Wow. How?? I would so love to do just that. Be an encouragement-- but how does one who has no one like you all do that? I can barely manage to get by myself-- there is so much healing needed.... I am amazed by all of you. It gives me hope that maybe someday...

1 | Left by Jean | Jul. 2, 2009 at 11:10pm

Hi Katelyn! Just wanted to say a simple yet very heart felt thank you to you and the entire TWLOHA staff. It is people like you who bring light that is needed into the dark corners of our lives. who bring hope. thank you for taking time out of your day to become a piece of that hope to me and a million others out there. you will never know the impact. so again, thank you. God bless

2 | Left by Michelle | Jul. 3, 2009 at 3:24am

Kaitlyn - thank you so much for this beautiful introduction. TWLOHA is such a great organization and has brought my daughter, Hannah, so much hope. She has stopped cutting, and now writes LOVE on her arm with a permanent marker --- she also takes that marker to school to see how many of her friends will let her write LOVE on their arms. She recently emailed a word collage to the organization and got some great feedback. She is a beautiful, smart, and talented 13-year-old who expresses her pain and her joy through writing almost on a daily basis. I don't know what kinds of things you need for your research project, but I'm sure that Hannah would be more than happy to share some of her writing with you. Thanks for being part of such a fabulous group and for spreading a message of hope.

We WILL be the hopeful!

Lara

3 | Left by Lara | Jul. 3, 2009 at 7:56am

Thanks for taking the time to chat with me the other day about the organization. TWLOHA is lucky to have such a genuine and compassionate intern working for them this summer. I was so touched by the organization's cause that I purchased a Tshirt at Ron Jon's this morning (after a morning jog on the beach)to support the cause. If only I could wear it at work, but alas we must go monotone at Ossorios!

Can't wait to visit you all in your new space in Cocoa Village.

-Lindsey

4 | Left by lindseyladelle | Jul. 3, 2009 at 9:41am

Welcome to the family. :)
We cant wait to hear more from you, along with the others. I always look forward to words, wheather they are yours, mine, or a complete stranger. Theyre all good when listened to.

5 | Left by Anna | Jul. 3, 2009 at 2:21pm

welcome to the family (: i'm absolutely stoked to be hearing more from you and everyone else (: try to get some shows here in Newport, CA. We love you all so much!


Love is The Movement

6 | Left by Megan | Jul. 3, 2009 at 9:41pm

ive been looking for something like this for over a year now(witch is a long time for me sence im only 13), just an organization i can really commit myself to. well anything i can really commit myself to. and this organization hits close to home. my grandmother is chronicly depressed, and my best friend deals with depression issues, and im hoping to get her to look at this site when i see her agian. all im asking for my birth day is twloha stuff.... or paramore stuff but they suport it to. thats actually how i found out about yall. i really want to join the street team, but im not sure what exactly it does, and if im to young. but ill find out. thzatnk you for being there for people like jessi and justin and alot of my other friends.

love is the movement
~gillie

7 | Left by gillie | Jul. 4, 2009 at 9:35am

so this is my comment/ thoughts haha

hey there Kaitlyn!
I'm sure you will enjoy the internship! More importantly, I think you will learn and experience incredible things.
good luck with your project!!

....I find that many people feel like they can't help others if they themselves aren't up to a set standard. I think we need to realize that we may be broken but we are strong(ironic much)...we don't have to have everything together in our own life to be able to encourage others...I've learned that from experience in my own life...I don't have everything together. but I try to show others who are hurt, how much I love them, through the small things. Just loving them because they're human. because they hurt.and I hurt. we hurt. I just want to love people where they're at.....

Sorry for my rambling thoughts. hope you read and enjoy them. or at least read them hahaha ;)

much love, Ciara

8 | Left by Ciara James | Jul. 5, 2009 at 6:30pm

Hey Kaitlyn,
This organization has so much meaning, i have seen so many shirts around, me and my friend used to be the only ones we knew, then all of a sudden BAM!! its a TWLOHA explosion, great success :) but this has really helped me see why my step-sister meagen used to cut, it helps me understand her pain and share stories with her..
Thanks for everything
We Will be the hopeful..Because of this
Ricky

9 | Left by Ricky McQuitty | Jul. 6, 2009 at 9:39am

Thank you so much for all you do.
I have struggled with depression, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts since I was 12 years old. I am going to be 15 in August and I owe my survival through some very difficult times to people like you.
TWLOHA is very special to me also because I fell in love with a girl who was both bulimic and alcoholic. I am still very much in love with her.
I hope one day to join TWLOHA's internship program. I also want to become a professional counselor so I can help people as I was helped.
TWLOHA is the greatest expression of love I have ever seen in this world. Thank you again.

10 | Left by Lukey! | Jul. 7, 2009 at 3:36pm

Wonderful introduction. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of your posts. TWLOHA has given me so much hope in making me feel like I'm not alone. You all deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for what you do on a daily basis. I spend hours reading blogs on this website learning that people really can change. Thank you.

Love,
Another broken person, healing through hope and love

11 | Left by Sierra | Jul. 7, 2009 at 8:58pm

i gave up today. and idk i think maybe your words helped. i cant decide yet.but thank you either way.

12 | Left by Claire | Jul. 10, 2009 at 12:05am

Welcome to TWLOHA and thank you for the reassuring words you have given us. Hope to hear more from you soon.

