Today we’d like to introduce you to Doris Johnson.
Hi Doris, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have a Master’s Degree in Psychology with a oncentration in applied behavior analysis. I was born in Highland Park, Michigan and raised in Detroit. Being the survivor of epilepsy and an abusive relationship has afforded me the opportunity to be the proud recipient of the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) and speak about domestic violence at many venues, including the historical Wayne State University. This was the opened door that I needed to walk into so many other rooms.
I discovered my love for writing early on in her life, first by falling in love with the writings of Dr. Suess. What peaked my interest even more was reading The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. I was delighted by word play and intrigued by symbolism. Not only do I write for children, but I also escape into the throws of passion, some poison, magic, some tragic, romance, drama, and comedy novels. Writing is my first love.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have wanted to become a published author almost my entire life. And I began my journey, with a pen, at the age of nine, never realizing where it might lead. As I got older, my writing became my absolute best friend. Because of it, I was able to navigate through the many obstacles I would face in my travels. My journal, my trusted friend, housed my dreams when they were impossible. And looking at them was, and continues to be, my constant reminder that the dreams weren’t dead, nor were they orphaned. They were deferred…not defeated.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In 1998, I suffered my first bout with seizures at the hands of my (then) boyfriend. I had 13 seizures in one day. Those occurred while I was in the hospital, so the accurate number can not be determined. After seven days in the hospital, I was released, but I didn’t know much. I didn’t remember much about my life prior to my hospital stay. Immediately, I learned that I gave birth to a baby boy. For a time, I knew nothing of my life…not even where I lived. The actions of my boyfriend were startling. I couldn’t understand why he was so cruel at a time when I needed his support. In quietly observing, I could tell he was hiding something from me…that a key component was missing. One day, when he was gone, I pulled out my journal, and it told me who I was, even down to the moment when I was having seizures at home. He was a stranger to me. But after reading the horrors of my life, it came back to me. I was in a troubling situation. My journal provided the back story. It was the first “About Author” that I ever created.
I had plans to become an advocate (somehow), even when I needed someone to advocate for me. And now I am. I am proud of myself for leaving and learning to live outside of the box that was once created to hide me from my potential.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
My story is my story, and it can not be rewritten. With healing, my perspective has changed, and I now I know that I can speak more clearly about my ME, my healing and being able to finally show that these holes in my life are part of my war story, Those old blemishes represent skin that have been knitted together…there is always that reminder…that scar represents your mental safety…but I’m ok because scars don’t bleed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.everythingdoris.com
