to not be a "deer in headlights" when you hear something misogynistic.

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Another throwback to one of our first single-panel comics - art by McKinley Baker (insta: omegamelt) ❤️

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So you’re going to see a therapist

Maybe you’ve been feeling a little bit off since the election and figured it might be helpful for you to talk to a professional. Or maybe you’re having a really, really, really hard time just living day to day life. Or maybe you’ve been looking into anxiety/depression/self-care resources, and all of those resources tell you to go see a therapist, but you don’t know where to start. Either way, you’ve made the (excellent) decision to go see a therapist/counselor/social worker/psychologist.

First off, if you’ve made the decision to start counseling or therapy, big ups to you. It takes a lot to make that decision (and telling a total stranger everything about your life is NOT easy), and the most difficult part of this process is getting started. At the end of the day, therapy is about YOU and your agenda, and you want to make sure you find the right person for you.

Every therapist is going to be different, because every therapeutic relationship is different. When determining fit, there are a few factors you may want to consider, especially in times of Trumpism:

Sex/gender:  Now, you realize that sex and gender is not the same thing and that you can’t always assume! That said – this factor may be important to some folks for any number of reasons. There’s a general conception that women tend to be more nurturing, but any half-decent therapist typically becomes a therapist because they are capable of effectively dealing with emotions. You may also feel more comfortable seeing a female-identified clinician if you have experienced gender-based violence or have felt particularly triggered by issues related to sexual assault.

Race/ethnic background: Most therapists have had some type of cross-cultural training and should be capable of working effectively with people of all backgrounds. But despite this training, therapists can be unaware and insensitive sometimes (I’ve definitely heard the words “all lives matter” come out of a therapist’s mouth before…sigh). If you’re of a racial or ethnic minority, going with a therapist of a similar background may feel more comfortable for you because they can fully empathize with race-based experiences. If you’re a white person – seeing a therapist of color may also broaden your perspective and understanding of other backgrounds.

Religious background:  Ideally, a therapist will not put their religious values on you and help you use your religious faith (or lack thereof) to your advantage. If religion is a big part of your life and you want to see a faith-based counselor, by all means go for it! But if it’s not, it is not a therapist’s job to push their religion onto you.

LGBTQIA+ identification: Similar points to what’s already been said – most clinicians will have some type of training in counseling individuals with various sexual/gender identities, and luckily, most clinicians do not believe in harmful methods like conversion therapy. Some clinicians won’t always disclose status, so if this factor is very important to you, take a look for counseling centers specifically advertising that they specialize in counseling members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Age/Experience:  Generally speaking – the older a therapist is, the more experience that therapist has. But all experience is not necessarily good experience, and I would urge folks to not discount newer therapists just because they don’t have a long CV or list of credentials. Chances are, they have received clinical supervision from an experienced clinician and will be well-versed in newer resources, technology, and therapeutic approaches. But, if you have a very specific issue/extensive history, it may benefit you to have someone with a credential/expertise in what you’re looking for.

Location, location, location: Is it more important for you to find a therapist that’s convenient, or one who fits your other preferences?

Price: You may be a bit more limited if you’re planning on using insurance. Determine how much you are willing to spend per therapy session. If you’re strapped for cash, there are therapists who accept sliding scale options based on your income – more on that later.

Therapeutic orientation: This refers to the foundation in which one conducts therapy. Want someone who is going to focus on the here-and-now and easily identifiable solutions? Look for words like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Solution-Focused Therapy - these types of therapy are best for those looking to be in therapy for a short period of time with a specific goal. Want to do some soul-searching and look into the past? Try someone with a psychodynamic orientation (kind of Freudian, but more modern and less focused on your mother). Dealing with PTSD or specific trauma? Look into EMDR. Want to build mindfulness skills and manage difficult emotions and relationships with others? Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT) may be a good approach. Most therapists will use an eclectic style of therapy, where they take bits and pieces of different theories and combine them into a practice that makes sense for their clients and personal style.

