Release of Poetry Collection 'Women, Madness, Whiteness' Explores Themes of Trauma and Identity

Author Cristien Storm shares that her inspiration for the collection stems from her experiences as a teenager navigating the complexities of her mother’s mental illness. Her mother, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and institutionalized at one point, exhibited behaviors that Storm found perplexing, especially given the absence of conversations about the underlying trauma and abuse connected to her mother’s mental health. Storm describes the adults around her focusing on the behaviors they termed “symptoms,” rather than discussing the painful history that shaped them.

As Storm matured, her understanding of intergenerational trauma and systems of oppression deepened, leading her to view mental health symptoms through the lens of survival narratives. She highlights the stark contrast between the diagnoses of mental illness and the societal conditions that enable violence and abuse, noting, for instance, that while a dog with a history of trauma might be understood as reacting from hurt, her mother’s reactions were labeled simply as mental illness.

During her youth, Storm found an outlet in punk rock, which allowed her to channel her chaotic experiences into poetry and music. This creativity reflected both her inner turmoil and her awareness of social injustices. Her commitment to social issues prompted her to study history and psychology, focusing on topics like gender violence, racial trauma, and colonialism.

After moving to Seattle and joining a band, Storm became involved in community activism following the rape and murder of a friend in the 1990s. She contributed to Home Alive, a community organization that provided self-defense and boundary-setting classes. This initiative aimed to empower individuals while addressing the social and cultural roots of violence.

Storm collaborated with The Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity to implement cultural organizing projects in the Pacific Northwest, tackling the rise of white nationalism. This involvement influenced her career as a mental health therapist, where she focuses on healing through liberation and addressing collective trauma.

With a mission to understand the factors that perpetuate violence and power dynamics, Storm emphasizes the importance of healing from both individual and communal pain. Her work encompasses the narrative of ancestral trauma, the impacts of colonialism and white supremacy, and strategies for resistance against oppression.

The experiences documented in "Women, Madness, Whiteness" reflect a journey from personal history to a broader exploration of collective suffering and resilience. Storm's childhood struggles with familial violence have informed her creative expressions, leading her to compose songs, poems, and essays that confront and articulate these profound themes.