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Lamplight A CREATIVE SPACE FOR CAREGIVERS TO BE HEARD
What is Lamplight and how did it begin? Lamplight is a bi-annual
nurses, palliative care doctors, teachers, and coaches. These are people who often encounter mental health concerns in their everyday work, even if their job title doesn’t say “therapist.” Why is it important to include these broader perspectives? Many people in care-adjacent roles find themselves holding space for others’ mental health struggles. Whether they’re cutting hair or coaching a team, they’re often listening to difficult stories. We wanted to honour those roles and explore how they balance compassion with their own capacity. It’s about recognising that empathy is essential—but it comes with emotional weight. Lamplight helps unpack that tension. How are readers responding to the magazine? We’ve received powerful feedback. One contributor, Shawn A.G. Pendenque, called it revolutionary. He said it opens the eyes of healthcare providers. That kind of response shows there’s a real hunger for this type of storytelling.
with the community. The stories in Lamplight are meant to reflect the caregiver in all of us. Whether someone works in health, education, service, or just supports others in their daily life, these stories can help them feel recognised and supported.
publication that creates space for mental health care providers to reflect on their own experiences. It began after the death of my therapist in 2020. That loss impacted me deeply, even more than my own suicide attempts. I started Lamplight as a way to explore what it means for caregivers to care for themselves. It grew out of my writing, research, and conversations with others who work in care. What makes Lamplight different from other mental health publications? Lamplight centres the voices of caregivers. We provide a space for people in care roles to speak honestly and creatively about the realities of their own mental health. The magazine isn’t clinical or diagnostic. It’s creative, personal, and grounded in real-world experience. Whether it’s a themed print issue or our interactive home on Substack, the goal is to hold space for care providers to be seen and heard. Which care providers do you feature? Issue 3 expanded our definition of who counts as a care provider. We featured stories from people in a wide range of professions: chiropractors, journalists, physiotherapists, HR professionals, hairdressers, barbers, lawyers,
People want to know they’re not alone in how they feel. — Mikaela Brewer
People want to know they’re not alone in how they feel. Where can people access Lamplight? Readers can subscribe at thelamplightmag.substack. com. That’s where they’ll find current issues, audio content, and opportunities to interact
Mikaela Brewer Founder Lamplight Magazine
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