Political leanings: This one’s difficult. Most therapists aren’t going to be outwardly vocal about their ideologies. After all, therapy is about you and your needs, not theirs. Every therapist is different – some will self-disclose right away, others will flip it back on you (“what makes my views important to you?”). If it is very important to you, ask. No matter what their views are, a therapist should not push their political agenda on you, nor should they discriminate based on any factors. It’s unethical.

A final side note: A lot of folks will look at degrees, license levels, or arbitrary rating scales when selecting a clinician. While a psychologist has a doctorate and has more school-based training (and has spent many years doing research and writing a dissertation), it does not necessarily make that person a “better” clinician. Anybody that practices independently will at the very least have a Master’s Degree and a license to practice clinically - this takes at least two years of supervised, post-graduate training (sometimes more, depending on the state). If you go to a larger group or agency, you may see a therapist who is an intern in either a Master’s or PhD/PsyD program or getting their supervised hours for licensure. Think of it as similar to a residency for medical doctors. If credentials are important to you, by all means see someone who meets your criteria. But frankly, someone can have a ton of training, experience, and credentials - but if you don’t feel comfortable with that person, therapy isn’t really going to work. I’d take it with a grain of salt and focus on finding someone who will fit your needs.

You may not find a therapist that meets every single one of your preferences, so make a list of deal-breakers versus factors you can live without. This will help you narrow down what you’re looking for and make the search a bit less daunting.

Stay tuned for part 2 - narrowing down your options - next week! Any other tips/selection criteria that you've used? Tell us in the comments!

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Love this idea - a little encouragement can go a long way, especially in weeks like this one!

5 in 5 under $5

It’s only April, but it feels like it’s been 5 years between inauguration and today. Between going to protests, engaging in civil groups, being outraged at the daily political atrocity, going to work, and having a life, staying involved can be incredibly draining. You need a break, but a 3-week (or 4 year) vacation to an exotic locale or a series $400 yoga workshops isn’t generally feasible. Most regular people don’t have unlimited resources for the self-care suggestions we see on “healthy lifestyle” blogs, and the two most common responses to self-care suggestions are I don’t have time for that or it’s too expensive.

Self-care is necessary for all of us if we’re going to engage in this work, and can and should be accessed by everyone regardless of schedule and socioeconomic status. If you only have five minutes of spare time a day and five dollars or less in your pocket, here are some things that you can do to clear your head, give you a sense of peace, and get you prepped for the big fight ahead.

Get outside. We’ve escaped the drudgery of winter (though with climate change, who really knows this days) and better weather for most of the USA is here for at least a little while. The weather won’t suck every day, so when it isn’t downpouring or blizzarding, do yourself a favor and get some Vitamin D. Just seeing natural light can elevate your mood, reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms, and help improve focus. Leave your cell phone inside, disconnect for 5 minutes, and enjoy some sunshine. The world may be shitty right now but the earth is still pretty. Enjoy it!

Cost: Free

Breathe. Close your eyes. Summon your inner Patronus and bring up a memory that brings you joy. Breathe in for four seconds, expanding your belly and letting your lungs fill with air. Breathe out for four seconds to feel more energized, six seconds to feel more relaxed. Repeat that sequence 10 times. Open your eyes. Take a second to let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling. Feeling relaxed, focused, or ready to take on the world? Awesome! Still anxious or depressed? You still gave yourself five minutes that are yours and yours alone - and that’s something you couldn’t say five minutes ago.

Cost: Free

Write stuff down. You may not have time to write a full-on, thought-out angry letter to your congressperson. But take five minutes to write down whatever comes to your brain. It doesn’t have to be written in full sentences. It doesn’t even have to make sense ! But getting what’s in your head and putting it down on a piece of paper makes it easier to understand. Even the most self-aware folks don’t always understand exactly what they’re feeling, and writing things down can help you identify patterns and make more sense of these thoughts.

Cost: $3 max - for a pen and a cheap notebook

Donate $5. “But I thought this article was supposed to be about self-care!” Hear me out. Volunteering time or money is a great way to activate the feel-good chemicals in the brain that help us feel accomplished, goal-oriented, and purposeful. Think about it - have you ever felt worse after volunteering? And since this post isn’t about spending a ton of time or money, donate what you can and save your time and energy for when you have it. Each volunteer organization will tell you that “every little bit counts” - and can impact someone’s life positively. To make your impact feel even more powerful, donate to a local organization that you’ve never donated to before - we love Planned Parenthood and the ACLU as much as the next person, but there are a ton of orgs out there doing great stuff that could use some help.

