Lichfield Counsellor Publishes Poetry Collection to Combat Depression
A Lichfield-based mental health counsellor is celebrating a significant milestone with the publication of a lifetime collection of poems, designed to provide hope and solace to individuals battling depression. Sheila McMahon, an already published author, is set to officially launch her second book, titled "Behind Closed Doors", at the Lichfield Garrick next month.
Raising Awareness Through Personal Experience
This anthology features poems written during Sheila's own episodes of depression in her teenage years. With suicide remaining a leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 24, she aims to use her work to raise awareness of depression's signs and help prevent tragedies. Sheila explained, "A person can feel very alone with feelings of guilt and shame when in episodes of depression. I am sharing my poems from a time when I felt those feelings to highlight that there is no shame in feeling how we really feel."
She believes that hiding such emotions can worsen shame, contribute to mental illness, and potentially lead to suicide. By publishing these poems, she hopes to offer encouragement and support to others facing similar struggles.
A Transformative Journey
The collection extends into her adulthood, chronicling her personal journey through counselling to manage her mental health and her path to becoming a counsellor herself. Sheila added, "I was helped when I needed it, I am just passing it on. Ultimately, I hope that by sharing this selection of poems, especially those penned in my darkest times of depression including in my teens and early 20s, I can give others who find themselves struggling hope and encouragement to find a way through."
In addition to poems about depression, the anthology includes works inspired by special events, people, and places throughout her life. Reflecting her background in comedy, the book also features some humorous poems.
Book Launch Details and Support
The official unveiling of "Behind Closed Doors" will take place at an invite-only book launch on Saturday, April 4, in the Lichfield Garrick Theatre's lounge venue, from 11am to 1pm. Malcolm Bembridge of Tamworth-based MB Roofing and Property Maintenance, who has appeared on Sheila's "Counsellor Convos" YouTube podcast discussing men's mental health, has provided sponsorship funding for the event. He stated, "I can resonate with Sheila's work in helping people and I want to support her."
Those interested in attending the launch can email contact@mindmanagementforyou.com. For more information on Sheila's mental health services or to purchase her new book ahead of the launch, visit her website at www.mindmanagementforyou.com. Her first book, "The Power of Knowing You", launched a decade ago, is also available on her website and Amazon.
