About Mental Health Musings
This is a space for thoughtful writing at the intersection of trauma, recovery, mental health, and belonging.
I’m Deborah Vinall—a clinical psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in trauma therapy, and also an author. On Substack, I write from both clinical knowledge and lived experience, sharing reflections that don’t belong in the therapy room but do belong in honest conversation.
I’m also the author of Gaslighting: A Step‑by‑Step Recovery Guide to Heal from Emotional Abuse and Build Healthy Relationships and Trauma Recovery Workbook for Teens, which reflect the same trauma-informed, compassionate approach that shapes my writing here.
I write for the Black Sheep—the misfits, the ones who notice what others are taught not to see. My work explores trauma and abuse recovery, emotional well-being, and the psychological impact of current events, always through a trauma-informed lens. Sometimes that lens is gentle; sometimes it’s challenging. It may ruffle feathers. This space isn’t for everyone—and that’s okay.
Here, I value nuance over certainty, compassion over quick fixes, and presence over performance. You’re invited to take what resonates and leave the rest.
Most of my writing remains free to read. Paid subscriptions support the time, care, and emotional labor behind this work and include access to original guided meditations, the full archives, and occasional subscriber-only offerings designed to help bridge insight from head to heart.
Whether you read quietly or engage often, I’m glad you’re here. If what brought you here matters to you, I’d be honored to have you join me.
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Every new post is delivered directly to your inbox. You can read on the web, by email, or in the Substack app for a simple, ad-free experience with audio and community features.
There’s no pressure to keep up — this is writing meant to meet you where you are.
Join the community
Be part of an inspiring community of people who are real about their mental health, their uniqueness, their search for place and belonging. Participate in the comments section, or support my work with a subscription. You are so appreciated! You are welcome here, and you belong.
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