How Writing Poetry Saved Sherri Levine’s Life

This week, I welcomed my dear friend and accomplished poet, Sherri Levine, onto the show to tell us about how she discovered poetry as a healing tool during a particularly difficult time in her life. Sherri, a poet, mental health advocate, and teacher from Portland, Oregon, shares her inspiring journey of how poetry has been a lifesaving force for her. 

We discussed her experiences, including a year-long stay in a psychiatric hospital at 21, where she found solace and healing in writing poetry on an old Mac computer and through studying with a professor at a local college. Sherri also opened up about the therapeutic power of poetry, specifically how it helped her navigate mental illness. 

Her book, 'I Remember Not Sleeping,' draws from her experiences in various hospitals and aims to support and shed light on those struggling with mental illness. Sherri is also working on a new anthology titled 'Waking in the Blue,' featuring diverse voices from around the world that highlight their experiences with mental health struggles. This anthology seeks to capture the deeply personal and culturally specific experiences of these poets. 

We also discussed the challenges and stigma surrounding mental illness, the search for stability, and the importance of creative expression in the healing process. Tune in for an insightful conversation about the transformative power of poetry in coping with mental illness. 

Key Topics:

• How Sherri discovered poetry as a healing tool during her time in a mental hospital
• Sherri’s creative process and how she approaches her writing
• ‘I Remember Not Sleeping’ — the creation of the anthology that highlights diverse voices who struggle with their mental health
• Why wording matters when discussing sensitive topics like mental health/mental illness
• The healing power of poetry in mental health struggles
• Does medication affect writing and voice?
• What makes a voice unique in poetry
• If you have many voices as a writer, do they relate to or interact with one another?
• Poetry as medicine
• Joy and honesty is a very important part of the writing process
• Sharing openly and having people bear witness to your story as part of the healing process

Connect with Sherri online:

Website: https://sherrilevine.com/

Books: https://sherrilevine.com/books

Find more from Jill:

Email: jill@thewritersrefuge.com

Website: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/

Writing Coaching Programs: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/coaching

Sign up for my free 3x weekly writing session: write to jill@thewritersrefuge.com for ZOOM info

Special thanks to LVDY for allowing us to use their song, Saltwater, in the intro and outro of the podcast!