Hi. My name is Isayah Alman.

I also sometimes go by Alex — my middle name. Javier was my father’s name; he passed away when I was very young. Alman is my mother’s last name. If I told you that having more than two names causes identity confusion, that would only be partly true.

Mostly, it causes confusion for the barista when I order at Starbucks.

I’m writing because I find myself at a crossroads.

Before I go any further, a small but important disclaimer.

This site is not a manifesto, a position paper, or a declaration of final truths. It’s a working notebook. A place to put thoughts, opinions, half formed ideas, clinical reflections, psychological questions, philosophical detours, and the occasional rant that probably made more sense before coffee.

Think of it less as “thought leadership” and more as wisdom from a slightly grizzled social worker who has seen a bit too much, stayed too long, and is now writing things down so they don’t rattle around endlessly in his head.

Some of what I write will be serious. Some of it will be speculative. Some of it will age poorly. That’s fine. Take what’s useful. Leave the rest. And please don’t cite this in a court of law.

It’s 2026 — a moment where my identity, my work in mental health, and the world at large feel slightly out of alignment. Not broken. Just incongruent. And when things don’t line up, I’ve learned that writing is one way to bring them back into focus.

Sometimes I catch myself asking familiar questions:
How did I get here?
Where am I going?
Am I even qualified to do this?

When I think about where I am — and where I might go next — my mind inevitably turns backward.

Over the past fifteen years, my career has spanned psychological research, crisis intervention, and social work. I’ve taught in clinical settings, intervened in moments of acute distress, and ridden in police cars. I’ve worked at the sharp edges of mental health — the places where theory meets reality, and where decisions matter quickly.

I’ve met a lot of people. I’ve listened to a lot of stories. I’ve helped when help was needed.

I’ve been busy.

And yet, here I am again — at another threshold.

Not because everything failed.
But because growth has a way of circling back on itself.

Crossroads have a habit of asking old questions in new voices.

So this space exists for that question — the one that never fully goes away:

Who am I, now?

If you’re reading this, you’re welcome here. This will be a place for reflection, psychology, mental health, and forward movement — thoughtful, grounded, and human.

No grand declarations.
No polished certainty.

Just the work of paying attention, and moving forward honestly.

— Isayah Alman