Still Mom, Still Fighting
Two years into this work, the ideology hasn't won — and neither has the silence.
Diogenes In Exile is reader-supported. Keep the lamp of truth burning by becoming a paying subscriber—or toss a few drachmas in the jar with a one-time or recurring donation. Cynics may live in barrels, but websites aren’t free!
Two months into 2026, and I'm only now sitting down to write about where this year is headed — the truth is, I've been procrastinating
Not without cause, mind you.
While I was driven to oppose an ideology that hurt me personally and that I could see harming clients and our culture, getting used to the idea of having a public persona was a challenge, and I’m still figuring out who that is.
Despite everything that has changed, I still think of myself mostly as mom, which has both pros and cons.
On the one hand, being a mom keeps me rooted in the reasons that drive me forward. I can’t be content knowing what I know and not trying to carve out a healthy channel for younger generations to follow.
At the same time, the stereotype of mothers doesn’t include high-tension policy meetings or poring through documents while analyzing the jargon-laced details. Mom's work is knowing the best way to get stains out of cotton or how to plan well enough that a roast, with potatoes and two sides, are all ready to eat at the same time. The juggling involved is a crossover skill, but most think of the other tasks as menial.
It doesn’t help that even today, mothers often take the blame when their adult children seek out therapy.
Now that I am seeing success in my work efforts, my role as mom is on the wane. Two of my crew have even moved away. While I think that this is for the best right now, my mixed feelings about that change are excruciating. Yet it is my concern for the world they are entering that propels me restlessly forward.
Writing about my plans for next year puts that new reality front and center.
Now that I’ve copped to my dawdling, the struggle is to fully embrace speaking out on policy on a bigger stage, while finding new connections with others to share my time.
So what lies ahead this year? The fight for accreditation reform in Tennessee looks like it will take another year. I’ll follow up on those details in a future post.
But the national fight is on. I’ve delivered comments to the specific branch of the U.S. Department of Education that is rewriting the Accreditation handbook for national approval.
I’ve reached people at Heterodox Academy and Defending Education who will both help me refine my understanding of the policy problems we are facing and may work with me to create change.
I’ve also met so many therapists in training and practice who are suffering under the weight of trying to help clients while navigating an ideology that would see their offices turned into indoctrination pressure cookers.
I have more thinking I need to do, to narrow down some specific plans of action, but I have officially taken the hardest step. I’m not procrastinating anymore.
And so we begin.
Help Keep This Conversation Going!
Share this post on social media. It costs nothing but helps a lot.
Become a subscriber. Higher subscriber numbers would draw in guest writers and interesting folks for interviews.
Want more perks? Become a Paid Subscriber to get chatroom access and let’s talk about what else Diogenes In Exile can do.
Support from readers like you keeps this project alive!
Diogenes in Exile is reader-supported. If you find value in this work, please consider becoming a pledging/paid subscriber, donating to my GiveSendgo, or buying Thought Criminal merch. I’m putting everything on the line to bring this to you because I think it is just that important, but if you can, I need your help to keep this mission alive.
Already a Premium subscriber? Share your thoughts in the chat room.
About
Diogenes in Exile began after I returned to grad school to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Tennessee. What I found instead was a program saturated in Critical Theories ideology—where my Buddhist practice was treated as invalidating and where dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy was met with hostility. After witnessing how this ideology undermined both ethics and the foundations of good clinical practice, I made the difficult decision to walk away.
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to exposing the ideological capture of psychology, higher education, and related institutions. My investigative writing has appeared in Real Clear Education, Minding the Campus, The College Fix, and has been republished by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. I also speak and consult on policy reform to help rebuild public trust in once-respected professions.
Occasionally, I’m accused of being funny.
When I’m not writing or digging into documents, you’ll find me in the garden, making art, walking my dog,
This article really resonated with me. I struggle with the Mom role. There seem to be so many rules in our culture about it. For example, Disneyland is mandatory. It's so expensive. Best I can do is be an example of a independent woman life long learner that shows up when my child is truly having a crisis.
I've had to adjust me expectation when it comes to advocacy in a democracy. It's unlikely that change will happen quickly and it take sustained pressure over 2 or more years to see our successes. Thank you for all the energy you put into it. I so appreciate you!
I am a Mom, and I care about so much more than removing stains. My husband is a bit better (at household tasks). My interest in these issues does stem from what I've seen it do to the younger generations, and I learned how to first effect policy by advocating in my kids public school district. That said, there are so many people without kids who also really care about all this, so I think an inherent interest in policy alongside a need for reality to mirror what is true is the common denominator.