Leahpeah's Tasty – Pico de Gallo
I don’t eat much onion. In fact, as a rule, I remove it from everything from burgers to salad.
I don’t enjoy the taste although I do like the crunch. But, what I really don’t like is the aftertaste for days that comes along with it.
This is a sad thing for my husband who loves onion and garlic and all things stinky but delicious. If he eats it, I can’t kiss him for a few days without gagging. Not really a good thing for intimacy.
But I love Pico de Gallo. LOVE. It’s half chopped onion but I don’t care.
I shovel it in my mouth using tortilla chips as a vehicle. Why this discrepancy? I have no idea. It’s a little unsettling. It goes against my nature. Against the grain. Against everything I believe in. Against my testimony of avoiding smelly vegetables in the allium family. And yet, I snork it like nobody’s business.
Pico de Gallo is sometimes called salsa picada, which means chopped sauce. Pico de Gallo itself means rooster’s beak and I have no idea why. Maybe you do and you’d enlighten me?
Pico de Gallo
1 medium to large white onion
4 large, ripe tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
seeded jalapenos to taste
lemon
Chop tomatoes and onion into dime (or smaller) sized pieces. Place both in large bowl. Cut off the green onions’ root ends and half the green stalks, leaving the pretty and firm bottom to mid-section. Slice slim rounds and add to bowl. Chop or snip small pieces of cilantro. De-seed jalapeno and slice in to tiny chunks, maybe a third the size of the tomatoes. If you really like the taste of jalapeno, add as many as you want. If you want your salsa hotter, keep some of the seeds in the mix. Squeeze lemon or lime juice over the whole thing and mix well. I add a little salt to make the flavor pop but if you’re watching your sodium, it’s great without it.
Then, snork it with some chips.
I find it keeps ok for one day, but any longer and it gets too wet and the flavors fade and change. Store it in an airtight container and before serving the next day, drain as much fluid from the bottom as possible.
How-To Craft, 2-Tiered Flowy Blouse
I found some sheer white fabric for about a dollar a yard and bought a bunch. I thought it would make a great top and decided to make it two layers so you couldn’t see through it anymore, but it still looked flowy and airy.
I made a pattern from a loose-fitting tshirt.
I folded the top and arms in right above the bust line.
Then I drew line around it, marking how big it was.
I added 4″ inches to the top, 2.5″ to the sides and 3″ to the hemline, extended the pattern, cut it out then pinned it to the fabric. Because the fabric was so sheer, I cut through four layers of fabric at once. But it’s tricky, so do that at your own risk.
Next time, I won’t add anything to the hem and keep it just what it is. Because when I layered the panels, the bottom layer ended up being about 7″ too long and I had to cut it off. The top layer was three inches too long (how much I added) and I had to cut it off.
I sewed two pieces together to form a shirt front and back and then I did the same with the other two panels. After turning them both so all the seams were on the outside, I took one panel and put it over the other panel, pulling it down 3 inches and sewing in place. Then I turned it right sides out to make sure it looked good on the outside.
As you can see in the photo below, the inside layer is now 3-ish inches longer then the outer layer.
Next I rolled the top down in thirds towards the inside, creating a tube inside where the neck strap will go later.
I pinned it and sewed it down next to the seam I sewed to place the inner panel lower than the outer panel. HINT – after pinning, sew it with the outside up so you can make sure the seam is straight and looks good from the outside.
Then I cut a button hole shape near both side seams and used no-fray to seal the edges.
To make the neck tie, I cut a 3″ by 8′ long strip and folded in half. I pinned and sewed down the long side and one short end. I used a ruler to create an angle line, sewed and trimmed.
Using a thin wooden spoon, I turned the strap right side out then top stitched the seams I had sewn, closing the open end as I went.
To place the strap, I placed a large safety pin on one end and took the strap all the way around, pulling it out the same hole I sent it in to. Then I took the other end and pushed it through to the other hole. Imagine a pretzel crossing in front and going out each hole. When you’re done, you should have the strap going completely around your back, crossing in the front with the ends coming out the holes.
I tried the shirt on, cinching the strap tight until it felt snug but comfortable around my back and neck. After tying it, I checked the length in the mirror. This is where I cut off the fabric as I described before. After I shortened it, I used a straight stitch at 1/4″ from the edge and a tight zigzag to finish, not rolling or folding for the hem. If you own a serger, you could use either of those stitches to create a clean edge. Since I don’t have a serger and I’m ok with a little unfinished look on this shirt, I was fine doing it that way.
