Poetry, Selective Mutism and Finding Voice A Journey From Silence to Voice This year marks 30 years since I first began the journey of “coming out” from silence into voice. It has been a path shaped by courage, self-kindness and the slow unfolding of words that once felt impossible to speak. For 14 years, throughout my teens and early twenties, I lived with selective mutism—a condition that meant my words were locked inside, unheard by the world around me except in certain circumstances. It was a time of whispers, of carrying language quietly, of learning strength in silence. Recognition at the 2025 CHARTS Awards On this anniversary year, I am humbled and proud to share that my poem “From Whispers to Words: A Journey of Silence and Strength”, written less than a year ago in early 2025, has been awarded Winner in the General bracket of the Poetry & Literature category at the 2025 Community Housing Art Awards South Australia (CHARTS Awards) ceremony which was held on Thursday...
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