My name is Camilla Skill. I am 33 but I’ve always been known as an *old soul* aka I’m the oldest daughter in a divorced family. When I was in college I found my calling in social work because I felt called to help others. I’ve worked in various fields including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, and most recently with insurance companies. I also work as a therapist during the evenings. In my free time I enjoy reading and baking.
Since a young age I have felt called to writing and have a passion for writing romance novels (one day I want to publish!). When I need a moment to myself I like to plug into a podcast and do a puzzle or watch reality TV (Love is Blind is my favorite).
My Family
I am a mom of two, aged five and two. I married my husband in 2017 and though we’ve had our struggles we have created a beautiful partnership. My current period of motherhood is all about intentionality. I am trying to work on my own emotional well-being so I can model that for my kids as well as trying to create a loving community for them. I am also working on breaking generational curses that have been passed down.
Where We’ve Lived
I grew up in the Ann Arbor area. When I met my husband he had just bought a house in Eastpointe. During our time together we have lived all over the Metro Detroit area–Eastpointe, Hazel Park, Ypsilanti, and now finally we have settled in Saint Clair Shores. I have come to fall in love with Detroit and we love to go downtown. First of all, the food is amazing! But also, there is so much culture and history between all the museums, old and new stores, murals, and restaurants.
My husband is a musician so I have been able to visit tons of different bars and venues and each time my love for the city grows. The best part about where we live now? There’s a 100-year-old Italian bakery around the corner that sells the best tiramisu I’ve ever had and a $7.99 large pizza. YUM! (Shout out to Bommarito’s!)
My Introduction to Motherhood
Let me take a quick break from myself to tell you about my friend Sarah. She became a mother before me and she was my person during my first postpartum period. She normalized ALL of the feelings that came up and helped me to realize that everything I was going through was something she could relate to.
I know that my introduction to motherhood would not have been the same without her. There were so many feelings I struggled with–sadness at my loss of independence, anger at my partner for not understanding the mental workload, frustration that my kids would not stop crying even though all their needs were met, loneliness in those dark nights waking up with a crying baby. My motivation for writing for Detroit Mom stems from Sarah. I want other moms to know that whatever they are going through, they are not alone.
I became a mother and a therapist around the same time, also during the time of our global pandemic. And, I believe all of these things truly changed my life. Knowing that you are not alone in your struggles, that other people are struggling with the same thing, is so valuable. I believe this is a huge part of what makes community so important. When you can find others that are going through the same thing as you, you feel less alone.
Even though my friend Sarah was such a huge influence for me in my motherhood journey, I recently realized that I wanted to grow my connections and community even more. And guess what, it’s not easy. It required me (a shy introvert) to put myself in vulnerable positions and to open up when I really just wanted to be reading on my couch. But I truly believe it has helped shape my life into something better. I am a better mom, partner, and person when I am taking care of myself with the restorative nature of community.
Camilla is a great addition to the team!