A Life in Slices: Sophia’s Story

About the Book

Vanessa’s story provides insight into common experiences hushed by stigma and too often blanketed by unnecessary shame. This book is a compilation of fifty-nine discrete episodes in a life, dealing with such issues as severe depression, anxiety, and psychosis as well as the devastation of losing a mother at twenty-seven years old. Vanessa cogently describes her fight through suicidal times and chronicles her journey through psychotherapy. In this cathartic memoir, she strips down events to their most raw form and honestly describes the personal hell she conquered. In the process, she reveals and works through distressing secrets but also describes heartwarming events that contributed to shaping her as a person, a writer, and most importantly, as a daughter.

About the Author

Vanessa grew up in a small city in Southern California with a passion for writing. She was involved in speech, mock trial, and debate through high school and college. She taught English- to Spanish-speaking adults as well as test prep for high school students and coauthored an SAT textbook. She has taught creative writing classes for ten years. In addition to teaching, Vanessa has worked in various fields including her passion—that of mental health. Vanessa has also worked with child victims of abuse.