13 | Left by Sarah | Jul. 10, 2009 at 7:57pm

Kaitlyn; welcome to the TWLOHA community, and thanks for dedicating your time (:
I'm hoping to become an intern as soon as I can get my own life together; I love helping others :)
Thanks TWLOHA

14 | Left by Cat | Jul. 11, 2009 at 4:00pm

Claire, don't give up. Every breath is worth breathing, every step worth taking. Do not abandon your life, do not give up hope. Do you know why? Because you are loved. I love you, if I didn't, would I be telling you this? And God loves you beyond imagining. It may seem like it, but He has not abondoned or foresaken you, He Promised he never would. God would not break such a Promise. He loves you no matter how many mistakes you make. If you say, "I'm sorry, Lord, I made a mistake." He will say, "I forgive you, and I will help you fix it, for I love you." Keep pushing through because you are amazing and unique and beautiful in every single way and if other people can't see that they are missing out on so much. I don't know you, but I know that everyone is amazing and beautiful and unique. Don't give up, you have a wonderful life ahead of you, and so many people would bawl in agony to hear that you committed suicide or died. Whatever they said to you, they didn't mean it. We all loose our heads every once in a while. Keep hope and faith, always and forever. Cause guess what? I, and many others, have hope and faith in you and love you. Always and forever.

15 | Left by Sylviana | Jul. 11, 2009 at 6:23pm

To Kaitlyn, i think it's great that you're working with TWLOHA. i know that you will help touch many people. i can tell you have a big heart! to Jean and Claire, you do have people who are there for you. and you truly are loved. i love you both hust for having the guts to post how you really feel on the public internet. if i could meet you both, I'd give you encouraging hugs and tell you that God loves you, too.
I don't even remember how i stumbled upon twloha...but i know that it was right after i stopped cutting... for the third time in less than eight months. I felt i couldn't do it. and it was even more of a stigma because..where i am and with my friends, hurting yourself is completely unheard of. Probably because i'm black and stereotypically it's not a "black people issue". But... idk... i just wanted to share how much these people have effected me. Even when i struggle for happiness sometimes, i know i'm not the only one. and that's what's the important part. Sorry for rambling. Ijust spilled a bit of my heart to ya'll.
-We are the hopeful.

16 | Left by M.Marie | Jul. 12, 2009 at 6:18pm

Kaitlyn!!!! I'm sooooo proud of you!! You have found a great way to share your gift with everyone. I knew you'd find it. I'm glad that so many more people will get to see the light inside of you that I have been blessed to see! Keep up the good work suuuuuveggggg.

Love ya girrrl.

Erika

17 | Left by Erika | Jul. 13, 2009 at 7:37am

I dont usually say this but OMG! By finding TWLOHA i no that life has so many positives about it, and even though i suffer from major depression an have been for 4 years i still have this spark in me and i truly no that this spark came from TWLOHA.

18 | Left by Sam | Jul. 15, 2009 at 8:39am

Kaitlyn!!! First, Hey and it's amazing to read what you just wrote. ToWriteLoveOnHerArms is one of the things that gave me hope, let me connect and feel safe - it saved me. What you just said was absolutely incredible, and I just wanted to say thank you, even though that hardly expresses how thankful I am for what you said.

19 | Left by Megan | Jul. 15, 2009 at 1:18pm

Hey I just wanted to welcome you to the family. Your blog was very inspiring and made me think of a song that I just heard on the radio a couple of days ago by Jonny Diaz, More Beautiful You. He is amazing. My favorite lines:

I wish that you could see
That beauty is within your heart
And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair
Are perfect just the way they are

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don't buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

:) so encouraging and uplifting. especially for young girls that think that they have to look or do certain things because of society's messages on tv and in magazines!

20 | Left by Leah | Jul. 16, 2009 at 4:04pm

I love your story, I too am in an internship in social work. If only TWLOHA was here in Switzlerland! I wish it was true! God bless, keep the faith, keep strong!

Peace

21 | Left by Nica | Jul. 19, 2009 at 4:03pm

Thank you for a fresh insight into the vision and heart behind twloha. it's a conversation that has stirred so much more than the initial audience.

22 | Left by big John | Jul. 23, 2009 at 9:53am

There is nothing you could've said differently! Thank you for your kind words & welcome to the family! I am beyond passionate about this cause & I am thankful to have you be a part of it! I hope you enjoy your stay!

23 | Left by Shelby | Jul. 23, 2009 at 2:39pm

I think you came up to me in Office Depot one day. I was wearing my twloha shirt, and you introduced yourself as a worker for to write love on her arms in cocoa village. (:

24 | Left by malina | Jul. 29, 2009 at 6:54pm

You're very good with words. And I'm sure TWLOHA is estatic to have you on their team.

25 | Left by Ashley | Aug. 21, 2009 at 10:01am

im knew to this and im as are you looking for help for my depression. im on my way to recovery. im actually doing very good. my boyfirnd has been halping me through this. hes amazing. my friend rachel told me about this and i thought id give it a shot. btw i had noo idea by what it meant for url >_

26 | Left by Marissa | Sep. 8, 2009 at 10:22am

You think you guys can save the world and stop suicide buy selling shirts and opening a hotline it won't work. Not for me anyway I use to dream about helping people until I realised I cant even help myself. This wont work most suicidle people don't want help they want death. Thats what I want and your website didn't help me whats to say it will help anyone else, You don't care about me Im just another person in the world Im not even a speck on a map or an ant from a plane, Im nobody, Nobody you can help.

27 | Left by Sick of it | Feb. 2, 2010 at 3:52am