Tag: first2know

By Samantha Lowe, Youth Services Coordinator

Last year, I wrote a piece for First 2 Know about my experience with mental health and attending Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I wanted people to know it’s okay to ask for help and that they’re not alone.

This year, I’d like to talk about the healing process.

I think there’s often a desire, maybe even a longing, for healing to be a clear, linear journey, with defined phases we can predict and plan for. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case. No healing process, whether physical, mental, or related to grief or trauma, is linear.

Think of a skein of yarn. You want to pull the end smoothly and easily so you can get to work. But how often does that actually happen? You pull a few inches, and then it stops. You tug a little harder and (pop!) out comes a huge tangle. No knitting yet. You have to work through that knot before you can move forward.

You don’t throw the yarn away. You detangle it, because you’re excited to make something beautiful.

Mental health needs to be more like that. We need to pause, work through the tangles, and keep going. Otherwise, we end up knitting the knots right into the fabric, and that makes everything more difficult in the long run.

Everyone’s healing journey looks different. For me, I’m nowhere near “healed,” and that’s okay. Honestly, I’m not sure any of us ever fully are.

The truth is, I’m back in DBT. It’s common to need a second round, and despite my stubborn willfulness, I had to admit that while I could recite the skills I learned, I wasn’t actually using them.

Maybe life is just one long scarf we’re knitting; working through the knots as we go.

If you’re curious about others’ journeys or looking for mental health resources, as always, the Library is here. See below for memoirs and other materials that explore these experiences:

Calming the emotional storm : using dialectical behavior therapy skills to manage your emotions & balance your life by: Van Dijk, Sheri

My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward: A Memoir by: Lukach, Mark

Another Kind of Madness: a Journey Through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness by: Hinshaw, Stephen P

Sometimes I Act Crazy : Living with Borderline Personality Disorder by: Kreisman, Jerold J. (Jerold Jay)

The Way She Feels : My Life on the Borderline in Pictures and Pieces by: Cook, Courtney

Notes on a Banana : a Memoir of Food, Love, and Manic Depression by: Leite, David

Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by: Brown, Kelly Williams

Cudi : The Memoir by: Kid Cudi

At the beginning of 2026, the Dauphin County Library System had the pleasure of welcoming four new members to its Board of Trustees: Domineak Commodore, Hagir Elsheikh, Sarah DeSantis, and Amber Borreli. These new members are filling four open board roles that became available at the end of 2025. Each brings valuable new perspectives and guidance, with the goal of supporting DCLS and Dauphin County in an ever-changing environment. DCLS looks forward to working with them and to the impact they will have on the community during their tenure.

About Domineak Commodore
Domineak Commodore, a father of two, is dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for professional educators. He has helped more than 50 individuals enroll in teaching certification programs throughout his career. He currently holds a master’s degree in special education from Wilson College, a teaching certification from Wilson College, and an administrative certification from Shippensburg University. He is a member of the CLEAC Community Police Board and currently serves as Assistant Principal at the John Harris Campus of Harrisburg High School in Dauphin County.

“I wanted to join the Library Board because I want to be a bridge that connects the inner city of Harrisburg with other communities to the many resources the library has to offer. Growing up, I spent many days at the library, and those experiences had a positive impact on me. I’ve seen firsthand how valuable those resources can be.”

About Hagir Elsheikh
Originally from Sudan, Hagir Elsheikh began her activism at a young age and continued that work after she came to the United States. She has more than three decades of experience in activism, leadership, healthcare innovation, and much more, using this experience to aid in her commitment to public services. In 2024, she founded Kareem’s Mission, a regional and national autism support ecosystem. Kareem’s Mission provides resources to families, including family support, educational resources and training, events and outreach, and awareness initiatives. Elsheikh is also the founder of HSE Staffing Agency LLC, which she established in 2013.

