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                            Hello, and thank you for visiting!
 
My name is Darlene Lund and I have been trained both as a teacher, and as a social worker.  I have had the privilege over my life span to work with remarkable individuals and families. It is a privilege to come into someone's world ,and to know their most intimate thoughts and feelings.
  
                     Unfortunately,  when a personal crisis happened in my life, I felt too embarrassed to ask for help.  What would people say? Would there be support? Would people treat me differently? After a lot of internal pain, and loss ,I finally surrendered, I waved my white flag, I needed help.  In 2013  I was diagnosed with complex Post traumatic stress disorder.

       I knew the signs ,and symptoms, and I knew where to go to get help, I just needed the courage, to ask for help. I suffered alone , until the pain was unbearable, then I reached out for help, and there was a hand there to help me up.  They were friendly,  non-judgemental , and they listened with their heart.   Why did I not ask for help sooner?  The thing that kept me back from asking for help was stigma.

    A result of my experiences was the inspiration  to continue to make a difference in people's lives.  To help me do this, I created Friendly the S.P.U.D.,( Supporting People's Unique Difference.) 

   

See my book Friendly Talks about Stigma
   







 Picture Hello I am Friendly the Spud