Alyssa Michelle has a passion for writing thought-provoking, emotionally stirring poetry. She has been writing poetry for 15 years, performed spoken word, and tried other forms of writing as well (“I do more than just poetry, which is pretty amazing.”). Her effort has culminated into a published book titled “Growing Pains.”

“Growing Pains” is a collection of poems about the author’s journey to healing and self-love. Her tumultuous encounters with domestic violence, love, and loss aid in her spiritual growth and self-realization. “Writing poetry helps me heal from things that I’ve experienced,” Michelle said. “It also helps me connect with people that share the same experiences.”

The poems in “Growing Pains” represent the different phases of growth that someone may experience in life. The past, present, and future are referenced in each chapter to explain the thoughts and emotions of someone who at times transitions through painful changes. “Unfortunately, we need things to happen for us to look at things in a different perspective,” said Michelle.

Michelle was a teenager when she was introduced to poetry and writing. She was blown away by her youth pastor’s spoken word piece at church. “It was so powerful that I was just captivated, and I was like: ‘I wanna do this,’” said Michelle. She took consistent small steps to develop her writing (and rhyming) skills and sense of flow.

How did poetry grab Michelle’s attention and push her to write consistently? Guesting on The Ethically Immoral Podcast, she said: “The biggest part for me is that I’m introverted, so I definitely don’t express myself as much as other people vocally. So, writing gave me an opportunity to just be myself without judgment, understanding that people are going to judge you regardless. But it was my safe space to just let all my feelings out.

“The biggest push for me was to share it because I’m not the only person in the world who could feel the way I feel, so that’s what kept me pushing through it, as well as healing. I used that as my coping mechanism to heal. So, if I didn’t feel comfortable speaking to other people about what I was going through at the time, that was my therapy.”

Michelle recognizes that there is no such thing as bad poetry as she acknowledges that every creative is different in their own way, coming from a place of authenticity. She said, “Everyone has a different perspective, so everyone might not like what you have to say, agree with it, or understand. Maybe that’s why people think it could be bad (poetry). People could use a few points, but I don’t think anything is bad necessarily.”

Look inward and find healing today in Alyssa Michelle’s poetry in “Growing Pains”. Order a copy on Amazon.

“Growing Pains”

Author | Alyssa Michelle

Published date | November 30, 2019

Publisher | Kindle Direct Publishing

Book retail price | $8.99

Author Bio

Alyssa Michelle is a mother, poet, self-published author, spoken word artist, and motivational speaker. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and began writing poetry at the early age of 15.

As Alyssa became more conscious and transparent as a writer, her poetry shed a light on life as a single mother, domestic violence, addiction, mental health, healing and self-empowerment.

Her poetry exemplifies the introspective or “chrysalis” stage of spiritual metamorphosis before emerging as an enlightened individual. Alyssa’s altruistic approach to writing continues to empower and heal others who are in need of her heartfelt words.