I’m Slater Valentine — an outcast, an outsider, a misfit, a rebel, a punk. But I’m also a wounded healer. Since 2007, after losing my mom, I began developing and building new physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual frameworks for myself, guided by the alternative health system.

I’ve experienced trauma and struggle in all four of those aspects of my being, and no matter how much I’d prefer to hide it, it shows. The mainstream health system labeled my trauma as a developmental delay — what they called an autism spectrum disorder. But I’ve never felt aligned with that label. I’ve outgrown and overcome many of the symptoms over time. Still, there’s one rare disorder I carry that I haven’t been able to shake: Selective Mutism. It means I’m capable of speaking, but only in certain situations or with specific people. And honestly, I have no idea why — it’s the strangest thing.

Interestingly, Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist, has the same social anxiety disorder. It’s incredibly isolating. I’ve struggled deeply to connect with others and form friendships. Since I was 7 years old, I’ve been bullied and accused of following people around — and somehow, that theme continues to repeat in my life.

But here’s what sets me apart: I have willpower like no other. I’ve been blessed with the drive to fix what’s broken in me. When something bothers me, I take action. I’m disciplined. What I’ve committed myself to is nothing less than the full healing of my health issues. I’m not afraid to use the word “cure.”

It’s incredibly hard — as hard as moving Mount Everest — but I’ve always believed in the saying that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything. It all comes down to resilience.

Published by HOLR Magazine