Author Archives: Janice Airhart

Mobile Loaves & Fishes: Feeding the Hungry

Since 2019, my husband and I have spent several hours on most first Sundays of the month with a group of volunteers making twelve dozen sandwiches—PB&J and turkey and cheese—to serve hungry and disadvantaged folks in Austin, Texas. Once sandwiches are made and individually bagged, the Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) team loads up aContinue reading “Mobile Loaves & Fishes: Feeding the Hungry”

Indivisible: United in Purpose

Indivisible is a grassroots organization of thousands of volunteer leaders and millions of members across the country formed to protect our democracy against authoritarianism. Members resist the current administration’s overreach of power and other actions that threaten citizens’ civil rights, while supporting progressive policies and progressive leaders. Their primary strategy is to empower ordinary peopleContinue reading “Indivisible: United in Purpose”

Education Connection: Every Child Reading by the End of Third Grade

I’m an avid reader. There’s no better way to spend an evening, in my opinion, than getting lost in a good book. I was lucky, though; I was read to as a young child. Not all children have that experience, and not all children develop a love of reading. Unfortunately, this has an impact onContinue reading “Education Connection: Every Child Reading by the End of Third Grade”

ACLU of Texas, Protecting Texans’ Rights

It was clear within weeks of the 2025 inauguration that there would be frequent and numerous attempts by the new administration to test the limits of the law and the powers of the president. The American Civil Liberties Union was prepared. When Project 2025 became public in 2022, the ACLU sprang into action. They beganContinue reading “ACLU of Texas, Protecting Texans’ Rights”

Beautiful Words

There are three little words that everyone knows are the sweetest to hear from those we love, but last week I heard four of the most satisfying words I’ve heard in a while. In a note from my editor to the publisher at Lived Places Publishing: “this manuscript is approved.” Less than 48 hours afterContinue reading “Beautiful Words”

Tragedy in Central Texas

The Central Texas flooding on Friday has been devastating to dozens of families, and I have watched with horror as the death count rises. From the pictures I’ve seen of the mountains of debris that litter the banks of numerous rivers near me, I know it will be some time before the missing are accountedContinue reading “Tragedy in Central Texas”

Transinstitutionalization – Whew!

I agree—the title is a mouthful! But it’s an important concept in psychiatry practice. “Transinstitutionalization” is a single-word description of the movement of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) in the 1960s and beyond from psychiatric hospitals to prison. The term was coined by Lionel Penrose in 1939, who recognized that as the number ofContinue reading “Transinstitutionalization – Whew!”

Community-based Mental Health Services: Bluebonnet Trails

I had a busy week last week, and I’m exhausted. It’s a good kind of exhaustion, though. Our grandsons from California spent a week with us, and our local granddaughter spent much of the week here as well. All three are teenagers and very active, which means I was more active than usual as well.Continue reading “Community-based Mental Health Services: Bluebonnet Trails”

Truth Sandwiches

Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash When I taught Freshman Composition to college students, I learned a method of giving feedback on their essays that was compared to a sandwich. I’ve heard various labels that use this method for delivering criticism, like “compliment sandwich” or “critique sandwich,” but I preferred to call it a “feedbackContinue reading “Truth Sandwiches”