About every ten days, I post a brief note introducing a topic that has been swirling in my mind as of late. Topics span a wide range within mental health -- from addiction to narcissism, from AI to misdiagnoses, from self-harm to self-actualization.
A day or so later, the brief note is followed by a long-form essay on the topic, which, a few days after then, is followed by a long-form article about, you guessed it, that same topic.*
Announcement + Essay + Article = thoughtful, informed, cogent, content-rich musings.
Field Notes & Clinic Notes
After the Brief Note is posted, two additional posts sharing the same title follow in succession. The first of the two is an essay labeled Field Notes. The second of the two is an article labeled Clinic Notes.
Field Notes: an original essay, written in my natural voice; this is where you will hear the edge, the frustration, the humor, and the more unfiltered commentary on contemporary mental health issues, the practice of psychotherapy, and work culture.
Clinic Notes: a companion article of the same ideas, written in a more structured, more clinical tone; the snark and sharpness are dialed down, the framing is more neutral, and the emphasis is on clarity and key takeaways.
The point is not to suggest that one voice is ‘better’ than the other. It is to give you two approaches to the same material:
Field Notes, if you want to hear how a practicing clinician thinks and talks (and muses) as a person.
Clinic Notes, if you prefer to engage with the ideas in a more traditional, professionally-framed style.
I write both because mental health conversations need room for honest reactions and for careful, measured articulation.
While most of the content herein lands in long-form pairs, you can expect occasional one-offs (e.g., memed musings, practical “cheatsheets,” Q&As with thought leaders, as well as articles scribed by guest authors within the field of mental health). This content supplements the arcing topic content and is predominately offered to paying subscribers at no additional cost.
*If reading “long-form,” “essay,” “article,” etc. gives you agita -- perhaps because you do not like to read or because you do not have the time to read -- then Substack, which a friend calls “OnlyFans for independent journalists,” might not be the platform for you. And that is perfectly okay.
About Subscriptions
Paid subscriptions give you ongoing access to new Field Notes and Clinic Notes pairs and to deeper explorations that go beyond what I share on social media or across other public channels.
I charge subscription fees because I put a lot of time and effort into my writing. (Even the AI graphical elements take, at times, seemingly forever. What am I doing wrong?!)
Typically, journalists, reporters, and broadcasters (such as podcasters) make their living from advertisers. Whereas influencers and promoters tend to make their living from brands and sponsors. Independent creators of original content -- particularly written content -- often rely on paying subscribers.
It is your call as to the quality, value, and relevance of my musings.
I pledge to do my best to meet your standards.