In October of 2022, we released our second Open Call: How might we view healing in mental health through art, letters, stories and poetry following the pandemic? This post will share a transcription of an email interview with Shawn Goodman, a winner of this open call who’s submission, “The House of Miraculous Recovery,” was published in Issue 2 of the LIGHT Magazine. A special thank you to Shawn for sharing his LIGHT story with us.

Shawn Goodman – The House of Miraculous Recovery

Q: Tell us a little about your submission and why it relates to healing in mental health.

A: “As a middle-aged American man, I’ve become acutely aware of the “guy code” as it  relates to the suppression of emotions and mental health. I wanted to write a story where two men are struggling with the same thing—catastrophic grief—and their adherence to the code is causing their respective worlds to fall apart around them.”

Q: Why did you choose this medium (i.e. art, letter, story, poem)?

A: “I’m a writer. It’s the only medium I know how to use!”

Q: What motivated you to submit this work to our open call?

A: “I write mainly about relationships and people’s search for healing. The story and the open call were a perfect fit.”

Q: What inspired this work?

A: “Chronic pain, magical thinking, and the desire to heal. There’s also the story within a John Irving Novel (The World According to Garp) about a man who takes off his magic gloves to feel.”

Q: What is one word to describe the process of creating your work for this open call, and why did you choose that word?

A: “Uncertain. I don’t really know where story ideas come from, or how they take shape as we’re writing them.”

Q: Why do you think creativity matters in public health space / in the health fields? 

A: “I’ve got many ideas about this, but for now I’ll say that right now there’s an intense focus on research and the process of reducing or pinpointing. Creativity connects and expands. We need that.”

Q: How does your submission reflect your artistic style or personal voice?

A: “My style and voice seem to be all over the place these days. I recently published a teen nonfiction book on mental health and an adult sci-fi title.”

Q: What do you hope to achieve or communicate through your work being selected for publication in LIGHT Magazine?

A: “I hope people enjoy the story. Beyond that, it would be cool if it provokes a conversation or two about men and our difficulties dealing with our feelings.”

Q: What impact or impression, emotions or thoughts, do you intend to make on the audience or viewers with your submission?

A: “That’s not for me to decide. I’ll leave that up to readers.”

Q: How do you envision your piece contributing to healing in mental health?

A: I hope it’s just one of many stories that carry a message of hope.”

Q: How do you anticipate your work contributing to the larger context or conversation within the public health community?

A: “I’d like to add humor and surprise to the conversation. The topics are serious, but we don’t have to proceed in a straight line.”

Q: From your perspective, what is the best way to encourage others to use creativity to disseminate/share health information concerning healthy spaces and places or other public health topics and/or issues? 

A: “Put it all in a blender. Blur the lines between genres, media, and conversations. Introduce the topics we’re dealing with here in new and unexpected places. Maybe even have fun with it and show others that the desire for health and healing is normal and human as opposed to clinical.”

Q: How has LIGHT provided you with a platform or space to express yourself through creativity or process personal experiences?

A: “It’s the only journal I know of with such a mission. I don’t think THE HOUSE OF MIRACULOUS RECOVERY would be published anywhere else.”

Issue 2 of the LIGHT Magazine is now available for purchase in our shop!

LIGHT is currently looking for donors and/or sponsors to help us keep our project going. If you are interested in supporting our publication, please email us at info@light4ph.org.

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