It’s cool and summery and flows nicely.
Leahpeah's Tasty – Dev's Chocolate Marshmallow Cake
This cake is delicious. It tastes similar to a Ding-Dong or a Suzy-Q. The cake is moist and has a nice crumb. And the frosting is easy. So, if you like chocolate and marshmallow together, then this is the cake for you. This cake will make an appearance at our vow ceremony this December.
You’ll need 3 9″ishX2″ish round cake pans for a 3 layer cake or 2 9″ishX2″ish round cake pans for a four layer cake. I love to use springform cake pans to eliminate a lot of the hard work getting the cake out of the pan.
Cake
3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar, combination of white and brown (I do half and half)
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
3 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
3 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup applesauce
*TIP – you can make your own buttermilk from regular milk by adding about 1 TBL lemon juice per cup of milk. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
First preheat your oven to 350, spray your cakepans (or butter and flour) and cut waxed paper for pan bottoms. Spray waxpaper, too.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix with hand mixer (or awesome large mixing appliance) until well combined.
Add butter, buttermilk, oil and applesauce. Mix until well blended.
Add eggs all at once and whip on high for about 3-4 minutes until fluffy (er). Scrape sides and slightly mix again.
Place even amount of batter in each cake pan. In 3 pans it should come up about an inch. In two pans it’s about 2 inches. Slap on counter a few times to get air bubbles out and even out the batter.
This is a great time to mix yourself a cool drink to get you through baking in a hot kitchen in the middle of a hot summer.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 300 and rotate pans. Check in 10 minutes for 3 layers an 15 minutes for 2 layers and remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove from pans and place on cooling racks paper side up. Wait until completely cooled, about an hour, before removing waxed paper. And then drop one of the layers on the counter if you are me.
At this point, you could make the frosting and complete the cake but it’s much easier to frost and construct if you place the layers in the freezer for an hour.
Carefully wrap the layers in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of tinfoil. Lay them flat in the freezer. If you want, you can make the layers and freeze them for up to three weeks before completing the cake. If you’re going to leave the layers in for more than a few hours then you need to wrap them with three layers of plastic wrap and 3 layers of foil.
Pull the layers out of the freezer to slightly thaw while you make the frosting.
Frosting (7-minute frosting except it take me longer than that)
4 large egg whites
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup plus one TBL water
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Place all ingredients in a large metal bowl over stove top simmering water. Don’t let the bowl touch the water. Beat with hand mixer at high speed for 5-7 minutes until hard peaks form.
Remove from heat and continue to whip on high for 3-5 minutes until mostly cooled.
Trim to straighten your layers. If you made the cake in two layers, slice the layers in half. As you stack the cake layers, make sure the top layer is flat bottom side up. For the three layer cake, no need to cut. Just layer. I actually didn’t cut any off the tops of my layers this time and just let the shape of the cake be what it was. I do that a lot when I’m going to serve it to the family for dinner.
Do this this prep on a plate that fits in the freezer and not on a pedestal. Place two overlapping pieces of waxed paper under the bottom layer for easy transferring later. (Although this adorable dragonfly plate could be used to serve the cake on. I love it!)
Use an ample amount of frosting in between layers. I did it a little thin this time and everyone made a comment wishing there was more. So, don’t skimp!
Do a very thin crumb coat of frosting around the entire cake. Place back in freezer for 15-30 minutes.
Time to transfer to the pedestal. Place your plate over the pedestal near the edge and use the waxed paper to pull it on. You can also use a spatula to help it move over.
Now is the fun part. Blop all the frosting, minus about 1 cup, on top of the cake.
Use your clean and crumb-free spatula to gently smooth the frosting from the center towards the sides.
Keep pushing downward and then move across the sides around the cake, making the frosting even all the way around. If a few crumbs get on your spatula, immediately remove with a paper towel before continuing. Use the reserved frosting to fix any mistakes.
I like to take a knife and made some little doppy-dos on the top and keep the sides smoother. I think it looks pretty.
Wait about 30 minutes before serving and give the cake layers time to completely thaw before serving.
VARIATIONS – a layer of raspberry filling in the middle is delicious. Chocolate ganache is also a wonderful filling. A light coating of cocoa powder over the frosting is pretty. I haven’t tried it, but oozing a bit of chocolate syrup over the top dripping down the sides might be good, too.
Sorry for the low light in these photos. My kitchen isn’t that well lit but I’ll try and fix that for next time.
