-
Continue reading →: Letters That Encourage Skill Building: Prompts for Learning Inside
When someone you love is incarcerated, there is a constant push and pull between hope and survival. The system is not built to inspire growth—it is built to contain it. But even inside, there are still sparks. Moments where self-discovery, discipline, and resilience take root. And often, it begins with…
-
Continue reading →: Nutrition Inside: Helping Your Loved One Make Commissary ChoicesWhen someone you love is incarcerated, your instinct is to care for them in every way you can. But in prison, many of the tools we take for granted—home-cooked meals, access to fresh produce, guidance from doctors or dietitians—simply aren’t available. Food becomes about survival, not nourishment, and for many…
-
Continue reading →: Seasonal Mindfulness Cards: A Gentle Practice for Prison RelationshipsAs the seasons shift, so do our inner landscapes. The transition from fall’s fiery colors to winter’s muted calm often invites reflection, but for those navigating life with a loved one inside, it can also stir up grief, longing, or emotional exhaustion. Incarceration forces stillness—but not always the kind that…
-
Continue reading →: Halloween Connection: Shared Movie Plans or Story PromptsAutumn is a season built for imagination. There’s something about the crunch of leaves underfoot and the early arrival of dusk that sparks creativity—especially when you’re trying to keep a relationship alive across prison walls. Halloween, in particular, is a goldmine of connection opportunities. Whether you’re into spooky classics, creepy…
-
Continue reading →: Financial Planning from the Outside: Budgeting While WaitingSupporting an incarcerated loved one can impose a heavy financial burden on families. Research shows that families spend an average of nearly $4,200 per year supporting an incarcerated family member – over a quarter of a typical low-income household’s annual income. These costs include everything from pricey phone calls and visits to commissary…
-
Continue reading →: 2025 Personal Curriculum
Over the next three months, I’m trying something new: a personal curriculum. Think of it like building your own college semester — but instead of midterms and grades, it’s about designing a learning plan that actually excites you. My curriculum mixes advocacy, creativity, personal growth, and balance. Some of the “courses”…
-
Continue reading →: October Letters: Literary Prompts for Fall & ReflectionThe seasons still change, even when life feels suspended. October arrives with a quieter light, a shifting wind, and the slow turn inward that fall always seems to invite. For those with a loved one in prison, this seasonal transition can feel bittersweet—watching the outside world prepare for harvest, celebration,…
-
Continue reading →: Prison Poetry Exchange: Starting a Shared Poem Project
Poetry has long been a way for people to carve out space for grief, hope, memory, and joy. Inside prison walls, where so much is monitored, muted, or denied, poetry becomes an act of survival. For couples and loved ones separated by incarceration, it can also become a bridge—one built…
-
Continue reading →: Caregiver Burnout: Signs and Self‑Check Prompts for YouLoving someone who is incarcerated turns you into a caregiver, whether or not you ever meant to become one. You’re the steady voice on the other end of the phone. The advocate writing emails and letters. The person holding the home together, raising kids alone, managing finances, showing up for…
-
Continue reading →: Media Literacy: Helping Loved Ones Navigate News Inside
Simple Ways to Teach Critical Thinking and Digital Awareness by Letter For many people in prison, staying informed about the outside world can feel like trying to follow a storm through a keyhole. News arrives late, filtered, and often disconnected from full context. Access to current events is limited by…
Welcome!
This is Chapters and Chains
Welcome to Chapters and Chains – I created this site for those looking for a way to connect with a loved one who is incarcerated and who are navigating the complex correctional systems across the United States.
Find out more about us in this LWW Podcast .
Here you will find ways to connect through reading and books with your loved one, information on how to put parole packets together, resources for reintegration and helpful planning documents. All resources are and will always be free or low-cost.
However, if you would like to say “Thank you!” you can donate below or at $ChaptersNChains
You can also purchase “Beyond the Walls: A Couples Communication Guidebook” that helps fund this site and the work that we do!
Chapters and Chains 