Totem Org

Totem Org We are a community of people who want to share our stories, and to hear yours.

⚠️ Trigger warning: This post includes themes of su***de ideation (SI) and attempts. Please take care while reading.Some...
04/17/2026

⚠️ Trigger warning: This post includes themes of su***de ideation (SI) and attempts. Please take care while reading.

Some of us are only here because we paused.

❚❚ Paused before making a permanent decision.
❚❚ Paused long enough to reach out.
❚❚ Paused long enough for someone to reach back.

⨾ Today is World Semicolon Day — a day that honors the pause when a story could have ended, but didn’t. The semicolon (;) reminds us that our stories are still being written.

In our latest blog, our keeper Heather Lillian Gressett shares a deeply personal reflection on living through SI, the weight of those moments, and the power of choosing to stay.

❝Those pauses, as scary and as hard as they were to take, are the only reason that I am still here… breathing the same air in as you.❞

This piece is an invitation to honor the pauses. The ones that feel impossible, the ones that save us, and the ones we don’t have to take alone. If you’re in it right now, we see you. You are not alone. You are worth staying for, and we’re here if you need somewhere to land. ❤︎

Read the full blog here: https://www.totem.org/blog/ojp152bkc/social

If you need immediate support:
📞 Call or text 988 (U.S. Su***de & Crisis Lifeline)
💬 Text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line)

Note: Totem is not crisis support, but we believe deeply in the power of community and having somewhere to land before things reach that point.

***dePrevention

Su***de Prevention Foundation 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline

Meet Gianni 💥 our newest addition to the Totem Keeper fam!Actor, storyteller, competitive Yu-Gi-Oh player, and former ch...
04/12/2026

Meet Gianni 💥 our newest addition to the Totem Keeper fam!

Actor, storyteller, competitive Yu-Gi-Oh player, and former child waffle stand entrepreneur (yes, extension cord and all).

Gianni brings a deep curiosity about human behavior and a love for sitting with the uncomfortable questions most of us try to avoid. His work in film and theater, along with his lived experience navigating narcolepsy and ADD, has shaped a grounded, compassionate lens on what it means to be human and how we grow.

He believes people can change, evolve, and get better over time. And he lives that out, while also being powered primarily by garlic, spicy food, coffee, and a firm belief that MGMT is a top 10 band of all time.

Starting Wednesday, April 15th at 1:00 PM EDT, Gianni will be leading Men’s Support, a Space for men to speak honestly about their inner lives without needing to perform, fix, or prove anything.

His first session asks:
Where did we learn what it means to be a man?

Sign up at https://www.totem.org/spaces/lry403ygt/?utm_source=link 🤎

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At Totem, it’s simple, we believe you. A note from our Keeper, Claire:“April is...
04/04/2026

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At Totem, it’s simple, we believe you.

A note from our Keeper, Claire:

“April is an important month to reflect on, to bring awareness to, and to educate ourselves about sexual violence. It’s a time to listen—really listen—to survivors, to uplift their voices, to include them in conversations about change, and to approach others with care and a survivor-centered mindset.

As someone who has both survived sexual violence and worked professionally in this field, this isn’t something I embody just once a month. It’s a commitment I carry in my everyday life and in how I move through the world.

Right now, we’re living in a time where harmful rhetoric and leadership can make violence feel normalized or excusable. It’s more important than ever to challenge that. I hope you take time this month to reflect on the kind of world you want future generations to grow up in—one where people feel safe, respected, and believed.

We each have a role in not normalizing violence.”

Next week Wednesday, Claire will be hosting a Space in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month—a judgment-free environment where you will be believed, where you won’t have to prove your experiences, and where you can simply show up as you are.

Whether something happened years ago, something you’re currently experiencing, or something you’ve never fully defined before—if this Space speaks to you, you are welcome.

🔗 Register: https://www.totem.org/spaces/pjl673zxk/?utm_source=link

You are important. You matter. And you deserve to be heard.



NSVRC RAINN

Some stories take time to surface—and when they do, they carry the weight of everything that’s been held beneath them.On...
04/02/2026

Some stories take time to surface—and when they do, they carry the weight of everything that’s been held beneath them.

One of our Keepers, Heather Lillian Gressett, shares a deeply personal reflection on parenting a child with Cerebral Palsy—an experience shaped by love, fear, resilience, and the moments that change you forever.

🍃 “I left parts of myself lying next to my son that day that I will never get back.” 🍃 - Heather

There are no easy words for journeys like this. Only honesty. Only love. Only the quiet courage to keep going.

And in that, there is connection:

🍃 “Just because we can do it, doesn’t mean we should have to do it alone.” 🍃 - Heather

If this is part of your story, or someone you love, we invite you to read, reflect, and share. 🤍

You can also join Heather’s free and virtual group: Supporting Parents of Children with Diagnoses. Next Space is Thursday, April 2 @ 7:30PM EST.

🔗 Space & Register: https://www.totem.org/spaces/zgo631dls/?utm_source=link
🔗 Blog: https://www.totem.org/blog/xya016fnv/

✨ Looking for a safe place to pause and reflect this week?Our Spaces for the week are now live, and each one is designed...
03/22/2026

✨ Looking for a safe place to pause and reflect this week?