How-To Craft, Sew a Pencil Skirt
Remember that pattern you made last time? Get it out because we are going to use it to make this really cute Pencil Skirt. We’re going to modify the pattern just a little, so go grab your yard stick along with your scissors and pins.
Lay your pattern flat and measure in from the outside (not the fold side) 4″. Take your yard stick and make a line from the Hips line to the new mark and fold it. Cut your fabric out using the new line.
Go ahead and make the skirt the same way you did for the A-Line skirt. I got fancy and used a cording for the waist instead of bias tape.
For the hem, we’re going to fray instead of sew. Try your skirt on in front of a full-length mirror and check the length. You won’t be sewing any up in a seam allowance, so if it’s too long, mark it will a pin and cut it off.
When you have it where you want, do a straight stitch all the way around the skirt hem about 1″ above the edge. Use scissors or a seam ripper to cut up to the line, but not go through it. Take your fingers and pull the cross threads out all the way around. Look! How cute!
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks Giveaway
Time’s Up! The winners are Katie and Christine. Thank you to everyone for playing!
The good people from the Worst-Case Scenario series have sent me some books to give away. These books are pretty fun. They have useful information in them targeted to a certain group a well as lots of humor. The day I got them, my boys pulled out the Life book and read for about an hour over each others shoulders, chuckling and making guy noises. I think that means they enjoyed it. (Check out their website here.)
Today’s giveaway is for the Life book and the Junior Edition book.
Life -
Bigfoot Sighting
Remain still. If you are carrying a camera, slowly retrieve it, use manual (not digital) zoom setting and take as many photos at the highest resolution possible. The creature will likely flee quickly once it is aware of your presence. Do not pursue – it may behave unpredictably if chased.
Hands Smell Garlicky
Rub your hands across a stainless-steel utensil under running tap water
Junior Edition -
How to Survive a Bad Report Card
If your flattery before handing over the report card is too over-the-top your signer will smell something’s up. Find a medium-sized compliment and give it with a smile. “You look like you’ve lost weight.”
How to Deal with Poo on Your Shoe
Do the Scrap, Scrap, Twist
To win, just leave a comment and tell me which book you’d like and why. Winners will be announced on Monday!
How To Craft – Sew an A-line Skirt (in 1 Afternoon!)
It’s hot. I mean, really hot. And I get tired of wearing jeans. And I don’t own any light-fabric, easy-going-long skirts that are perfect for summer. So, I made one. And you can, too! The fun thing about this skirt is you can make it for a toddler or all the way up to women’s plus size. It’s all the same pattern. And, don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of experience. If you can sew a basic line on a sewing machine, you are fully equipped to make this A-line skirt.
A-Line Skirt
Experience level – Beginner
Supplies –
For pattern – Measuring tape, straightedge ruler, pen, paper cutting scissors, tape or staples and 2 paper bags or wrapping paper or brown package mailing paper.
For skirt – 2-3 yards of washed and dried (to allow shrinking) fabric (depending on how long you want your skirt) (If you’re making a skirt for a small person, measure the length, double that number and add 3 inches. That is how much of a yard you need.) and matching thread, 2-3 yards of matching double-fold bias tape, good fabric cutting scissors, no-fray sewing glue, pins and a large safety pin. EDITED TO ADD – For this skirt, the fabric should be a lighter flowy cotton and not a stiffer fabric like shirting fabric, which holds its shape.
Step One – Take Your Measurements.
Take the tape measure and measure around your waist which is the smallest part of your body above your hips. Don’t suck your tummy in, just stand normally. Write that number down. Now, measure your hips/bum. Really, we want the biggest part of your lower half, so if it’s your bum, do that, hips, do that. Write that number down. Place the measuring tape at your waist on either your left or right side going downward and measure the distance from your waist to where you took your hips/bum measurement. Write that number down. Last, measure your length. If you want a floor length skirt, measure from your waist to your ankles. If you want a knee skirt, measure to there etc. Write that number down.
And now for a little math. (Don’t worry, it’s not hard and you can use a calculator if you want. I’ll do an example for you below.
-Take your waist number and add 3″. Then, divide that number in 4ths.
–If my waist number is 38, then 38+3=41, divided by 4 = 10.25 or 10 and a quarter inches.
-Take your hips number and add 3″. Then divide that number in 4ths.
–If my hips number is 43, then 43+3=46, divided by 4 = 11.5 or 11 and a half inches.
-Take your skirt (knee or floor) length number and add 2″.
Those are your pattern numbers which means now you need a pattern! Which is super easy! Yay!