Cost: $5, or however much you can!

Treat yo’self. Whether you’re spending every waking hour to resistance efforts or just proud of yourself for getting out of bed, you accomplished something and deserve something nice. Treat yourself to something small - it can be anything! Some suggestions: a fancy cup of coffee, a new book (lots of under $5 deals on Amazon, or go to your local library), a midday five-minute power nap, ice cream with toppings, a quick stretch session, five minutes of your favorite Parks and Recreation episode…the list goes on.

Cost: Free - $5

Now, doing these things won’t suddenly change political climate or drastically change your worldview (trust us - if we had a magic wand to change what’s happening, we’d use it). But it can give you a little time to shift and refocus for the ongoing fight.

Did these suggestions help? Did they suck? What do you do for self-care when you’re short on time and or money? Tell us in the comments!

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Today's art by Chris Piascik (insta: @chrispiascik). Keep resisting!

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When life gives you shit, you grow some motherfucking wings. Our friend Pigisus is an inspiration…and how it all began ❤️ Artist: Tricia Nowlan - instagram: @tnowlanart

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5 in 5 under $5

It’s only April, but it feels like it’s been 5 years between inauguration and today. Between going to protests, engaging in civil groups, being outraged at the daily political atrocity, going to work, and having a life, staying involved can be incredibly draining. You need a break, but a 3-week (or 4 year) vacation to an exotic locale or a series $400 yoga workshops isn’t generally feasible. Most regular people don’t have unlimited resources for the self-care suggestions we see on “healthy lifestyle” blogs, and the two most common responses to self-care suggestions are I don’t have time for that or it’s too expensive.

Self-care is necessary for all of us if we’re going to engage in this work, and can and should be accessed by everyone regardless of schedule and socioeconomic status. If you only have five minutes of spare time a day and five dollars or less in your pocket, here are some things that you can do to clear your head, give you a sense of peace, and get you prepped for the big fight ahead.

Get outside. We’ve escaped the drudgery of winter (though with climate change, who really knows this days) and better weather for most of the USA is here for at least a little while. The weather won’t suck every day, so when it isn’t downpouring or blizzarding, do yourself a favor and get some Vitamin D. Just seeing natural light can elevate your mood, reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms, and help improve focus. Leave your cell phone inside, disconnect for 5 minutes, and enjoy some sunshine. The world may be shitty right now but the earth is still pretty. Enjoy it!

Cost: Free

Breathe. Close your eyes. Summon your inner Patronus and bring up a memory that brings you joy. Breathe in for four seconds, expanding your belly and letting your lungs fill with air. Breathe out for four seconds to feel more energized, six seconds to feel more relaxed. Repeat that sequence 10 times. Open your eyes. Take a second to let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling. Feeling relaxed, focused, or ready to take on the world? Awesome! Still anxious or depressed? You still gave yourself five minutes that are yours and yours alone - and that’s something you couldn’t say five minutes ago.

Cost: Free

Write stuff down. You may not have time to write a full-on, thought-out angry letter to your congressperson. But take five minutes to write down whatever comes to your brain. It doesn’t have to be written in full sentences. It doesn’t even have to make sense ! But getting what’s in your head and putting it down on a piece of paper makes it easier to understand. Even the most self-aware folks don’t always understand exactly what they’re feeling, and writing things down can help you identify patterns and make more sense of these thoughts.

Cost: $3 max - for a pen and a cheap notebook

Donate $5. “But I thought this article was supposed to be about self-care!” Hear me out. Volunteering time or money is a great way to activate the feel-good chemicals in the brain that help us feel accomplished, goal-oriented, and purposeful. Think about it - have you ever felt worse after volunteering? And since this post isn’t about spending a ton of time or money, donate what you can and save your time and energy for when you have it. Each volunteer organization will tell you that “every little bit counts” - and can impact someone’s life positively. To make your impact feel even more powerful, donate to a local organization that you’ve never donated to before - we love Planned Parenthood and the ACLU as much as the next person, but there are a ton of orgs out there doing great stuff that could use some help.

