Meet the Human behind the Blog
Hello, I’m Desiree — a Navy OIF veteran, psychology educator, writer, and lifelong explorer of what it means to be human.
My journey hasn’t been linear. After returning home from my deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom, reintegration was overwhelming. Anxiety, sleepless nights, and a nervous system stuck on high alert followed me everywhere. Add in the challenges of single motherhood — raising my children alone with a GED, welfare assistance, cleaning jobs, and sheer determination — life felt like a long uphill climb.
But I kept going.
Over the past 14 years, I worked my way through an Associate’s in Business, a Bachelor’s in Sociology & Women’s Studies, and now a Master’s in Psychology. Education wasn’t simply about earning degrees; it became a pathway to healing. Every course, textbook, theory, and research paper helped me make sense of childhood trauma, military experiences, complicated relationships, depression, identity, spirituality, and the inner landscapes we don’t talk about enough.
Through that process, I discovered what I’m truly meant to do:
teach, write, heal, and help others understand themselves.
Today, I blend psychology, self-help, spirituality, storytelling, and creative expression across all the work I do:
What You’ll Find Here
Psychology & mental health education
Accessible explanations, reflective worksheets, journals, and now Psych 101 video lessons through my YouTube series, The Psychology Notebook.
Veteran experience & trauma-informed insight
Honest conversations about PTSD, moral injury, reintegration, resilience, and the realities of veteran life.
Spirituality & meaning-making
Existential reflections, Jungian symbolism, journaling practices, art therapy concepts, and tools for understanding the inner self.
Writing, creativity & real human stories
Poetry, essays, nature diaries, and explorations of identity, relationships, grief, and hope.
At the heart of it all is a simple mission:
to help people create meaning, heal through reflection, and transform even life’s darkest moments into growth, insight, and sometimes even humor.
I’m a mother first, always. My children continue to be my greatest motivation and my greatest teachers. Everything I create — from psychology lessons to journals to stories — is rooted in the desire to model resilience, curiosity, and self-discovery.
This blog is my archive, my classroom, and my creative home.
It’s a place where psychology meets humanity, where education meets healing, and where reflection becomes a powerful tool for change.
Welcome to my corner of the internet.
I’m glad you’re here.
