Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
November 22, 2021

“Every Problem is an Opportunity in Disguise”—John Adams

“Honey,” my husband quietly says, “I have this stabbing pain in my right side.” It is 11:00 p.m. and normally this time of night he is dead asleep on the couch, TV still blaring, until I wake him to come to bed with me. So, this night is different.
First, my husband, Scott, never complains about anything---especially a physical symptom. Second, I have lived with chronic illness and Crohn’s disease since we met, and I am the “sick” one---not him. Until that moment, our marriage was defined by me as patient, him as caretaker. I thought this rule was cast in stone—'til death do us part; however, in just a blip, life can plunge us into new terrain and challenge our expectations, roles, and resiliency.

I was not prepared for the night ahead. I was in a Crohn’s flare and feeling weak from anemia. Our stress level was unusually high. Less than twenty-four hours prior we had travelled to my hometown, burned to the ground by the Dixie Fire. For two months my mom and her four cats were evacuated and living with us. Despite the horror of watching most of the small rural communities in Indian Valley dissolve to ashes, my mom was ready to go home and start anew in a natural disaster zone. Given the past months, I thought I had met my quota for fair share of stress. I knew my husband and I were due a vacation to our living room, home alone. I was wrong!

That night my husband’s body screamed for attention. In the days ahead this turn of events would challenge our understanding of health, self-care, and relationship.

Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
November 10, 2021
Published at DrAxe.com 

This story originally appeared on DrAxe.com

As I sat among my peers during a college study group, I secretly tucked my hand inside my zippered UC Davis sweatshirt and gently massaged my aching stomach.

“Who knows the answer to question B?” a classmate asked …

I raised my free hand and confidently answered the question, almost forgetting about my throbbing abdomen.

Throughout college I was a straight A student. I enjoyed school. My studies not only made me feel purposeful and accomplished, but they distracted me from my uncomfortable body sensations. When my mind was busy memorizing and critically thinking, I disconnected from my chronic pains and traumatic home life and found a way to survive living with myself, inside my body.

However, my escapes from the stress, gurgles, gas, bloating, painful memories and stinging bowel movements were short-lived. Reoccurring worries swarmed my mind constantly. As soon as my distraction ceased, I went right back to asking, “What is wrong with me? Am I going to die? Why can’t my doctors help me?”

Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
October 21, 2021

I have spent most of my life regretting what I did not complete, wishing I were someone else, criticizing my body, and defining myself by my accomplishments and praises. Have you ever imagined what it would feel like to wave a magic wand and let go of all these expectations, definitions, and societal pressures? What if we focused on how to be nobody rather than somebody? Spritual and thought leader Ram Dass teaches us how to begin freeing ourselves in this video. I watched it several times. At first, the topic felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but now when I hear the message, I feel like this is where I am supposed to be: Freed from expectations, labels, thoughts, and judgments. 

Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
September 28, 2021

Sometimes what we cannot see is the most powerful. Our thoughts, feelings, emotions, words we say to ourselves and others, and the energy of people and experiences around us affect our cells and bodies on a deep, energetic level. When we look at our lives in terms of the bigger picture, we discover there are hidden messages everywhere. When we open our eyes, hearts, minds, and thoughts, anything is possible. Masaru Emoto captures these profound hidden messages in water---how does this information apply to you and your life? 

Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
September 28, 2021

Sometimes we are so focused on problems, tasks, and immediate pulls for our attention that we miss the bigger picture. Robin Williams reminds us of what is most important and why we must not wait to see life's moments until it is too late. Life is too precious. 

Written by Casey Hersch, MSW, LCSW
August 25, 2021
Published at Tiny Buddha

“This post was republished with permission from tinybuddha.com. You can find the original post here.”

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.” ~Oprah Winfrey

When I was a little girl, I made many wishes. At first, I believed all of my wishes would come true, just like in the fairy tales my mother read to me before bed. However, slowly but surely, life changed my attitude, stole my optimism, and I stopped wishing.

My parents fought a lot, and their unhappiness made me believe that I was not good enough. Poverty replaced my birthday wishes with socks, the bible, and sheets for my bed.

When my parents divorced, my father abandoned me and I was sure I was broken and unworthy; after all, I believed that if a father could leave his own child, then it must be my fault.

My mother’s hurts turned into bitterness. Criticism, disappointment, and blame replaced her nurturing voice that used to calm my fears. The few wishes I held onto faded into the fog of confusion, fear, self-hatred, and catastrophe.

Instead of wishes, I believed that bad things would always happen to me, and I made an unconscious pact with my mind, body, and spirit to close the door to good things ever happening.

My heartache and grief drained my childhood innocence, and I transformed into a wounded adult, going through the motions of life not feeling or experiencing much of anything and keeping my guard up for the next brick to fall on me.