One Wee Spark

Forgive me. You've been so kind to follow and read my posts in the past. I've been busy. Not too busy for my readers; I deeply appreciate you. Just busy. But back in the Fall, I was super busy speaking at conferences in Washington State and California, primarily on the effects to the child who grows up in hoarding. It was tough to speak on such a personal topic. I know you understand. I speak all the time. To social workers; to municipal employees and agencies; to mental health providers; to the community-at-large; to magazine, news channel and newspaper reporters. But this Fall, I took on a new stage, literally, at TedxSpokane--'Knowing It Again.' I did it for you. For your friends who don't get it. For your HPs who don't know they need help or understanding. For our children whose generation can do better. Please feel free to share this. As far as I can tell, this is the first TedTalk done specifically on hoarding. This message needs to get o...

It was six years ago this fall that my mother fell in between the piles of trash , treasures and trinkets in her home, leading to the most difficult season in my life thus far. I wandered through that period with few resources and guides. It wasn't that no one else had been in a similar situation. It was that so many families and individuals were keeping the hoarding secret held so closely and tightly that I did not have access to their knowledge, their experience, their wisdom. Swirling Question, courtesy of flickr But no more! More and more families are sharing their secrets and offering advice. My brothers and sisters from the hoard (along with myself) are finding our voices and helping others find their way through these tough situations. If today you find yourself on the brink of a forced hoarding intervention, or if you simply know that someday you may find yourself there , I hope you will head over and check out this list of questions I've put together. Helping ...

Okay, honestly, Geralin has been fabulous! She allowed me to guest blog on her business blog-- Metropolitan Organizing --out of Cary, NC. Just a sneak peek into what growing up in the midst of hoarding is like for the children... Meet Ceci Garrett--She's the Adult Child of a Hoarder Also, I have decided to move into the 21st Century and join Twitter . You can follow me by searching: 1WeeSpark Thanks again for all the love, prayers, and kind words!

So last night the follow-up episode featuring my mother aired. I think it was a great success, just as she has been! Today, I'm on the discussion board at A&E... here . Stop by and say hi... Happy short workweek!

Okay, so I realize that I'm probably the only one who has been counting this down.... ...but tonight is "Hoarders" Season 2 Follow-Up Episode , featuring my mother, and also me! Now I realize that most of you have plans since it's the 4th of July, but don't forget to set your DVR to record the episode BEFORE you leave. Additionally, I will be on the A&E Forum tomorrow after the show, and later in the week I've been asked to guest blog! All this is happening as I put together the literature for a new support/recovery group here in Spokane--Adult Children of Hoarders--which begins on Tuesday, August 9th, meeting every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. Watch for more details! I'm also starting a women's freedom group, called Intensify! which will be on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month starting in August. The mission of this group will be finding peace and freedom in our daily lives as God promised, following the Biblical foundation that led the...

Next Monday is the 4th of July, and I'm quite sure you all aware of that. But more exciting for me and my family is the Season 2 Follow-up Episode of "Hoarders" that will air at 9pm EDT on A&E (Check your local listings for times). For a sneak peek... go here to see a clip . I can't tell you what's going on with everyone who is being followed, but I know that this episode is absolutely going to be worth watching...if for no reason than I'm on it! (Okay, that last part is totally not me...but still, if you're reading this, maybe my appearance is reason enough to watch or DVR it!)

This morning I got the opportunity to share with a friend at my son's orthodontist some exciting news. Back in February, A&E/Screaming Fleas contacted me about the possibility of revisiting my mom and I for a follow-up episode. Since we have had great successes and seen much healing, we both jumped on the idea. So here it is! The follow-up episode we filmed will be aired on Monday, July 4th at 9pm EDT on A&E (check your local listings for channel and exact times). I promise that although you are probably planning to travel, barbecue or spend time with friends and family, you're going to want to set your DVRs to record this episode. I am not sure how many others will be revisited; the last update show featured four previous stories. I'd love to have you all over to my place to watch it on the big screen TV, but alas...that's just not plausible. But do the next big thing and watch or record it! Thanks!

So...today is the day! My friend, Matt Paxton , the owner of Clutter Cleaner and of A&E's "Hoarders" fame has written a book! It is officially available to purchase today. As a friend of Matt's, I actually got a copy a couple of weeks ago with a personal inscription and all that jazz. The timing of the book arriving with such a sincere, touching inscription from the author will never be lost on me as it was the same day I learned of my cousin's passing. Although the title of the book has a sensationalist ring to it, what you will find within its pages is sound advice with deep respect for those affected by hoarding, their family and loved ones, as well as the community at large. Matt defers on some topics to Dr. Suzanne Chabaud, Ph.D. from the OCDINGO in New Orleans and also a featured expert on "Hoarders". The book is not written so as to treat the topic distastefully or to be overly scholastic in nature. With Phaedra Hise's assistance, Matt ...

I just returned from a trip to San Francisco, CA. My purpose for travelling to SanFran was to be a participant in the Mental Health Association of San Francisco 's Annual Conference on Hoarding and Cluttering. MHA-SF has been doing this for the last 12 years and has a community-based task force second to none. They are the leaders in reaching out, advocating, and treating those who struggle with stuff. Initially, I decided to go for my own purposes. As a family member of someone who is clutter-affected, I wanted to go hoping to learn something. As a former participant of the show "Hoarders", I wanted to network with others treating and working with family members. As a human being still in process who decided this was the year to stop being defined by my own fears, I wanted to step out and not wait to be invited. So I registered for the conference, made flight, hotel, and car arrangements, and contacted CJ Omololu (author of "Dirty Little Secrets" who lives in ...

When I meet someone for the first time, I realize now that I may or may not be a "stranger" to them. It's an unusual predicament to meet someone for the first time and be unsure if they know about your past (at least a small window into it), or whether you are a completely blank slate. Recently, I shared with someone I had met for the first time two months ago that my mother and I had been on the show last year. From the look on her face, I could tell that she was a bit in shock. I can only imagine the thoughts running through her brain: "She's look so normal." "She's one of those kinds--attention-seeking drama queens." And I could also tell that she also struggled with the first glimpse of who I am in relation to the disclosure that I had been on a reality TV show, and not just any show, but "Hoarders". Her next comment was priceless, "We'd just been discussing this topic this morning--who would be on a reality TV show?...