Step Two – Make Your Pattern
Roll out your wrapping paper (plain back side up) or brown packaging paper or tape/staple two opened brown paper bags together width-wise and create a large rectangle.
You need enough paper to go a little longer than your skirt length. Using the straight edged corner of the top and top left side of the paper, measure in with the straight edge and place a mark for your waist. Measure down the left edge of the paper using the number you measure between your waist and hips and make a mark. Measure in from that mark with the straight edge and make a mark for your hip number.
Last, measure down the left edge of the paper until you reach your length measurement and mark it. Using your straight edge, measure in 28″-30″ and mark it. This is about half the width of a yard of fabric, which come in 45″ or 60″.
Looking at your paper, you should see a slant forming with your marks along the right side of the paper. Using your straight edge, connect those dots and make a nice slanted line. Mark the left long side with the word FOLD. Look! You made a pattern!! So, cut it out and get ready to roll!
Step Three - Cut Your Fabric
Lay your fabric out flat, keeping it folded in half like it comes off the bolt, with the fold on the left. Now bring the bottom up to the top, creating four layers of fabric in a large rectangle. (IF YOU HAVE A PATTERN ON YOUR FABRIC that only goes in one direction, cut your fabric in half at the bottom and make sure to turn one panel over so both panels go the same direction, keeping the folds on the left.) Place your pattern on top of the fabric with the FOLD side snug along the left side and pin in place, putting pins through ALL layers of paper and fabric.
Cut along the pattern, saving fabric remnants for another craft. (Which will be coming in the next few weeks!) Put all the paper clippings in the recycling bin, because we are earth-friendly that way. Unpin the pattern and SAVE the pattern for later. We’re going to be doing a few more skirts with some fun variations and you don’t want to have to make that pattern all over again. Phew.
Step Four – Sew, So Easy
A. With RIGHT sides of fabric together, place one panel on top of the other one, matching up waist and bottom edge. Pin along panel sides, placing pins about 6″-9″ inches apart.
Hopefully, your machine is threaded and ready to go with a matching thread, because I really can’t help you there.
B. Place fabric under foot with raw edges on the right, keeping sides lined together as you go. TIP* Run the fabric back and forth a few times at the beginning and end of each seam to make your skirt stronger and less likely to fray. Keep the raw edges of the panels in the same place all the way down the seam, about 3/4″ in. Cut threads.
Now, bring the side back to the same place you started the last seam, and go along it again using a zig-zag stitch. This will secure the threads and help your seams stay put. Do the same for the other pinned side.
After removing all the pins (as you sew or afterward), look at your seams and give yourself a little pat on the back. You win! You did it!
C. Let’s move on to the waist. for this edge, we’re going to do the zig-zag stitch first. Place the fabric, raw edge to the right, with just a scant 1/8th of an inch beyond the needle. We want that stitch to be as close to the edge as possible without going off. Cut threads.
Making sure the skirt is still RIGHT sides together (you should see all the seams on the outside) turn the top zig-zagged edge down towards you about 1″ or so and pin all the way around.
With fabric under the foot, folded edge to the right, sew a straight stitch completely around the waist. Unpin. Turn fabric right-side out (all seams should be on the inside now). Sew another seam about 1/4th of an inch away from the other seam towards the top edge of the waist. This strengthens the sewn edge of the waistband, so when you slide the drawstring back and forth a million times over the life of the skirt, it won’t come undone or fray.
D. Grab your no-fray sewing glue and some sharp pointy scissors.
Using the side seams as a guide, find the exact center of one panel, declare it the front, and cut a tiny slice in JUST THE FRONT OUTSIDE PANEL big enough for your bias tape and safety pin to go through. Put some drops of no-fray around the hole you just made, pushing it around all sides of the hole until ALL threads have been glued.
It doesn’t need to be thick, but it does need to reach every thread. You can wait for the glue to dry before proceeding, but I never do. It dries clear, so if it gets on the bias tape, it’s not really a big deal to me.
Slide on end of the bias tape on the safety pin, close, and push it into the hole.
If you’re right handed, you’re going to want to push it to the left side, scrunching as you go to work it all the way around. If you’re left handed, go to the right. When the pin makes it all the way around and back to the hole, push it out and pull the bias tape until both sides are the same length.
Tie a few knots on the ends to keep the tape from accidentally going back inside the waist casing.
Try it on! Dude! Did you know you rock? Way to go! At this point, you want to make sure the waist fits well (it should gather slightly all the way around) and that your drawstring is a good length (not too hangy, not too short). After that, check the length. Man, I need a pedicure.
