Jaclynn Loibl

Mound Over Matter

I want to write about nothing. About its lack of depth and imagination. How its void isn’t gained or lost—it just is. I want to talk about how nice it is to do. How, when it’s happening, things feel peaceful. I don’t want to talk about anything. The sheer breadth of it paralyzes me. It’sContinue reading “Mound Over Matter”

My Friend, Peter: A New Beginning

I received this message: “Hello Jaclynn, this is Susanna (Peter’s partner). I see that you tried to reach him. My dear Peter passed away. I’m texting because calling makes me too emotional.” I told her: I had hoped this wasn’t the message I’d receive—but I also wondered. Peter was one of the dearest friends I’veContinue reading “My Friend, Peter: A New Beginning”

A Splash of a Day

Sometimes, I come to ChatGPT to lighten my load. The thoughts in my head feel too heavy to carry alone, and having a quick, logical voice of reason—like a mini chiropractic adjustment for my mental health—helps. There’s who I want to be and fear I really am. And who I fear I am… well, it’sContinue reading “A Splash of a Day”

Boldly Springing Forward

Try explaining daylight savings time to a 5-year-old. I prefer Dave’s approach: “I don’t know why it just skips forward like that, but I do know it doesn’t make sense.” Evelyn accepted it, as only a 5-year-old can. An extra hour of sun, especially on a wintery March day expected to hit 75 degrees? YouContinue reading “Boldly Springing Forward”

Errands of the Heart

The internet and its comments never fail: “Do you ever think about how scary it is that Earth is just a floating ball in the middle of space… but we still have credit scores?” Isn’t that some crazy business? Today was a day of catching up on the buggery things that usually get swiped away—kindContinue reading “Errands of the Heart”

It’s Shittin’ Great

I love being a parent. I soak up every moment, watching my little human buddy blossom before my eyes. “Mom, is it ‘great’ or ‘shit’ I can’t say?” I take full responsibility as the resident swearer in the household, but this particular confusion? That’s all on her. To be fair, we were deep into herContinue reading “It’s Shittin’ Great”

The Real Work of Therapy: Embracing our Humanity

I’ve been a mental health therapist for over 15 years now. Early in my career, I imagined therapy as a world of wisdom passed down from those with titles and credentials. I saw seasoned therapists as something close to all-knowing, their expertise a kind of magic I had yet to unlock. I believed that withContinue reading “The Real Work of Therapy: Embracing our Humanity”

Running in Circles

I ran two miles today. Scratch that—I walked/ran two miles today. A 10+ minute mile might not be fast, but it’s a starting point. I went a mile to the left, down a country road, past Maria and Lainee’s houses to the stop sign, past three big houses on the right, and then another quarterContinue reading “Running in Circles”

Providence Canyon Joy

I may have overdone stuffing my belly on doughnuts, but hey, they’re homemade, and we live once. Once stationed in the office, the space heater has made its way to the bedroom, and let me tell you—it’s a game changer. Central air is great, but sometimes, you just want to control the temperature of oneContinue reading “Providence Canyon Joy”

Through the Rapids

I’m dragging myself here—hand to wrist, yanking, sitting myself down. To write. I don’t want to. I don’t quite know why. I think I’m miserable, but I’m skeptical of how true that is. There’s a bigness, a drama to my feelings that I don’t fully understand. Does the rotisserie chicken and Ritz cracker casserole thatContinue reading “Through the Rapids”