Joelle Bangsund, LCSW, LLC

02/20/2026

By now you probably know Alysa Liu won Olympic gold last night—the first American woman since 2002 to do it.

Everyone’s talking about her impressive comeback story…but I can’t stop thinking about what came before it.

Alysa was a bona fide skating prodigy: National champion at 13 (and 14!). World bronze medalist at 15. Olympian at 16. Graceful and powerful and bursting with talent.

She was the kind of young athlete adults get excited about and build futures around.

But after the Beijing Olympics (where she placed sixth), just when the world expected her to double down—she walked away.

Not because she couldn’t do it. Clearly, she could. She had.

But she was tired of having her life decided for her.

So she retired. She went on her first real vacation. Enrolled in college. Spent time with friends. And probably for the first time in her memory, she wasn’t skating.

Then on a ski trip a couple of years ago, she felt that familiar rush of adrenaline while flying down a snow-covered hill. And she wondered…could she find that on the ice, on her own terms?

So she came out of retirement. But this time, it was different.
She was different.

She decided what she wore. What she ate. What songs she skated to.

And she won.

First, the World Championships in 2025.
Then this week, Olympic gold in Milan.

If you’ve ever raised a teenager, Alysa’s story might make you a little uncomfortable.

Because a lot of us raise high achievers. Talented kids. Responsible kids. The kind of kids other people notice, and expect great things from.

And when you’re parenting that kind of child, pressure can be sneaky.

You don’t want them to waste their potential.

So when your teen says, “I don’t know if I want to do this anymore,” it almost feels personal.

It feels like scholarships and opportunities and years of investment hanging in the balance.

But Alysa Liu is a gentle reminder that it’s not about us.

There’s a difference between teaching our teens grit and teaching them to ignore their own hearts.

And I don’t want my kids to win at something and lose themselves in the process.

What I pray is they find the Alysa Liu inside.

To know they can step back.
To know they can choose.
To know their worth isn’t tied to achievement.

Because what the world saw in Milan wasn’t just talent—it was joy.

A young woman floating across the ice with a smile that said, “I’m here because I want to be.”

That’s the kind of win I want for my kids.

Well done, Alysa.

-Her View From Home

02/15/2026

Keep going. You’ve got this.

Yes ❤️

02/14/2026

I love the Olympics So many great lessons ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DDNtSznvi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

He was supposed to make history.

7 quads. A quad Axel.
Gold medal all but assumed.

Ilia Malinin walked into that free skate carrying expectations most athletes will never experience.

The quad god. The one who attempts what others will not.

Instead, he fell 2 times and finished 8th.

And when the hot mic caught him saying that if he had gone to Beijing he wouldn’t have skated poorly, I got nervous. Not because he was frustrated. Of course he was. But because I wondered how he would handle the score once it became official. That space between disappointment and response is where you find out who someone is.

This is what I watch for in sports: leadership in action.

After seeing that he not only failed to get gold, but dropped off the podium to 8th, Ilia stood up.

He walked straight to Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, who climbed from 5th to win gold, and he embraced him. Not a quick obligatory pat on the back. A genuine hug. Then he congratulated him with a sincerity you cannot fake. The same can be said about the respect and integrity Mikhail demonstrated in return.

Two 21-year-olds. One dream realized. One deferred.

Immediately after came the interview. The disappointment was visible, but so was the control. He slowed himself down. You could see him gather his thoughts. He spoke clearly. Measured. Without blame or deflection. He said he would learn from it and make adjustments to ensure it does not happen again.

That took strength.

The kind most of us may never be forced to discover under that spotlight, in that moment.

While we may never miss gold on that stage, most of us will miss something we thought was ours.

And when that happens, we find out whether we can steady ourselves, face the person who got what we wanted, and respond with ownership.

Tonight, he did.

And that is something no score can take from him.

"I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent—no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you."
—Seneca

Team USA NBC Olympics & Paralympics NBC OlympicTalk Olympics

01/31/2026

01/11/2026

12/01/2025

In moments of intense anxiety or panic, the mind can feel trapped in a loop of racing thoughts and overwhelming fear. But research and mental health experts are discovering that something as simple as sour candy may offer surprising relief, through the power of sensory distraction.

During a panic attack, the brain’s threat system goes into overdrive. Your heart races, breathing quickens, and you may feel out of control. Sour candy can help interrupt this cycle by shocking the senses. Its intense taste and sharp flavor instantly capture your attention and redirect it away from anxious thoughts.

This technique is rooted in grounding, a method used in cognitive behavioral therapy. Grounding helps people stay present by focusing on strong external stimuli. Sour candy works quickly because it activates both taste and salivary reflexes, forcing the brain to process something new and immediate instead of the fear-based signals it was stuck on.

Therapists often suggest keeping sour candies, like lemon drops or sour gummies, on hand for those who deal with panic attacks or high anxiety. While it’s not a cure, it can provide fast, effective support in the middle of an episode, helping to calm the nervous system and slow the spiral.

It’s a reminder that small tools can make a big difference. Managing mental health often comes down to having the right strategies ready in the moment.

So next time anxiety strikes, a tiny burst of sour might just bring you back to center.

11/21/2025

My brain is on overload after a great training today! Time for Thanksgiving break! 🦃

11/03/2025

Be the kindness. ❤️

“Tell her,” I whispered to my daughter as she pressed her body against mine.

She wrapped my free arm around her little shoulders while I finished loading the groceries onto the conveyer belt.

I smiled at the young cashier who had streaks of blue and purple swirling into her otherwise jet-black ponytail.

My daughter was right when she’d whispered to me, “Her hair is so pretty.”

“Tell her,” I repeated with a little nudge.

My girl only dug her pink cheeks deeper into my side as she nervously twisted the hem of my sleeve in her small fist.

The cashier looked down at my daughter, her expression mostly bland with a hint of concern.

“My daughter thinks your hair is beautiful.” I explained.

The cashier’s face lit up. “You do?”

This coaxed my little one from her hiding place. She looked up and nodded.

“Thank you so much! You made my day,” the cashier said with a smile brilliant enough to compete with her highlights.

My daughter returned it with a beaming smile of her own.

As I walked out of the store, holding my daughter’s hand, I stole a glance back at the young woman. Her energy was clearly brighter now than it had been when we first entered her line.

After loading my groceries in the trunk, I climbed into the driver’s seat. It was then that my daughter made a declaration, “Mom, I think I’m gonna start telling everyone when I like their hair.”

“You should, honey.”

And she did.

She still does.

It’s a rare occasion if we make a trip out in public without her telling someone that she loves their hair, or nails, or shirt, or shoes. To be honest, I think she even does so more than me. And it’s one of my favorite things about this girl.

She learned, at a very young age, the power in raising up others. She learned that by simply telling people when you see beauty in them, you elicit the beauty of human connection.

So maybe we should all take this lesson to heart. Maybe next time you see something you admire, whether it’s her hair, her clothes, or her actions… Maybe you should muster up the courage to tell her.

Because that small second of effort on your part could be the one thing that makes her entire day.

Just tell her. ♥️

©️ Mehr Lee
Raise Her Wild

10/31/2025

10/25/2025

It’ll pass soon! And then, the next one…. 🤦🏼‍♀️

😂