Substacks recommended by Joy V. | The Shrieking Cactus

Recommended by Joy V.

Human/Mother

By Katrina Donham

I write about being a human, and I also write about being a mother.

The Purpose Code

By Jordan Grumet

Jordan Grumet talks purpose, career, and enough

No Girl is an Island

By Lani V. Cox

is a feel-good mix of personal essays, quirky reflections, and creative curiosity 🏝️home to the What’s on Your Desk? series and the ongoing serialization of Misfortune Cookie: a Memoir.

Rat Park with Carl Erik Fisher

A psychiatrist in recovery explores the addictions in all of us, integrating science, philosophy, and the art of flourishing in recovery. Columbia University bioethicist, author of THE URGE: OUR HISTORY OF ADDICTION, a New Yorker Best Book of 2022.

A Reader's Compendium

By Sarah Orman

mostly about reading, and sometimes writing

She reads way more than me, and it shows. Thoughtful takes on writing as an identity.

- Joy V.

On Writing and Thriving

By Kathy MacKay

"It's never too late" is more than a cliché, it can be a way of life. Join me as I share stories about later-life evolution and reinvention, including my own path to becoming a writer. All are welcome!

After He Said Cancer

By Kristina Adams Waldorf

Chronicling the emotional rollercoaster of the cancer and grief journey. Learning to find beauty and the sacred in the every day. Supporting other caregivers, those with cancer and people grieving.

The Body Is A Trailhead by Lissa Rankin, MD

By Lissa Rankin

I'm a doctor writing about narcissism, codependence, boundaries, trauma recovery, off-ramping from spiritual bypassing, Internal Family Systems, and how non-reciprocal relationships impact your health.

Night Pages

By Michelle Levy

Stories & Writing Prompts

What's on Your Mind?

By Dr. Stacey Rubin

A newsletter for high-achievers offering psychological insights and strategies to help you accept, explore, and harness your ambivalence: the conflicting thoughts and emotions that profoundly shape our lives.

Insightful posts on understanding and accepting the more challenging parts of our personalities and motivations.

- Joy V.

Almost Sated

By Kristi Koeter

Real conversations and personal stories to help midlife women redefine health beyond diets and restriction, navigate perimenopause, and find liberation through radical self-love.

Writing with Nina

By Nina Barufaldi

Fiction, Poetry, Podcast, and Personal Essays from Bar Harbor, Maine.

All Parts by Eliza Butler, MA, MA

By Eliza B.

For the rebels who no longer want to force or fix their way through life. By a somatic psychotherapist, breathworker, and deep feeler of feelings.

A Thin Space

By Emily Conway

For those who feel and live deeply, personal essays of awareness and intention with an emphasis on healing and wholeness.

Weeds, Wolves & Wild Women

By Vanessa Chakour

Exploring outer and inner wilds — from the wisdom of other animals, the healing power of so-called weeds and foraging local medicine, to trusting creative instincts and surrendering to the power of pleasure.

A deep dive into the power of nature, herbalism, folklore, and pleasure.

- Joy V.

Happy Asian Woman

By Alice Chen

Helping Asian-American Women Find More Joy in Love, Work and Life

Thoughtful and well-written essays on how to live happier in midlife.

- Joy V.

Life after Trauma with Clare Egan

How to rebuild your life after serious trauma. I share intimate essays and actionable resources to help survivors feel less alone. 📍 Made (with love) in Dublin, Ireland.

Old Mom Things

By Jen Hubley Luckwaldt

I had a baby and then turned 42 about half an hour later. Here are some things I've learned about being an Old Mom.

Jenny walks the perfect line between self-deprecation and heartwarming insights exploring the exhilarations and challenges of being a new mom in your 40s.

- Joy V.