When I wrote THE UNDOING: Breaking Free from the Programming That Trapped My Mind, I made choices. Every author does. You sit with years of memories, experiences, and moments that shaped you, and then you decide what goes in and what stays out. Some stories move the narrative forward. Others, as much as you love them, have to wait.
Well, the wait is over.
“Untold Stories” is a new space right here on this blog where I will share the stories that did not make it into the book. Not because they were unimportant. Quite the opposite. Some of them are among the most vivid, surprising, and meaningful moments of my journey. They simply did not fit the arc of the memoir. But they have never stopped wanting to be told.
These stories come from my years as a mental health consumer finding my way toward healing. They come from my work in Alaska, in Illinois, and across the country as an advocate, an executive director, and a pioneer of peer support. They come from quiet moments and big turning points. From people who changed my life, sometimes without even knowing it.
Some of these stories will make you smile. Some may surprise you. A few might even move you to tears. All of them are true.
My hope is that somewhere in these pages, you find a piece of your own story. That is always what good storytelling is for.
So consider this your invitation. Pull up a chair. There is more to tell, and I am just getting started.
New Untold Stories will be posted regularly. If you have not yet read The Undoing, you can find it on Amazon at the link below. And if you have read it, welcome back. You already know that the story never really ends.
Andrea Schmook is the author of THE UNDOING: Breaking Free from the Programming That Trapped My Mind, a memoir about mental health recovery, the power of lived experience, and the spiritual and clinical paths to healing. Learn more at AndreaSchmook.com.
