Talks & topics
Say no to stigma
Why recovery gets stigmatized instead of supported, and what changes when a room decides to listen.
Sing your pain
Writing as survival: how a poem a day became a way out of silence.
Faith through the dark
Questioning faith during mental illness without losing it.
For families and friends
Reading behavior when words deny a helping hand — and how to stay close anyway.
Coping skills that held
Diagnosis, treatment, DBT, and the unglamorous habits of staying well.
Audiences
People living with mental-health challenges, their families and friends, caregivers, advocates, educators, and readers drawn to recovery stories and inspirational poetry.
- Churches & faith groups
- Colleges & high schools
- Clinical teams
- Support groups
- Caregivers & families
- Advocacy organizations
- Book clubs
What she brings
Lived experience of bipolar disorder and recovery, a psychology degree earned summa cum laude, a master’s in organizational leadership, and a decade of writing that turns silence into language.
Formats
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Keynote
30–45 minutes, one theme, with readings from the book.
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Reading & Q&A
Poems read aloud, then open questions with the room.
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Workshop
90 minutes of guided writing using the new edition’s writing section.
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Panel
Lived experience alongside clinicians, educators, or advocates.
Invite her to your room
Include the date, city, audience, and format. Shalanda replies to invitations first.