Cost: $5, or however much you can!

Treat yo’self. Whether you’re spending every waking hour to resistance efforts or just proud of yourself for getting out of bed, you accomplished something and deserve something nice. Treat yourself to something small - it can be anything! Some suggestions: a fancy cup of coffee, a new book (lots of under $5 deals on Amazon, or go to your local library), a midday five-minute power nap, ice cream with toppings, a quick stretch session, five minutes of your favorite Parks and Recreation episode…the list goes on.

Cost: Free - $5

Now, doing these things won’t suddenly change political climate or drastically change your worldview (trust us - if we had a magic wand to change what’s happening, we’d use it). But it can give you a little time to shift and refocus for the ongoing fight.

Did these suggestions help? Did they suck? What do you do for self-care when you’re short on time and or money? Tell us in the comments!

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AHCA failed, but the fight is not over! Keep putting pressure on your representatives to protect women’s rights to make their own decisions about their healthcare and the institutions and doctors that provide them with that care. Educate yourself on your options! (Art by Tricia Nowlan @tnowlanart - follow her on instagram)

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Is this normal?

Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’ve been feeling unsettled (to say the least) since November 9th. For many folks, Donald Trump rising to power has awoken feelings they didn’t know existed. You may find yourself feeling snippier because your racist uncle shared yet another Breitbart article on Facebook. Maybe you’re experiencing some chest tightness when you think of how Betsy DeVos could dismantle public schools. Or you could be tossing and turning at night thinking about…oh, I don’t know, everything? We don’t need to go into it. You’ve seen the news.

Maybe you’re not focusing. Maybe you’re crying, or constantly arguing with the people you love, or sleeping all day. It’s not what you’re used to, and everything feels awful all the time. It’s April, and you’re wondering why you’re still feeling this way. The question you may be asking yourself is, “is this normal?”

The short answer is yes…and no.

Here’s the thing. NONE of this is normal. The fact that America elected a shit-gibbon (shout out to Daylin Leach for what may go down in history as the greatest insult of all time) is traumatic because of the things that he has said and the actions he has already taken. Trauma has a lot of definitions, but in layman’s terms, it’s an emotional reaction to an event where there is a threat or perceived threat of physical or emotional harm. But trauma isn’t always the result of something happening directly to you. You hear enough horrible things in the news and guess what? If you have a shred of empathy, it will impact your life in some way.

America’s collective trauma is going to feel different for everyone. Common emotions include fear, distress, anger, numbness, confusion, guilt, sadness…you name it. You may have flashbacks to a different trauma that occurred in your life. Nightmares could happen or become more frequent. All the things I described above and more (especially if you can’t quite put your finger on the feeling) – are completely normal given the circumstances.

While these feelings are completely and 100% valid, you may still want to ask yourself a few questions – especially if you’ve never experienced anxiety to this extent:

• Have I been missing work, school, or other obligations because I feel so overwhelmed? • Are my feelings directly affecting my relationships with family and close friends? • Am I eating way more or way less than usual? • Am I using drugs or alcohol significantly more than usual or in a way that’s totally and completely unsafe? • Would I feel better if I talked to a professional about this? • Do I have an active plan to hurt myself?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, it may be a good idea to talk to a professional counselor or therapist (chances are, they get it). While these are difficult times (and it is important to not normalize the actual events that are happening), a professional can give you a space to process what you’re doing through and help you with ways to cope (more on that in an upcoming post). If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the above questions, that doesn’t make you “crazy” or any less of a person - everyone experiences things differently - and that’s okay.

In the upcoming posts, we’ll go over some ways to deal, methods on how to search for a helpful therapists, and answer any questions you may have! We will also work on compiling a comprehensive list of resources that may be helpful. If you have any suggestions or questions (or perhaps a topic you’d like to hear about), don’t hesitate to ask!