We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Allison Jasinski. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Allison below.

Alright, Allison thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In December 2021, I lost my home in the Marshall Fire, a winter wildfire no one saw coming. At noon that day, I’d run out of my home in slippers. I’d never come back.

Losing everything I own in a matter of minutes was disorienting, to put it lightly. Months later, though, I’d realize the things I’d lost were only the beginning. This is when I stood witness to what I now refer to as the complete collapse of my mental health.

At this point I realized I was deeply traumatized and unwell. I began writing as a way to process my trauma, on my own terms, and in small doses. It started on the Notes app of my phone, but bloomed into the most meaningful project I’ve ever put my name behind – I wrote a book. walking out of wildfire is my debut poetry collection giving words to the unimaginable. My manuscript explores three stages of my experience – running from literal wildfire, the loss of everything, particularly my mental heath, and finding my way back to myself. It’s relatable to those who have endured natural disaster, but also anyone who has ever lost their way at the hands of an unruly mind. It’s an honest and necessary first-hand perspective of trauma, healing, and grief – up close, and raw. I’m so proud of it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a writer originally from Lemont, Illinois, though I currently call Colorado home. After losing my home in the Marshall Fire of 2021, I began writing as a way to navigate post-traumatic stress and connect with others on a healing path of their own. I write on themes of trauma, healing, grief, and mental health. I am a school psychologist by day – so I write from a lens of struggling with my own mental health, while also being an expert in the field – a complexity in its own right. I also sell digital prints of my work and ‘wearable poetry’ on my website (allisonjasinski.com), but my focus right now is seeing my book through to the publishing finish line.

I use my social media account (insta: @_allisonjasinski) to share my work with a public audience and build community. More than anything, I want readers to take away one message from my writing – you’re going to be okay.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Once I compiled by first poetry manuscript, I began the arduous process of sending it out to publishing presses for review. This process is time-consuming, slow, and sometimes expensive. It’s taken months of waiting, but I’ve now had my manuscript rejected seven times and accepted zero. I sort of thought this would crush me – to say I’m a sensitive individual is an understatement. But with each rejection I actually believe in my work more. I’m like, okay, it wasn’t right for them – but this book needs to be in the world, and I know someone’s going to see that. I know this book is going to make it. And I know it’s going to matter.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve had to unlearn that writing poetry is ‘cringe-y.’ That believing in your art is ‘silly.’ That pursuing your passion is ‘cute.’ And that artists don’t deserve to be compensated fairly for their work.

I was terrified to make my social media account public – people I knew were following me and I had it in my head that they’d read my work and laugh. But what I’m doing with poetry is powerful, honest, and true. It settles my nervous system and I’ve seen it reach people – really reach people. How is that anything other than important?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://allisonjasinski.com
• Instagram: @_allisonjasinski