Being (Sick) Enough

Living well with chronic illness-wise and witty essays and advice on navigating pain, sex, trauma, spirituality, and grief from queer neurodivergent mindfulness expert Jessica GrahamIn an unapologetic guide to living well with chronic illness, writer and meditation coach Jessica Graham offers smart, funny, raw, and mindful insights on untangling-and embracing-the messy realities of being a human alive on this planet today.Graham gives us permission to accept care-and accept that it's ok to want care. She weaves together personal stories and practical wisdom, grounded in her queer, chronically ill, and neurodivergent identities. She offers tools on managing symptoms, setting boundaries, and healing from ableist tropes like "you don't look that sick" and "we're all a little ADHD."She shares vulnerable personal history- the adverse childhood experiences that rewired her body and brain. The workaholism and addictions that kept her pain lying just below the surface. How illness and trauma intersected to obscure knowing that we're each enough, wholly as we are.Graham also explores the parts of chronic illness life that don't get enough airtime- how can you center sex and pleasure when pain gets in the way? How can we live well...while living through late-stage capitalist hell? How can you come to know your pain as a spiritual teacher without falling prey to self-blame, magical thinking, or toxic positivity?Wise and embodied, fearless and necessary, This Sucks is both a wild awakening and a love letter to your whole self- the pains and suffering, joys and brightness, and vital connections that hold each of us as we navigate what it means to be here, like this, right now.

“Through the depths of trauma, Graham emerges a radiant beacon of healing and hope for a better future. We are fortunate to bask in their brilliance!”
—JEFFREY MARSH, best-selling author of Take Your Own Advice
 
“As someone who has survived developmental trauma and understands its deep impact on the body, it’s refreshing to hear such an honest voice share personal stories of their own traumatic past.”
—TAMARA LEVITT, author and head of Mindfulness at Calm
 
“Jessica Graham’s fierce and beautiful voice pierced through these pages and straight into my heart, where it’ll remain.”
—JENNIFER PASTILOFF, best-selling author of On Being Human
 
“A raw and honest look at surviving trauma and navigating chronic illness and pain as a neurodivergent person while still living life to its fullest. This book avoids toxic positivity while exploring the nonlinear path of recovery, resolution, and learning to love yourself. Graham’s confessional writing is grounded yet lyrical, weaving together snapshots of their lived experience in a way that entertains, inspires, and makes those of us who have ever found ourselves temporarily down for the count feel a little less alone.”
—ANDREA OWEN, best-selling author of Make Some Noise
 
“A profoundly beautiful and personal work that explores the intersection of complex trauma, chronic illness, and neurodivergence. As a trauma therapist, I thought, ‘Finally!’ I could not help but think of all the many individuals who will likely feel validated and seen by this brave and searing account. I highly recommend this book for anyone who seeks to have a greater under-
standing of mental health and chronic pain.”
—LAUREN MAHER, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist and author of Mindfulness Workbook for Panic Attacks

“Graham describes how to apply a range of mindfulness techniques—such as ‘divide and conquer,’ ‘equanimity with pleasure and pain,’ and ‘connection through compassion’—to mend deep wounding from early life trauma. A rare and valuable resource!”
—SHINZEN YOUNG, meditation teacher and author of The Science of Enlightenment
 
“Graham acknowledges their limited understanding of trauma from a perspective of white privilege, recognizes the additional traumas faced by marginalized communities, and emphasizes the complexity of blame and the shared pain within their lineage—highlighting the importance of personal responsibility for healing. It’s refreshing to read about sexual health from someone who has chosen to share their personal journey with such vulnerability.”
—SUZANNE SINATRA, sexual health advocate and founder and CEO of Private Packs

Jessica Graham is a spiritual teacher, actor, and filmmaker. She has been teaching meditation since 2009. She is a contributing editor of the meditation blog Deconstructing Yourself, in which her popular series "Mindful Sex" appears. Graham co-founded Los Angeles' The Eastside Mindfulness Collective, dedicated to exploring secular spirituality through mindful living and learning. Her book, Good Sex was published in 2017. Originally from Philadelphia, Jessica now lives in Los Angeles. Visit Jessica at yourwildawakening.com.

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