Kelly Burch

Kelly Burch

Bio

Kelly Burch is a writer and editor based in New Hampshire. She is the editor of Renew Magazine, a lifestyle publication for people who are in recovery from addiction. She writes frequently about mental illness and addiction issues, and anything else that catches her attention. You can connect with Kelly and read more of her work on her blog or on Facebook.   

Kelly Burch Articles

Mental illness was a fact in my family, but not something that affected my daily life. Image: Thinkstock.

Growing Up With Mental Illness, But Without The Stigma

By introducing my father’s illness as a fact during a time when his mental health had no negative effects on my life, my parents enabled me to live without stigma, which in turn empowered me to advocate for my father’s treatment when his health took a turn for the worse my freshmen year of college.

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Don't be overwhelmed by environmental causes! These are five easy ways to make a difference in your own neck of the woods.

5 Ways To Make A Difference This Earth Day

Issues like climate change, energy poverty and social justice causes that intersect with environmentalism can be sometimes feel daunting. However, there are plenty of ways you can make a small difference today. Here are a few.

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There is no way you can understand what a big deal being American is, because you’ve always had it.” Image: Thinkstock.

What Immigration Taught Me About The Fourth Of July

While I would like to think that I paused for a minute or two to think about what it means to be American, I was mostly focused on looking forward to the fireworks show.
But all of that changed for me last year. Three weeks before the Fourth of July, my husband became a citizen of the United States.

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Had I really taught my daughter, 1½ years old, that she needs to apologize for herself?

Why I Hope My Daughter Doesn't Say "Sorry"

As we made our way to the back of the plane, the baby apologizing the whole way, passengers were giving us a certain look, one to which I had become accustomed to receiving when with my daughter. The one that says, How cute. I, however, was shaken. Had I really taught my daughter, all of 1½ years old, that she needs to apologize for herself? That because she was noticed — rather than slipping quietly through a space — she needed to say “I'm sorry”?

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It's all about the confidence, baby.

Why I Reject Imposter Syndrome

I certainly still have moments of self-doubt, but I make a conscious effort to change my internal monologue at those times. Instead of saying, "If only you were good enough to write a book," I tell myself "You're doing great accomplishing small steps to get there." Instead of berating myself for always splitting my attention between my daughter and my work, I congratulate myself for juggling writing and motherhood.

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(Image Credit: Thinkstock)

Postpartum Depression Made Me A Better Mental Health Advocate

I clearly remember the first time that I was forced to accept that something was wrong.

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There are ways to help a family in mental health crisis.

6 Ways To Help A Family In Mental Health Crisis

No having a community rally in support, like it is supposed to during a crisis, can make a family in mental health crisis feel shamed and stigmatized.

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Image: Gage Skidmore

9 Thoughts You Have When Trump Comes To Town

Someone yelled out a racist comment, and Trump said, “Hey, I can’t say it, but he can.”

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