YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

The 30 year-old freelance journalist and Pilates teacher doesn't have anything dramatic to point to in her life, yet she has struggled to find her voice in life with bad relationships, eating disorders, depression, body dysmorphia, and intense fears of rejection and feeling excluded. Paul and Amanda peel back the layers to try to find out what's underneath.

To learn more about Amanda, go to www.AmandaBloom.com
Follow her on Twitter @AmandaJBloom

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This episode made my heart all squeezey. Learning of Paul's current situation, particularly being separated from his doggies, makes me want to jump on a plane to L.A. and give him a hug and maybe a hot chocolate. I so wish there were such things as magic wands to wave, to heal all ills, to remove all suffering. [I know, I know: "life is suffering," but while I'm learning to accept this fact, I don't have to like it. Suffering is ass, guys. It's ass.]

I also don't mean to gloss over the focus of the guest, listening to her was great, too. But that moment about the dogs broke my heart.

I thought this was an interesting discussion for those of us that don't have what we consider a "major, catastrophic" trauma but still have issues. In particular, when they really got into it (at least to me) became clear that Amanda actually does have a fair bit of trauma and simply seems to not be at the right place to see it for what it is. Divorce sucks and having your family structure ruptured screws kids up, plain and simple.

Speaking of divorce, Paul's revelation is easily one of the more gut-wrenching moments of listening to this show. I feel so bad for him and all those things verne said. Impulsively, I want to be angry at his wife. Paul's so vulnerable and the fact that he was made to move out and made to leave his dogs behind, I'm really worried about him now.

This episode makes me want to yell THIS IS ME!. I battled bulimia all alone and now I struggle for validation of that experience and the continuing struggles. Because, though I'm very solid in avoiding bulimic behavior, the things that made me vulnerable are still part of me. So hearing Amanda say so many relatable things, and hearing Paul accept and empathize touched me really deeply.