E. Stand flat footed in front of a full-length mirror and see where the bottom hits you. If it’s about an inch or so too long, that is perfect. We’re going to use that much in the bottom hem. If it’s longer than that, You’re going to need to chop some off, leaving about an inch longer than you want the finished length to be. Go ahead if you need to do that. I’ll be here when you get back.
All good? Great! This is our last step before you look cute as a button. (Except you already do, I know that. The skirt just enhances your button-cuteness factor.)
F. We’re going to put a zig-zag stitch all along the edge of the bottom, just like we did for the waist. When that is finished, pin the bottom edge under about an inch all the way around. With the right side facing up and the folded edge on the right, sew a seam about 3/4″ inch in. Then go around again about 1/4″ towards the bottom.
Snip those threads, and YOU ARE DONE! Grab a drink and relax for the evening. Maybe watch the sunset. And then do the dishes. Or is that just me?
Take a photo, if you want, and send me a link to post!
Leahpeah's Tasty – Just Figs Fig Spread
FIGS!!!!!
I had to get that out at the beginning because my love for figs runs deep. When I was a child, we would eat figs in the summer at my Grandma and Grandpa’s home, along with crusty, buttered bread, dates, a little cheese and freshly cracked pecans straight from my Grandpa’s hands.
Figs are in season over the summer. I’ve found the first crop in the early summer tends to not be as sweet as the late July or early August figs. This is because the first crop is actually fruit from the tree growth that happened at the end of last season. The second crop of fruit is from the tree growth that happened this season. In my area, Southern California, we mostly see Black Mission or Brown Turkey figs.
You’re looking for a fig that is deep purple, soft and slightly squooshy but without broken skin. (Fun fact – did you know that figs are really the flower of the fig tree? The outer casing holds a kajillion flowers all mashed close together, creating the inside of the fig.) Buy one basket for every two people. Or buy a ton and freeze some to use through the winter. That’s what I do.
First, gently dump all your figs in a bowl, spritz with a little fruit wash and cover with water. Put your hand in there and swish them around a bit to get the dirt off. Take each fig and cut the stem off, check the bottom and remove the skin if it’s rough to the touch. Check the rest of the fig for blemishes or rough spots and remove. Some people remove the entire skin, but I like the flavor and texture of the whole fig.
Cut the fig lengthwise and drop in a clean bowl big enough to hold all the figs. Repeat over and over and over and over until all the figs are cleaned and sliced.
Take a large spoon and macerate/smash the figs just a bit. If your figs are nice and ripe, your should have a chunky pulp of purple skins and dark seeds with some reddish-orange-ish-brownish delicious meat. Cover the figs and put them in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. This allows the natural sugars to come out and make the spread sweeter. If your figs are not very soft and ripe, sprinkle in about a teaspoon of sugar before refrigerating.
When you take the figs out, it should make you swoon when you look at them. Or is it just me? Use a large spoon to give them a few stirs and salivate. I’m going to assume that you’re eating a bit and freezing the rest, since that’s what I do and everyone in the world is just like me.
For what you want to eat right away, take a bowlful and use a fork to mash them a bit more, eyeballing it until you’re happy with the consistency. I try to get it looking like a thick preserve. Now, spread it on your buttered bread. Or grab some crackers and Mascarpone or Goat cheese and place a dollop of fig on top. YUMMY. Then lick your right hand, index finger, because you got a little on there and you don’t want to waste it. Cover remainder in an airtight container and it will keep for a few days.
Now, for the rest of ‘em. Grab out your freezer ziplocks and a permanent marker.
Fold the top down about a third of the way to keep it clean and shovel in smashed figs, filling the bag about a third of the way. Squeeze the air out and close.
Lay the ziplock flat and begin spreading out with your fingers to the edges until you have an even layer of figs. Go ahead and mash them a little as you go. You’ll have a bit of air trapped inside, so open a tiny bit on one corner and squeeze out and close again.
If you’re going to be freezing figs a few times through the summer, mark the date on the bag so you know which bag to use first in the coming months. Continue until all the figs are in bags, then lay flat on freezer shelf.
To use a bag later, like in a few weeks, or a few days because you can’t wait any longer, remove bag from freezer and let thaw on the counter. Don’t microwave, as this somehow makes it over-juicy and unspreadable. But maybe do it if you want to drink some fig juice. Maybe in a smoothie?
After it’s thawed, remove from bag and put in a pretty bowl because you like to look at pretty things.
