Your brain’s not broken, and neither is your faith.
Hello and thank you for joining me!
In this newsletter, you will find thoughtful discussion about faith (particularly the christian variety), mental health, how they connect, as well as amusing essays reflecting the human experience.
This Substack has evolved over the last year so in the archives you will see a variety of posts that fit into none of these categories. This, again, is a reflection of the human experience, and sometimes that just looks messy.
Free vs Paid Content
Free: Access to every newsletter.
In the beginning, I tried to give paid access to additional content, graphics, etc, but over time, I have realized this was not the content my community was looking for. So now the only thing behind a paywall is the archive of posts past 12 weeks.
Paid: Access to every newsletter, plus the archives.
Being a paid subscriber may not get you additional content, but it goes a long way to support this work, as well as my studies at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas (beginning Fall 2024- you can read about my calling here). If you do not wish to become a paid subscriber, but feel led to buy me a coffee, a vegan doughnut, or contribute to my seminary fund, you can send any amount via Venmo or PayPal at @SamanthaRoseMcRae. Every little bit helps and I appreciate everything!
Why Should You Read This Newsletter?
Faith and mental health can be incredibly personal, but they can also be communal. The more we talk about our struggles with depression or anxiety, or struggles in our faith, the more we realize we are not alone.
Since February 2023, I have been in a discernment process within the Episcopal Church. Asking where God is leading me has brought me to the path of seminary. Learning how to become my whole self, through struggles in career and identity and depression, has taught me that healing is hard work. The struggle may never go away, but using spiritual disciplines and direction, talk-therapy, antidepressant medication, and other tools in my toolbox, I want to create a safe place to discover who I have been created to be, and encourage you to do the same.
This place is for all of us.
A few posts to help you get acquainted:
When faith doesn’t always sit right:
Work with alternative therapy treatment for depression:
A personal essay about a magical corner of New Mexico:
I also do occasional book reviews:
Who am I?
My name is Sam, and I write under Samantha Rose McRae. I live in Los Alamos, New Mexico with my husband, daughter, and pup, and our oldest lives in Georgia with his dad.
I’ve been writing my whole life- it’s how I make sense of the world. In November of 2023, I left the last 9-5 job I will ever have to put focus into writing and my own mental health.
I grew up Presbyterian, then bounced around between various evangelical flavors before returning to my childhood church. Leaving that church was incredibly difficult, but I was then lead to the Episcopal Church, where I am working to one day be ordained into the priesthood. I believe that Jesus was a crazy hippie and I intend to follow Him to the best of my abilities.
I read, write, and cry all the time. In addition to writing, I dabble in sketching, photos, and fiber arts.
You can find me on Instagram @_samantharose_mcrae_ and on the BoomTeam over at Boomtown (boomtownlosalamos.org).
Thank you for being here.