mY STORY

"I take in more darkness than I really need.

But I’m growing a foundation of sturdy roots

To bud through a lifetime of pain 

And taste the joy of life afterward.”

— Excerpt from “Bursting” by May Hohman

A woman with dark makeup, black lipstick, and painted black cracks on her face, sitting in a dark room with minimal lighting. She has red nails and is holding her face with one hand, resting her other arm on her knee.

Hi, I’m May

This work didn’t start from a professional curiosity; it started from survival. Honestly, I am surprised I’m even alive. I’ve been in the depths of emotional pain and hopelessness. Ever since my childhood I’ve been seemingly plagued with mental illness. Trauma, dissociation, all while feeling incredibly alone. Almost like a seemingly never-ending cycle of constantly being brought to the brink of life-ending trauma and having to claw my way back to normalcy.

I’ve been to dark places

I’ve been psychiatrically hospitalized I lived with depression so heavy I couldn’t get out of bed. I struggled with anxiety, dissociation, substance mis-use, suicidal ideation, and the kind of shame that eats away at your sense of self. I’ve been diagnosed with 13 mental health diagnoses. I’m also transgender, and know what it’s like to have a lack of support and feel like everyone wants me to disappear.I felt like to feel stuck in survival mode, repeating the same painful cycles and wondering if anything will ever truly change.  When I was at my lowest, the dissociation so intense that my eyesight was impaired, I thought about ending it all. In fact I tried to, multiple times.

I thought my life was over.

But I kept having this thought, if I try figuring out what was happening to me, maybe I can figure out how to how to help myself. Other people must have figured this out right? If I can search out people who have gone through similar struggles, learn from them and how they live their daily lives, maybe I can do it too.

A woman with dramatic makeup, black eyeshadow, blue lipstick, and black facial tattoos or paint, with a distressed facial expression, has her head tilted back and her hand on her chest with long red nails.

“Soulless Little me, 

Seems like I have nothing inside.

Poor unremarkable me, 

It must be how I’m designed.”

-Excerpt from an unnamed poem by May


And so the search began…

It started with learning about dissociation and C-PTSD. Then ADHD skills, mental health skills, grounding techniques etc. I even started asking everyone i knew  why they levied their life. At the same time, I was expanding my professional education through study, independent reading, and on the ground learning. I got certified as a Behavioral Health Professional, Executive Functioning Coach, and as a Mental Health Coach. I expanded further by learning how to provide peer support to others who have mental health issues.  I kept searching for information about best practices for trauma, motivational interviewing, LGBT+ issues (especially transgender suicide), social work, feminism, and sociology, hoping things would resonate with me and I would be able to put all these different pieces together to help . My education in Sociology and Feminist theory was grounded in Behavioral Sciences and Social Work; which allowed me to clearly see how the world around us deeply affects our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that dictate our lives. I read hundreds of self-help books and watched thousands of hours of youtube videos (i’m really not exagerating) about self-help, spirituality, life coaching, etc. I did this because it felt like it was vital to my survival. If I didn’t figure out what was going on with me, and more importantly, how to deal with myself and change my circumstances, I was probably going to kill myself. 

A young woman with long, wavy brown hair, wearing a choker necklace and an orange sleeveless top, sits against a stone wall with a wooden beam, looking up with a content expression.

I figured it out.

Through a lot of trial and error, education, and searching, I learned  the tools and perspectives necessary to create the change in my life I was looking for. I wasn’t expecting a lot of it. It was very hard work, There were so many times I wanted to give up. I felt hopeless, anxious, and alone for much of that time. Now, I want to use that knowledge, and my continuing education, to support others with their own journey. I’ve helped many people throughout my career, both through the mental health field and  independent coaching, create the change they want ito see in their lives. I have the personal experience, professional expertise, and a vass amount of knowledge to know what it’s like to live in emotional chaos — to feel stuck in patterns you didn’t choose but can’t seem to escape. 


And how to work through it. 

Learn More about My coaching process or sign up.