Hello, I'm Jane 👋😊

I've been an active user of 7 Cups since November 14, 2019. I first started here with therapy, stayed active as a member, and graduated from the 7 Cups Listener Internship with Honors. That being said, I'm very familiar with 7 Cups and all of the amazing benefits it has to offer. 

Taking care of my mental health on a consistent basis is very important to me. I often find it more fruitful to have long-term support with Listeners and/or a therapist to chat with during the weekdays, more so than the traditional once-a-week sessions with a therapist. I'm comfortable with delayed messages (such as emailing back and forth).

I prefer to engage with Listeners and therapists that value active listening, making observations, and asking open-ended questions. Since I invest a lot of time on my mental health, I DO NOT like to be told what to do or have my feelings be minimized. I most identify with traits of a social introvert, a highly sensitive person, and the enneagram type 8. I also struggle with anxiety, depression and loneliness. So phrases such as "You should do this..." or "Just be optimistic" can be emotionally hurtful for me. It's most helpful for me when you meet me where I'm at, rather than push me toward where you think I should be. My favorite quote that best explains what I'm looking for is by Parker J Palmer: "The human soul doesn’t want to be advised or fixed or saved. It simply wants to be witnessed - to be seen, heard, and companioned exactly as it is."

As of December 2021, here are the topics I'm most interested in having an on-going conversation about:

Seasonal depression - The holidays is often a sensitive time for me being that December is also my birthday month (which often gets bunched in with the holiday festivities rather than celebrated on its own)

Feeling a sense of home - I have lived a fairly transient life since 2014. I'm fortunate to work anywhere from my laptop. However, living the transient life can feel quite lonely. Starting mid-December, however, I'll be signing a one-year lease with the intent to buy. I believe I'm at a stage of my life where I'm ready to settle somewhere. I know that this transition is going to require a lot of mental work and support.

Sexuality - I most associate with the polyamorous lifestyle. I'm a straight cisgender female that's only dated straight cisgender male, though earlier this year, I had been open to explore bisexuality. Unfortunately, it's been difficult to explore my sexuality because of the transient life I've been living.

Building a healthy mindset - I'm interested in building a healthier lifestyle by first starting with my mindset. I anonymously talk about it on my blog (Sarah is my pen name). I believe that this requires consistent, healthy associations with people who value their health, guided meditations, and therapy. My goal is to build sustainable healthy habits, rather than fall prey to yo-yo diets or self sabotage.

Financial goals - I have clear financial goals for 2022. I believe that I can stay focused so long as I consistently and candidly discuss them. I've learned that it's important to always keep your goals in front of you and to have a support system that'll remind you of them.

I look forward to speaking with you and hope that you'll consider providing me long-term support! 💙