nadianaomi

Navigating Broken Relationships After a Manic Episode

One of the most painful aspects of living with bipolar is the way in which it can wreak havoc in our personal relationships. During mania we are more likely to make social faux pas from making promises in moments of grandeur we can’t keep to tearing people down during our unbridled rage. When we emergeContinue reading “Navigating Broken Relationships After a Manic Episode “

Empathic Parenting: A Black Technology of Survival

I have grown accustomed to being a vessel — holding what is not mine: thoughts, emotions, sensations, energy. It’s required me to feel bravely, to go into the depths of discomfort without knowing why or what I’ll find. My relational world is visceral. On any given day, I carry experiences that are known and unknownContinue reading “Empathic Parenting: A Black Technology of Survival”

Personal Years in Numerology & Tarot

Studying my Personal Year in numerology and tarot has been one of the most illuminating aspects of my spiritual practice. In numerology, the Personal Year is a year-long cycle defined by the energy of a number from 1 to 9 running sequentially. To put it briefly, After a 9 Year, the cycle of energy startsContinue reading “Personal Years in Numerology & Tarot”

Raising an Afro-Latina: Unlearning My Preconceived Notions about Blackness

As a baby of the 90s, I did not have many dolls that looked like me except for the Bratz dolls Sasha (the African American) and Yasmin (the Latina). Even then, they did not have curly hair, let alone kinky afro hair like me. Instead, they had bone straight hair so long it passed theirContinue reading “Raising an Afro-Latina: Unlearning My Preconceived Notions about Blackness”

Happy Birth Day to Me

You can always count on a doula to remind a mother that her child’s birthday is her birth day too! Every year around my daughter’s birthday my doula friends remind me that as inspiring as it is to witness our little ones blossom, we need to acknowledge our own growth. Today is my birth day.Continue reading “Happy Birth Day to Me”

End of Semester Wrap Up

Hey y’all! It’s been a minute. This has been an incredibly dense year and I am proud to say I survived it. I finished my fall semester of my third year in my PhD in anthropology at NYU and I’m tired! Although this was supposed to be the first real “in-person” semester, I must haveContinue reading “End of Semester Wrap Up”

Myth of the Black Woman Superhero

Popular culture would like us to believe that Black women are invincible. We don’t need help. We don’t need to be handled with tender love and care. Despite whatever trauma or abuse comes our way, we are indestructible. This is why the Welfare Queen stereotype is still so pervasive. Black women should bear the fullContinue reading “Myth of the Black Woman Superhero”

Madness & Single Motherhood

I think people assume that those of us with a “severe” mental health diagnosis would be the ones in need of caretaking instead of the ones doing the primary caregiving. But here I find myself, almost three years postpartum, a single mom and a mad one at that. When I started my journey as aContinue reading “Madness & Single Motherhood”

Addiction & Codependency

If it was not obvious from my last few blog posts, I am going through a lot right now! In the spirit of speaking my truth while upholding my integrity and respect for others’ privacy, confidentiality, and anonymity, I am writing about a deeply inter/personal experience only sharing the lessons and insights it has givenContinue reading “Addiction & Codependency”

Mad Love: Don’t Say You Can’t Live Without Me

When I was younger, I thought phrases like “I can’t live without you,” “You are my world,” and “You give me purpose” were romantic. Codependency was the central ingredient to what I thought was the most beautiful love story. Forbidden Love. Us Against The World. Your Ride or Die. These were all the chapter titlesContinue reading “Mad Love: Don’t Say You Can’t Live Without Me”