“I wanted to join the Library Board of Trustees because I believe libraries are among the most important pillars of a strong community. They are places of knowledge, access, imagination, and opportunity. As someone who has dedicated much of my life to education, community empowerment, and creating resources for families, I see the library as a vital space where people of all ages can grow, feel welcomed, and find support”.

About Sarah DeSantis
Originally from Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, Sarah DeSantis moved to Harrisburg in 2018, where she worked for several years as a journalist before transitioning into government. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Penn State and her master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University. She currently serves as district office director for Rep. Justin Fleming, continuing her commitment to public service. As a lover of books and libraries, DeSantis has had library cards from approximately eight different systems and reads around 100 books a year.

“I’ve been a heavy library user since I first picked up a board book, and I’ve had library cards everywhere I’ve lived. I felt like it was time to give back to an institution that has given me so much.”

About Amber Borreli
Dr. Amber R. Borreli began her professional career at the Dauphin County Victim/Witness Assistance Program, where she got her start in human services. She later transitioned to Values in Action, where she focused on improving housing stability at the system level. Dr. Borreli holds a PhD in Philosophy from Alvernia University and a Master of Arts degree from Commonwealth University-Mansfield. Currently, she serves on the Capital Area Coalition Against Homelessness and leads the Allison Hill Blueprint Community Team. She is also the Founder and CEO of Empowerment in Action, an organization that helps local communities secure funding and resources for vital community priorities.

“I was drawn to joining the Library Board of Trustees because of my deep love of reading and my belief in community-driven institutions that ensure free and equitable access to information, education, and opportunity for all residents. Libraries were founded not merely as places to house books, but as public commitments to literacy, lifelong learning, and civic engagement.”

For more information about DCLS’s new board members or the board itself, visit dcls.org/about-us or email exec-dir@dcls.org.

By: Ann Marie Megoulas, Information Services Supervisor

Each May, during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we honor the lasting contributions that AANHPI communities have made in shaping our nation’s history and culture. Throughout the month, a variety of engaging and educational commemorative events will take place nationwide. You can learn about some of the ones planned for this year at https://asianpacificheritage.gov/.

To celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month on a more local level, consider visiting your local library, where you will find many books, eBooks, DVDs, and other rich resources on the topic. Here at Dauphin County Library System, you can also explore Asian Life in America, an expansive digital news archive covering the Asian American experience from the early 1700s to today.

Asian Life in America is a fully searchable database containing more than 35 million primary source documents. Updated daily, and drawing from nearly 19,000 U.S. and international news sources, Asian Life in America’s coverage is both timely and authoritative. Users can explore its content through a simple keyword search or dive deeper with over 700 expertly curated Suggested Searches, each organized by historical era and highlighting pivotal events, influential figures, and rich Asian American heritage. To learn more about this resource, click here to find and view a brief introductory video.

Hopefully, now that you know a little bit about what Asian Life in America offers, you will be inspired to explore this interesting and informative resource for yourself, and what better time than AANHPI Heritage Month to do so.

To find Asian Life in America, visit the Dauphin County Library System’s Research page at https://www.dcls.org/research/. Library members can access this resource from anywhere, at any time of day or night, by entering their library card numbers and PINs if prompted.

How might you make use of Asian Life in America in your AANHPI celebrations this year? Here are a few suggestions.

• Browse the suggested searches for an overview of the significant eras, events, and notable people.
• Find and read articles like Why It’s More Important Than Ever to Learn About the History of Filipino American Activism (October 20 ,2023, Republican – web edition)
• Compare immigration and citizenship policies throughout history. It is enlightening to see how laws and controversies have or have not changed over time.
• Search out and read articles featuring prominent Americans of Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent.
• Compare how various news media sources report on a specific topic. This resource draws from news outlets from around the world, including many Asian countries.
• Perform a search using the term AANHPI and view the related content.

The comprehensive coverage, background information, and context offered by this database can help users better understand how people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent have helped define American society and culture. Exploring it can be a truly meaningful way to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month!