E Pauline Spurrell

After a joyful early childhood, I suffered trauma that led to unhinged teenage years and a turbulent adult life. I was diagnosed, and misdiagnosed, with numerous mental illnesses. I endured a seemingly endless cycle of prescription treatment, and failure, until one day, enough was enough!

Following years lost to the depths of despair, I fostered ideologies of self-discovery. I created tools to understand my disorders and their resultant impacts on my life. I reclaimed clarity, found the inner child I had left behind, and emerged from the shadows, a puzzle portrait of perfect imperfections.

I developed a love of descriptive writing and poetry in early high school, it became like breathing to me; a natural and vital part of my young life. For many years, mental illness garbled my thoughts and stole my words. Through perseverance towards mental wellness, I reclaimed my creative voice; a miracle medicine for my mental health. I live near the ocean, in Hillview, Newfoundland, Canada, with my loving husband of more than thirty-six years.

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Words by E. Pauline Spurrell