b.1983

I work as a substance use disorder counselor and art therapist at a residential rehab facility for teenagers. I work with a lot kids who have witnessed and been victim to so much horrific shit — abuse, neglect, prison, violence associated gang affiliations, etc. In a sense I work in the bowels of the capitalist system, and though clinical social work can be rewarding it’s also deeply disturbing to see how little help and aid America has for those who need it. Physically I spend a lot of time in that space, which is a high stress environment. Thankfully my home life with my partner is calm, which is a blessing because I personally have never had much talent for happiness, so mentally I have a tendency to drift into fairly dark places. Writing and making art is what saves me – that’s where I can express this shit, hopefully make someone laugh or vomit. I guess the ultimate goal is to write a book or paint a picture that makes someone shit his pants.