Disaster Diaries: Family Fallout & A Fractured Country

The High-Functioning Disaster

Hey fellow high functioners — today’s diary is coming in hot from the messy middle of family and country stuff.

I talk through the ongoing tech gremlins (looking at you, Mercury retrograde 👀), a beautiful interview with author and nonprofit founder Gail Showalter, and how her work with Single Moms Empowered got me dreaming about what real support for single dads could look like too.

From there, things get more tender: I share how alienated I’ve felt in my own family, what it’s been like to be the primary caregiver for my mom, and how a hard but honest conversation with my aunt finally confirmed what I suspected — sometimes people stay away because what you’re going through is just too heavy for them to face. It doesn’t make it less painful, but it does make it make more sense.

I also dig into mental health and therapy access, the emotional cost of holding space for other people’s stories (hi, podcasters and therapists), and the looming shift from excellent insurance to… let’s call it “bare minimum adjacent.” From there, I wade into bigger-picture stuff: immigration, ethnicity, how brown folks are treated at the post office, and a recent shooting of a cleaning worker here in Indiana that I believe never should’ve happened. It’s a raw, political-leaning reflection — not a debate, not a sermon — just me trying to make sense of a country that feels like a high-functioning disaster.

If you’ve ever felt invisible in your own family, exhausted by caregiving, or heartbroken over how people are treated in this country, this one might make you feel a little less alone. 💛

This diary reflects my personal experience and opinions. It’s not therapy, legal, or medical advice — just one woman processing out loud in real time.

Key Takeaways

• Family stuff hits the deepest. Feeling excluded by relatives — especially during a heavy caregiving season — can trigger old wounds and create new ones. Naming it out loud can ease the pressure a bit.
• Caregiving while job-seeking is a brutal combo. Balancing your mom’s needs, unpredictable schedules, and financial stress makes the job hunt feel almost impossible — and you’re navigating it anyway.
• Therapy access is a privilege, not a guarantee. The shift from excellent insurance to bare-minimum coverage is real, and finding consistent support is harder than it should be.
• Holding space takes energy. Interviewing guests and sharing your own stories aren’t “just conversations” — they drain and refuel in different ways, and recovering between sessions matters.
• Our country is struggling. Immigration fear, racism, gun violence, and political extremes show up in everyday places — from a post office line to a tragic local shooting. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.
• Connection still matters. Even when family support is complicated, conversations (like the one with your aunt) can bring clarity, compassion, and a little more emotional breathing room.

⚠️ Content Note:

In this entry, I talk about family estrangement, feeling excluded, caregiving for my mom, mental health and limited access to therapy, U.S. politics, immigration and racism, guns, and a recent shooting death in Indiana. There are no graphic details, but the themes include prejudice, violence, and grief in both family and societal contexts.

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🏷️ Keywords / Tags

Disaster Diaries, caregiving, aging parent, family estrangement, mental health, therapy access, Mercury retrograde, tech issues, Riverside.fm, podcasting, Gail Showalter, Single Moms Empowered, single moms, single dads, nonprofit work, financial stress, health insurance, U.S. healthcare, immigration, racism, profiling, gun violence, Castle Doctrine, Indiana, grief, loneliness, high-functioning disaster, vulnerability, Brené Brown, Braving the Wilderness

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📌 Standard Disclaimer

This podcast reflects personal experiences and opinions and is for informational and peer-support purposes only. It is not medical, mental health, legal, or financial advice. Please consult qualified professionals for guidance specific to you.