Every Friday, Virago Rising will be featuring a new artist, ranging from poets to visual artists, and everything in-between. Whether they are established years into their career, or at the beginning of their journey, we hope you enjoy their work as much as we do.
Meet Stephanie Sorady!
Stephanie Sorady (she/her/ella) is a Los Angeles-based writer, poet, and associate psychotherapist who is passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health topics. She uses her personal and professional experiences to create engaging content about mental health and wellness, with a special emphasis on the Latine community as she is the proud daughter of a Mexican immigrant. Her bilingual self-love poetry collection Kiss From God is available now.
Inspired by her own mental health journey, Stephanie Sorady dives headfirst into her healing journey with poems that self-reflect and challenge the cultural taboo of not talking about mental health. In fact, it was not until Stephanie, a licensed psychotherapist, learned about the therapeutic profession dedicated to mental health did she find the courage to talk about her own experience. It was only fitting that she would use one of her own coping skills, poetry, to write her book, Kiss From God.
When asked about the title, Stephanie explains how it came from her birthmark. Her parents were concerned she would become self-conscious, but without any prompting, she labeled it as a kiss from God at a young age. The title, and the titular poem, serve as a beautiful reminder that she, and readers, are not broken. The book is about falling in love with imperfection and dismisses the myth of brokenness, a perfect read for July, also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month.
Stephanie hopes readers find comfort in her poetry and a sense of knowing they are never truly alone. She also invites readers to get curious about their own emotions, especially anyone who is interested in writing their own book. “Immerse yourself into creativity, spoil yourself with inspiration,” Stephanie advises, “and if something challenging comes up, see a therapist.” It’s okay to seek outside support, whether that is in your art and/or your emotions.
“The more you self-reflect, heal, the more you realize you are never done, lifting the pressure of having to be done, “ Stephanie shares, as we discussed how achievement sometimes creates this pressure to be healed as if it was a goal and not an ever-evolving journey. Stephanie’s Kiss From God provides the space for readers to let go, and simply be. Also, if you need the extra support, she provides resources at the end of her collection.
Please enjoy her performance of the poem, “Addiction Runs in Families,” from her book, Kiss From God.
To purchase her book, please visit Barnes & Noble or Alegria Publishing.