About

Hi, I’m KC…

I’m a queer, thirty-something science journalist living in NYC with the best dog in the world, who rescued me from myself. I’m in recovery for dual diagnoses—anorexia, PTSD, alcohol abuse, depression, and anxiety. I also have a life that is much bigger than recovery-ish things.

Life has been heartbreaking. Life has been beautiful. Through it all, I have been blessed and helped by the kindness of strangers. Some of these kind people have become friends so dear I consider them family, and some of them have gone on their ways, nameless, but forever remembered.

I grew up in rural California (but please don’t call me a redneck), amid majestic, glacier-capped mountains. My first traumas stem from the mortuary my family owned, where I saw things that no children should see. Like too many of us, I grew up in a chaotic home. As an adult I experienced a sexually abusive relationship, and some assaults and a rape after that. I don’t like to talk about them. Years of anorexia and alcohol abuse later, I am in a good place today, but I still have much work to do. Progress, not perfection, as they say.

Today I have the best treatment team I could ask for, and the best friends, too. My family has come to a sort of peace agreement, and I have loving relationships with them. I guess you could say I’m a treatment veteran. I’ve seen it all, from no insurance to medicaid to good insurance to boutique private practice…from the psych ward to inpatient to residential to intensive outpatient, and, finally—just outpatient! I also mix up some 12 Step and Dharma Recovery in there. I like to queer up all of it.

Research, research, research. I’m a total nerd who likes to use both the left and right sides of my brain—artsy yet practical and science-minded. For those who are into Meyers Briggs, I’m INTJ all the way, with a strong E leaning—’nuff said. Looking back I can say I’ve had a successful career, yet I often have gnawing doubts and insecurities about my abilities. I’ve been a tech writer, a copywriter, a mental health nonprofit program director, and a senior editor in journal and textbook publishing—and found that journals are my jam! I’ve had the honor of working with some incredible people, and I am grateful to have bright, caring mentors to learn from. I’ve made a career of peer-review, but here I’ll share more personal takes on my experiences both internal and emotional, as well as out in the world.

Today I’m so blessed and fortunate to be living my dream as a science journalist, dog momma, and novice indoor gardener. I’m trying to be gentle with myself. I’m a big fan of em dashes and a passionate believer in the Oxford comma, which the Associated Press FINALLY adopted—debate closed, check ftw. If I could overuse any one punctuation mark, it would be the exclamation point!!! I try to tone that down. (If I could have a second, it would be parentheses. Ditto on that one.) I am an equal advocate for coffee and tea.

I studied literature and writing as an undergrad. What’s next? A few years from now, I’ll be pursuing a master’s degree in environmental studies to specialize as a writer.

What keeps me busy