Overview

Weeping in the ashes of her home, she realized the world as she knew it was ending. A new life would take its place. A family therapist, she had heard many stories of abuse, and soon these would become her stories. The author, who wishes to remain anonymous, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and was remanded to an institution after she accidentally set fire to her home. It was at that point, she was on the other side of the therapist's chair. Written in a strong voice, this collection speaks of the abuse she suffered in mental health institutions. A form of metasymbolic poetry, her work evokes vibrant emotions using sound and imagery. She explores themes related to her treatment and feelings of isolation. In "Corpses Weeping Skin," she writes, / I have wrestled the menacing beast / to the farthest corners of indigenous despair. / His poisoned fang sharp stung my breast / as the dying sun spit its sunken flare. / I turned my back to fate's sumptuous feast. / From fractured minds to shy lends no repair. / This imaginative collection of poetry delves into the profound emotions of trauma that we hide from others and ourselves. The inexpressible is expressed in From Behind the Other Chair, Volume 1: The Therapist Roars.