Breaking the Silence: Owning My Story

A five-part series about shame, healing, and learning to be seen.

TW/Content Note: This series discusses experiences with self-injury, shame, and healing. Please take care while reading and step away if you need to. If these topics are difficult for you, consider reading when you feel supported.

What is self-injury?

Self-injury (sometimes called self-harm) refers to intentionally hurting one’s own body as a way to cope with overwhelming emotional pain, distress, or difficult feelings. For many people, it is not about wanting to die, but about trying to manage emotions that feel impossible to express or release in other ways. Sometimes it’s about feeling anything when you feel absolutely nothing.

People who struggle with self-injury often carry deep shame and silence around their experiences, which can make it even harder to seek support. But it is important to know that help, healing and recovery is possible.

This series shares a small part of my own journey with shame, healing and learning to speak about things that once felt impossible to say out loud.

For years, there has been a part of my story that I kept hidden. Not because it wasn’t important, but because it carried a lot of shame. Shame has a way of convincing us that silence is safer. That if we keep certain parts of our lives tucked away, we can protect ourselves from judgment, misunderstanding or pain.

But over the past few years, through therapy, writing and a lot of reflection, I’ve started to realize something: the parts of our stories we hide the most are often the ones that deserve the most compassion.

This series is something I have gone back and forth about sharing for a long time. In many ways, I feel like I have been slowly working up to this moment.

When I was younger and struggling, I remember searching the internet hoping to find someone who understood what I was going through. Someone who could help me feel less alone. That search is what first led me to the organization To Write Love on Her Arms, and it showed me the power that honest stories can have.

My hope in sharing this series is not only to continue my own healing, but also to help break some of the stigma and shame that surrounds these conversations.

If even one person reads these posts and feels a little less alone, then sharing this part of my story will have been worth it.

This is me choosing honesty.


This is me choosing healing.


This is me breaking the silence.

If this topic is difficult for you or brings up emotions, please know that support is available. You don’t have to go through it alone.

988 Suicide Crisis Helpline - Call or text 988 (available 24/7 across Canada)

ConnexOntario - 1-866-531-2600 for free mental health and addiction support in Ontario


Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868


To Write Love on Her Arms - an organization dedicated to helping people find hope and support through mental health resources and community

Reaching out for support can be a powerful step toward healing.

Thank you for being here 💕