YOU'RE NOT BROKEN.
YOU'RE JUST CARRYING TOO MUCH.
I'm Jake. I grew up carrying things I didn't have words for - anxiety, trauma, and eventually alcohol to drown it out. I'm a trauma-informed wellness coach now and a public school teacher. I also coach track and wrestling. I got into a LOT of troule in school. Not beause I was a bad kid. I was just in the wrong place - school didn't make sense, I mean why would I learn this when I'm dealing with a crisis at home??
I wrote a book called Hollow about using music and writing to survive the things I couldn't say out loud. This page is for you. Not your parents. Not your teachers. You. You don't have to have it figured out. You just have to be willing to try one thing.
If you're reading this
MAYBE THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR
"I feel like I'm holding it together on the outside and falling apart on the inside."
— What a lot of kids tell me. What I used to feel too.
You show up. You do what you're supposed to do. But something feels off - like there's a weight you can't put down and nobody around you seems to get it.Maybe it's anxiety. Maybe it's family stuff. Maybe it's something that happened to you that you've never said out loud. Maybe you don't even have words for it yet. That's exactly when it's time to just start writing stuff.
Songwriting has been my escape from feeling overwhelmed
all the time since 3rd grade.
WHY WRITING AND MUSIC ACTUALLY CHANGE HOW YOU FEEL
This isn't a homework assignment.
And it isn't therapy (though it works alongside therapy).
Here's what researchers have found:
When you write about something you've been carrying - even just a few sentences - your brain starts to process it differently. The thoughts that loop and replay start to settle.
The anxiety that lives in your chest starts to have somewhere to go.
And when you add rhythm to that - music, lyrics, a simple guitar pattern - your nervous system actually begins to calm down. Not just in your head. In your body. You don't need to be a writer. You don't need to be a musician. You just need to be willing to try.
Three things that are backed by research:
Expressing thoughts through writing shifts stress from emotions to clarity. This process empowers you to regain control over your feelings.
✍️ WRITING
Helps your brain move stress from the emotional part to the thinking part. Putting it into words gives you back some control.
🎸 MUSIC & LYRICS
Rhythm and sound calm your nervous system in ways words alone can't. Lyrics let you say the hard thing in a way that feels safe.
🌬️ BREATHWORK
Simple breathing patterns directly activate your body's calm response. It works fast - within 2–3 minutes - and you can do it anywhere.
Try this!
TWO THINGS YOU CAN DO TONIGHT
- No app required.
- No experience required.
- Just you and 10 minutes.
1. PRACTICE 01 - The 4-4-4-4 Reset
(Box Breathing)
This is your emergency brake for anxiety, panic, or the feeling right before you do something you'll regret.
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Breathe IN through your nose for 4 slow counts
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HOLD for 4 counts
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Breathe OUT through your mouth for 4 counts
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HOLD for 4 counts
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Repeat 5–8 times (about 3 minutes total)
What you'll notice: Your shoulders drop. Your thoughts slow. You feel less like you're about to explode. This is your nervous system actually changing - not just you trying to calm down.
2. PRACTICE 02 — Write the Thing You Can't Say Out Loud
Get a notebook - not your phone notes, an actual notebook. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Then write one of these:
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"The thing I'm most afraid to admit right now is..."
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"When I'm alone and nobody's watching, I feel..."
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"The one thing I wish someone would ask me is..."
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"If my life were a song, the chorus would say..."
Rules: Don't edit. Don't re-read while you're writing. Nobody sees this but you. The goal isn't to sound good - it's to get it out of your head and onto something outside of you.
My book
I WROTE THE THING I COULDN'T SAY OUT LOUD...
Hollow is the book I wrote about using music and songwriting to survive the things that almost broke me - anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and the moments I thought I'd never come back from.I didn't write it because I had my life together. I wrote it because I didn't - and writing was the thing that helped me find my way back.If you're carrying something you can't say out loud yet, this book might feel like someone finally said it for you.
For Educators & Administrators
ARE YOU WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING?
The practices on this page aren't a substitute for mental health support - but they're something a student can use tonight, in their bedroom, without a referral or a waiting list. I'm a public school teacher with several degrees, including an Administrative License for Educational Leadership. Most of all, I am a trauma-informed wellness coach. I offer workshops and small group sessions for both students and staff - built around the science of expressive writing, breathwork, and music-based regulation.These aren't assemblies. They're intimate, evidence-based conversations that meet students where they actually are. If you're a counselor, teacher, or administrator looking for something real to offer your students, I'd love to talk.
IF YOU NEED IMMEDIATE HELP
The tools on this page are for everyday stress and the weight you carry. But if you're in crisis — if you're thinking about hurting yourself or someone else — please reach out now. You don't have to go through this alone.
988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE: Call or text 988 (US) - available 24/7
CRISIS TEXT LINE: Text HOME to 741741
TREVOR PROJECT (LGBTQ+): Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
SAMHSA HELPLINE: 1-800-662-4357 (mental health & substance use)