Our Spaces for the week are now live, and each one is designed to meet you exactly where you are. Here’s what we’re holding space for:

Monday, March 23rd
• How to Have Hope Without Naivety — with Jesse
1:45 PM EDT / 10:45 AM PDT
• Spring Cleaning: Clearing Emotional Clutter — with Heather (she/her)
4:00 PM EDT / 1:00 PM PDT

Tuesday, March 24th
• Alcohol: An Honest Reflection — with Heather (she/her)
7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
• March Check-in: The Art You’re Afraid to Make — with Vanessa Rae
10:00 PM EDT / 7:00 PM PDT

Wednesday, March 25th
• Finding Your Personal Style — with Jesse
6:00 PM EDT / 3:00 PM PDT
• Grieving Someone Who is Still Alive — with Vanessa Rae
9:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM PDT

Thursday, March 26th
• When Anger Fills the Room — with Vanessa Rae
6:30 PM EDT / 3:30 PM PDT
• Burning Bright, Not Burning Out — with Heather (she/her)
7:30 PM EDT / 4:30 PM PDT

Whether you're navigating uncertainty, processing something heavy, or simply looking for a space to be seen — there’s a place for you here.

Come for yourself.
Stay for the community.

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

Budget cuts. Layoffs. Policy changes. Services and programs dismantled. Trying to support others while supporting yourse...
03/19/2026

Budget cuts. Layoffs. Policy changes. Services and programs dismantled.

Trying to support others while supporting yourself is harder than ever. We see you, and we feel it too.

Join Heather Lillian Gressett tomorrow for an hour in community with others who get it.

🕯️Together, we’ll explore how to burn bright in a world trying to burn us out. ✨

Register and join from anywhere: https://www.totem.org/spaces/kdy842oud/?utm_source=link

What if the problem was never your body—but the standards you’ve been taught to measure it against?From unrealistic soci...
03/18/2026

What if the problem was never your body—but the standards you’ve been taught to measure it against?

From unrealistic social media expectations to everyday self-talk, Vanessa Rae’s blog explores how to reclaim your narrative and build real self-esteem.

✨ Plus: 20 powerful quotes to remind you of your worth.

🔗 https://www.totem.org/blog/eiz629lrn/

🗣️ What does it mean to create space for women to be heard?On International Women’s Day, we’re thinking about the moment...
03/08/2026

🗣️ What does it mean to create space for women to be heard?

On International Women’s Day, we’re thinking about the moments when women choose not to look away—when they speak up, organize, advocate, and support one another in ways that move communities forward.

At Totem, we’re constantly inspired by the women in our network: the ones asking hard questions, building spaces for honest dialogue, and turning lived experience into action.

Progress doesn’t come from a single voice. It grows when people share their stories, challenge assumptions, and create room for others to step forward.
Today we’re celebrating the women who do exactly that—every day.

💜 To the women advocating, leading, questioning, and building community: we see you, and we’re grateful you’re here.

✨ Who is a woman who has shaped the way you see the world?

Tag them or share their story below.

🔥 What makes someone turn anger into advocacy?Our newest Totem blog post, How I Turned Anger Into Action: My Journey Int...
03/07/2026

🔥 What makes someone turn anger into advocacy?

Our newest Totem blog post, How I Turned Anger Into Action: My Journey Into Advocacy, shares Jesse's story. Jesse writes about the moment she realized she couldn’t look away—and how that moment reshaped her path.

Her blog and our Politics, Society & Advocacy Space is live!

📖 Read the blog:
https://www.totem.org/blog/pyw190dco/

📣 Join the conversation:
https://www.totem.org/spaces/ycq928hky/?utm_source=link
🗓 Monday, March 23 @ 12:45 PM CST
💜 How to Have Hope Without Naivety

What was your “I can’t look away” moment? We’d love to hear your story in the comments.

🌸 A few spots are still open for This Body Is Good: A Six Week Series. If your body has been asking for care, this is yo...
03/05/2026

🌸 A few spots are still open for This Body Is Good: A Six Week Series. If your body has been asking for care, this is your invitation. 🌸

Session One of This Body Is Good has already begun, and something beautiful is unfolding in this space, and it’s not too late to join us.

Register and join the space with Heather Lillian Gressett for Week Two, where we’ll explore movement and relationship.

📅 Mondays, 7–8pm EST (join from anywhere)
✨ Next opportunity to join: March 9
🔗 Save your spot and register ASAP: https://www.totem.org/spaces/dcp103pfs/?utm_source=link

Many of us have forgotten that our bodies are not problems to solve. This series is an invitation to find refuge in your body again — maybe even for the first time. You're welcome here. 💟

11/26/2025

With Thanksgiving tomorrow and the country feeling more polarized than ever, this topic feels top of mind: should we talk politics at holiday gatherings? 🦃💬

In this reel, Gabe shares his perspective. For him, it is a no. Not because the issues do not matter, but because holiday tables deserve something better than debate. Connection, stories, shared history, actual joy.

What are your thoughts? Are you leaning in, or leaving it off the table this year?

09/26/2024

Join Totem’s Momma's Space to connect with fellow moms in a nurturing environment. Share your triumphs and obstacles while building a supportive community. 🌟

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