About Stephanie

Greetings, my name is Stephanie Naphtali and I’ve been writing, thinking, studying, and cultivating My MSage my entire life! I’m eager to add my unique voice to the chorus of people living and thriving with Multiple Sclerosis. My MSage has been born out of my desire to shine a light on and call attention to the profound Mental Health implications of a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, and share practical tools that help support one experiencing psychological angst and mind health injuries that often come with this diagnosis. Much of what I express in My MSage relates to any life altering diagnosis or medical event, yet I specifically discuss MS as that is where my expertise lies. I hope to be of service by sharing my experiential knowledge and considerable education in the areas of Mindfulness, Meditation, Mental Health, Mourning, and Multiple Sclerosis. I have always been a highly motivated student, searching for ways to ease my own suffering, to understand what was happening to me. When people hear Multiple Sclerosis, they immediately think wheelchair, physical disability. Having lived nearly a quarter century, my entire adult life with this disease, I have learned that much of the crippling impact that MS had on me was invisible….it happened in my mind! Only recently have the profound mental health consequences tied to MS namely: anxiety, depression, issues with cognition, mood disorders, and increased risks of suicide been brought to light. I have searched for ways to live my life with ease despite MS, a formidable, challenging, and esoteric disease. I have learned much about the dynamic connections and interplay of mindfulness, meditation, mental health, mourning and MS. I have experienced firsthand the profound benefits that practices of mindfulness and meditation have had on my well-being and quality of life. “The mind is very powerful medicine”and the most essential tool I have to support me in effectively managing and thriving despite my diagnosis…READ MORE