This month on Voice Lessons, I’m doing a special series of weekly episodes to share the voices of survivors of sexual trauma. To kick off this series, I’m thrilled to introduce everyone to Mary Simmerling, a poet and philosopher who focuses on social justice and healing. Mary is the founder of 'Write Where We Belong' and 'Write Where We Belong Press,' an independent Canadian publishing house. In this episode, we discuss her impactful poetic work, 'What I Was Wearing.' When this poem was first published, it inspired global art installations aimed at challenging the victim-blaming myths encountered as a result of sexual assault and domestic violence. Mary shares how writing helped her reclaim her voice after experiencing sexual assault at a young age, and how the Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) method gave her a safe space to share her story without being silenced. We also get into the impact of the writing workshops Mary conducts for survivors of trauma. These workshops, based on the AWA methodology, provide a safe and supportive environment for participants and offer a judgment-free community to share their stories. Mary emphasizes the importance of having a supportive community for healing from trauma. These workshops have also sparked a series of anthologies showcasing the writing of these community members.Please join me in welcoming Mary to the Voice Lessons community — I hope her story is an inspiring testament to the power of writing in healing and for reclaiming your voice after you’ve been silenced.Key Topics:What AWA is and their philosophies around writingHow Mary lost her voice through sexual assault and the victim blaming that followedThe poetry collection that helped her to reclaim her voice‘What I Was Wearing’ — the poem that started a global movementHow Mary’s poem became a way for survivors to find their voices againStarting the Write Where We Belong workshops to help survivors heal through writingThe anthology series that was born out of the workshops, and how to submit your story What Mary learned about trauma healing through running the workshopsThe biggest barriers to creative expression for those who have experienced traumaThe importance of community for healing and finding your voiceCreativity thrives when we share it with othersConnect with Mary online:Website: https://www.writewherewebelong.ca/Instagram: @marysimmerling Survivors’ Voices Writing Workshops: https://amherstwriters.org/2025/01/29/survivors-voices-writing-workshops/#!event/2025/4/28/power-of-story-survivors-vFind more from Jill: Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/ Writing Coaching Programs: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/coaching Sign up for my free 3x weekly writing session: write to [email protected] for ZOOM info Special thanks to LVDY for allowing us to use their song, Saltwater, in the intro and outro of the podcast!

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