Mash with a fork until you like the look of it, and enjoy.
Maybe You Need a Painting!
Just like everyone else, we’re trying to get by over here at the ol’ homestead. If you have any wiggle room in your budget for high-quality paintings by an awesome person (that would be me) then NOW is the time, my friends, to buy my work. Use the links below to view the paintings, email me at my email and tell me which one you’d like and what your budget is, and I promise to work with you to make the sale happen. I prefer payment via Paypal. Really super-dooper GREAT deals if you buy today, Saturday or Sunday. (I’m working on adding the dimensions on all the paintings this afternoon or evening.)
Fan Mail
I rarely reply to or post email here from people that send me hate mail or very strongly worded You Suck mail or You are a Liar mail. I don’t post it because I don’t like to dwell on the negative and I feel like giving them any time on this blog gives it more life of its own and the negativity grows and there are so many other things to write about.
However, I’m making an exception for this one. I feel like it is born out of misunderstanding of what I’ve written or perhaps I didn’t do as good a job of explaining my process or how I navigated DID as I thought I did.
I’d love any feedback you might have on whether I need to go back and rewrite parts of my bio for a better explanation. Of course, if you’ve read my book, you’d know much more about what I did and how I did it, but if you haven’t read it, than maybe my bio doesn’t make sense.
Here is the email with my reply following.
Hello Leah,
I am a 39 year-old woman with D.I.D, and I am a psychiatric social worker who is very well educated on this topic. (Despite the knowledge base I do not treat those with dissociative disorders) I am responding to your biography which you have posted on your web site. I usually don’t comment about such things, but something your wrote leaves me feeling compelled to respond.
You wrote:
“In May, I’m released to the care of my sister and accept the terms of having to attend therapy. The hospital sets up my first appointment and I mistakenly go to see Dr. Clancy who has stopped seeing people with dissociative disorders. After speaking with me for an hour, he decides to make an exception and take me on as a client. He helps me see that my kids may have a use for me in their lives after all. In July, my divorce is final. I complete the integration process.”
You started therapy in May, and you finished the integration process in two months???????
I’m sorry, and I don’t mean any disrespect, but that is total bullshit and a great disservice to those of us who have been working years to overcome the trauma and torment which cased us to be dissociative. You write earlier that you were not aware of some things that you did (sex with strangers). If one is dissociative to the point of losing time, there is NO WAY that in 2 months integration is achieved. That defies explanation and is controverted by ALL of the clinical literature. If you are familiar with treatment of dissociative disorders then you know that this (lengthy and arduous )treatment is done in stages, the first of which often takes YEARS.
I mean no disrespect (although I appreciate that this might be hard to read and not feel disrespected) and I in no way mean to dismiss or downplay your struggles, but integration in 2 months? Am I missing something? How can someone who has been tormented (in an ongoing, severe and unrelenting way) to the point of a dissociative disorder integrate years of trauma and torture in 2 months? That’s ridiculous. Either you didn’t have a dissociative disorder or you are full of shit.
Wow. Pretty strong. I would have appreciated a more inquiring type of email as opposed to an accusatory one, but I don’t get to choose what kind of people are going to take issue with me, so there you go.
In my bio I write about how during 1990 thru 1995 I went through years of therapy and I worked towards integration during the times I (Leah) was aware of what was happening. Also, in the 2001 year I write about getting serious about getting well and journaling from all the personalities perspectives. That was all work towards integration as well. By the time I met Dr. Clancy, I knew exactly what I wanted and how I wanted to do it. And I did it because all my personalities were on the same page and wanted the same thing. I can give you Dr. Clancy’s info if you’d like to contact him regarding my process, although I can’t guarantee he would talk to you even though you say you are a psychiatric social worker. In the foreward to my book he tells how things happened with him and that is was highly unusual for us to reach integration so quickly.
I suppose I could make it more clear in my bio and make sure and use the phrases ‘towards integration’ and such, but I like it the way it reads now and don’t feel compelled to change it because someone I don’t know and have never corresponded with and have no way of knowing who they are tells me I’m full of bullshit.
One thing I’ve learned writing my new book and doing research for the work I do on Tara is that no two people’s experience of DID is the same. Everyone has their own sets of experiences that made them that way and their own sets of solutions they come up with to cope. Some people go to therapy their whole life, never to work through what happened. Some people become integrated. And some people go through things faster than others. I would not ever tell someone that their experience is bullshit because it is different than mine. I’ve met too many people with their own stories.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Have a nice day.
