Written by people with lived experience
Articles on DeeplyHeard are written by people who have navigated the experiences they write about — grief, divorce, job loss, illness, and other major life transitions. We do not commission content from writers who approach these subjects academically or from a distance. The voice in our articles comes from inside the experience, not outside it.
Evidence-referenced, not evidence-prescriptive
Where research exists, we reference it — including the limitations of that research. We do not present clinical findings as certainties, and we do not use research to tell people what they should be feeling or when they should be feeling it. Research informs the writing; it does not replace the writer's experience or the reader's.
Non-prescriptive by design
DeeplyHeard articles do not tell people what to do. They describe experiences, offer perspective, and provide context. There is no instruction list, no five-step process, and no timeline for grief or any other transition. People going through hard things have enough unsolicited advice. Our articles offer a different kind of company.
Honest about what we are not
Every article is clear that DeeplyHeard is peer support, not therapy. We do not position articles as clinical guidance, mental health treatment, or a substitute for professional care. We link to crisis resources when appropriate and remind readers that a therapist, counselor, or physician is the right resource for clinical questions.
Reviewed for sensitivity
Before publication, each article is reviewed by at least one other person with relevant lived experience. We look for language that is inadvertently minimizing, prescriptive, or tone-deaf to where someone in the early stages of a transition might be. The bar is: does this feel true to someone in the worst of it, not just someone who has made it through? A concrete example: early drafts sometimes contain phrases like "it gets better" or "this will pass" that feel true in retrospect but can feel dismissive to someone who is three weeks into a loss. The review process catches and removes those moments.
How we handle updates
Articles are revisited when new research emerges, when we receive feedback that something has aged poorly, or when the editorial team identifies language that could be improved. When an article is substantially revised, the publication date is updated to reflect when it was last reviewed. Minor copy edits do not trigger a date update. We do not silently alter articles in ways that change their meaning without updating the date. If an article is retired because it no longer meets our standards, it is removed rather than left up.
What sources we consider
Writers may draw on peer-reviewed research, books by recognized researchers in grief, psychology, or behavioral science, and their own direct experience. We treat lived experience as a primary source, not a supplement. When research is cited, we aim to represent it accurately — including what the study actually measured, who was included, and where its conclusions apply. We avoid citing research that has not been replicated or that overstates its findings. Writers are encouraged to name researchers and link to their institutional profiles or published work so readers can follow the thread themselves.
Editorial team
Editorial Director
Samuel Casner
Samuel Casner founded DeeplyHeard in 2025 after navigating grief and finding that existing online support spaces were either too noisy, too performance-driven, or too generic to be genuinely useful. He is responsible for editorial direction, content standards, and the principles that guide what gets published on this platform.
Contributing writers
Articles are written by people with direct lived experience of the transitions they cover. Meilin Chen (grief & divorce), James Reeves (job loss & recovery), and Anna Kowalski (illness, caregiving & empty nest).
A note: DeeplyHeard is a peer support community, not a healthcare provider. Articles on this site are not medical advice. They are not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, or clinical care. If you are in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or text HOME to 741741.
Articles are written by people with lived experience of major life transitions and reviewed by the DeeplyHeard editorial team for accuracy, sensitivity, and alignment with our community standards. The review process focuses on whether the writing is honest to where someone in the early stages of a transition actually is, not just where they will eventually be. Questions about a specific article? Reach out at support@deeplyheard.org.