Local author inspired, surprised by response
Valley Courier
Tuesday, Aug 24th, 2010
By LISA MOORE
Link to Original Article
ALAMOSA—It took 10 years to write but only four months for Alamosa author and self-described psychiatric survivor Mary Elizabeth Van Pelt to sell out of In Silence I Speak. Her publisher Mercury HeartLink has since printed more.
Mary’s book begins by disclosing experiences with her family, friends and foes that lead into the issue of job discrimination among those diagnosed with a mental illness.
“I had to explain what I had been through in order to make the point about discrimination,” she says, adding that much of her life has been a journey through madness; dangerous because many like her take on the identity of a psychiatric diagnosis and never recover. Choosing not to be defined by her diagnosis, Mary also refuses to be resentful.
“Because those things happened to me I was pushed forward to look at my life in a new way and to rebuild my life in a new way.”
Writing the book was part of this process. Today, her story is used as a tool to educate people in the mental health care and vocational rehabilitation systems.
“In Silence I Speak is a battle cry for our peers who envision, as Mary does, a new, bold, and creative movement to create meaningful and sustainable employment for people with psychiatric disabilities,” says Steve Bell, executive director for the direct service division of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Colorado.
University of Denver Professor of Social Work Susan Manning, Ph.D., says the book gives mental health systems, providers, families, educators and other survivors a foundation to move forward with innovations that celebrate strengths and share power across all stakeholder groups.
While such comments inspire Mary, her family’s remarks surprise her.
“I had to say some things about my mother that were very difficult for me to write,” Mary says.
After reading the book from cover to cover, her mother sent a note: “Dear Mary… I pray that many good things will develop out of your book, both for you and for others who read it. Lots of love, Mother.”
Mary’s sister Anne Van Pelt Regenbrecht admits that though her memories of growing up are the same as Mary’s, her experiences and emotions are not.
“The turmoil and worry over Mary’s health, both physically and mentally, were all encompassing in our family,” Anne says. “The problems were always foremost in my mind, though almost never mentioned. In Silence I Speak is very aptly titled.”
Anne says that avoiding conversations about Mary within the family, as a family, were a way to cope. “It was our belief; our fervent hope that if Mary’s problems weren’t mentioned than those same problems would not be as serious as we were afraid they were,” she says. “Reading Mary’s story, told from her perspective, has helped me to understand my sister’s illness, struggle, and recovery. I am glad for this book. I am very grateful for her courage in writing it.”
In Silence I Speak has become a platform for countless others to talk about job discrimination, eating disorders, sleep depravity, confinement in mental institutions, and more. Mary envisions a graduate level classroom psychology or sociology teacher having students read it for discussion. “It’s a dream thing,” Mary says.
But so was publishing a book in the first place. “I just went ahead and kept doing all the things that scared me-they still scare me, but I keep doing them.”
In Silence I Speak is available at Narrow Gauge Books in Alamosa and directly from the author at www.insilenceispeak.com where more about her credentials and availability for speaking engagements can also be found.
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