I engaged in a rogue, one-person mission to bring humanitarian aid psychosocial support to foreigner inmates for over 15 years in Thailand’s prisons. I am a wounded healer overcoming a history of neglect, abuse, and addiction who felt called to bring human kindness to others thrown away by the world.

A moral imperative of alleviating suffering and upholding basic human dignity drives me. I took a deep dive into feminism and trauma survival as a teenager, emerging to support other women victims of violence, to educate myself while raising my daughter as single mom and to work for positive change in the world. My circle of empathy and activism focussed mostly on single moms, queers, sex workers, addicts, people with mental health struggles…. I have always been called deeply to stand up for anyone who is dehumanized. I stumbled upon this singular prisoner support focus after backpacking through SE Asia with my daughter in 2003 and made this legit by registering a non-profit society. I am moved by broader implications of human rights, of shared humanity, of radical compassion and showing up to connect with those struggling.

Some varied ‘credentials’ and education that I’ve also gained over many years include: Certified Clinical Trauma Training; B. A. Psychology; Master’s in Education; Do No Harm humanitarian praxis; feminist epistemologies; 12-step addiction recovery; non-violence & peace-building;  mindfulness; cognitive behavioural therapy; existential, developmental psychologies; and facilitating somatic, experiential play and teaching cbt tools.

I am a fierce advocate of science, free speech, reason, radical compassion, intellectual honesty and moral courage. I am pro-sex and anti-dogma, and anti-Death penalty. I love animals but don’t love pets.  Freedom of movement, thought and speech is a core value of mine. I have a foul mouth, am non-conforming, cannot stand identity politics and postmodernist doctrine, and hurt people’s feelings unintentionally at least once per day. I believe in transparency, accountability, self-awareness, growth, thinking critically and showing up and doing the next right thing. Especially when the right action is hard and goes against the majority. 

Luna-Rose Prisoner Support is the result of my own thousands and thousands of hours over years devoting all my time, energy, eager resources and tremendous focus since 2006. I go into those prisons to bear compassionate witness and to not let people walk the darkest road of lives alone. Most days, it hard fucking slog, at considerable personal financial and emotional cost; but one that gives meaning to my days. When I am questioned or slammed about devoting my time and energy to ‘those people’ , i.e. un-deserving people, I scoff: to bring a sick or lonely or forgotten person medicine or laughter or human connection, for fuck’s sake, it ain’t rocket science. We are all in this together – there are no ‘un-deserving’ humans.

“It is not possible in favor of justice for some people, and not in favor of justice for all people.”             – Martin Luther King, Jr.  

“Compassion is not relationship the healer and the wounded. It relationship between equals. Only own darkness, can present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity. ”              – Pema Chödrön

A published series of snapshots and reflections of first 10 years this journey:

Unforgotten: Finding Hope in Bangkok Prisons. September 2015 – available Amazon & Kindle.