What does it mean to struggle? The dictionary defines it as "forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction". Everyone goes through periods of struggle in all areas of life. Obviously when life is hard and you're in a challenging season, you will be struggling to get through. But what if you're [...]
We believe in being transparent. Here you can access some of our internal policies and legal documents. Some information has been removed for privacy purposes. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Organizational Documents Current Board of Directors 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Confirmation Letter Certified Certificate of Organization Board Member Expectations Conflict [...]
Deborah Port Executive Director Deborah lives in Harrisburg, PA with her husband and four children. She received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MDiv from Evangelical Seminary. Her background is in nonprofit management, fostering relationships, and equipping individuals to thrive in their area of passion. Deborah cares deeply for her community and [...]
When you’re struggling with a mental illness, it can seem impossible to find comfort. Things like music, film, sports, and other things we used to enjoy can become uninteresting or even anxiety-provoking. In my experience, I found the most comfort in movies that I could relate to in my emotional turmoil. Seeing portrayals of mental […]
Our Story Please Live started with a caring teenager who saw a need in the world and decided to address it. As a child, Alexa Moody struggled with depression, which eventually lead to thoughts of suicide as a teenager. She received help and recovered, deciding then to go to college for Human Services. During the [...]
Captain’s log, Stardate January 2011. Where unfortunately many have gone before. I’m twenty-six years old and thinking about dying… actually I’m not being entirely truthful. I’m dangling halfway out the fourth floor window of my bedroom in New York City. I don’t really want to die. I just want the emotional pain to stop… and […]
The words we use carry a lot of weight. People use words such as crazy, psycho, and insane – phrases that they do not think twice about. I see it every day. One woman I know is very open about her anxiety and the difficulties with her mental illness. She has been on anxiety medication […]
Though universally experienced, death is perhaps one of the most foreign of human experiences. Not because it is a stranger to us, but because of how strange it is. Forever is not a time period we can comprehend, but somehow we never imagine a future without those close to us. This is why death is […]
I’ve often said that it doesn’t matter how many books you’ve read, degrees you’ve earned, or how many letters come after your name – you will never understand mental illness unless you’ve experienced one yourself. This, I believe, is primarily what makes myself and the volunteers in Please Live qualified to talk about our experiences. […]
On a previous blog, I took the time to outline what the Werther effect was. In essence, the “Werther Effect” is the official-sounding name for “Copycat Suicides”. The Werther effect was coined around the late 1700’s when Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published a book titled The Sorrows of Young Werther. In this particular work (spoiler […]