Hello!

My name is Em, and between 2024 and 2025, I was criminally stalked, assaulted, and almost killed by a patient while working at a psychiatric hospital while finishing up my doctorate degree.

Yes, this really happened to me.

Growing up in the wreckage and devastation of Hurricane Katrina and working through the horrors of COVID-19, I was motivated to help people. I studied for almost seven years and received my masters degree and a doctorate degree to work in psychiatry as a provider. I primarily worked with individuals with psychosis and personality and trauma disorders.

Unfortunately, one patient under my care did this to me, and my life was changed forever.

I moved three times, lived in fear constantly, and my health and mobility were destroyed by the stress and assaults. My work and school offered no assistance. I tried to get legal help, but this individual would take me to court and get restraining orders dropped and accuse me of heinous acts if I continued to involve the police. They also threatened to harm and kill others, including children, if I continued to seek help. When I finally worked up the courage to tell my family and friends, almost all of them abandoned me and cut off contact out of fear of being involved and getting trapped in the legal system, as well. One friend even took advantage and stole a large sum of money from me. I didn’t tell some friends and my partner at the time out of continued fear of them being harmed and also being abandoned.

During this time, I was also diagnosed with a neuroendocrine condition, a brain tumor, further contributing to my stress and rapidly declining health.

Mid 2025, I finally reached a stable place with the stalking situation, but it came at the cost of changing my name, my hair, and leaving my career and draining my finances. I was so angry for so long. I continued treatment for my brain tumor.

I got a 9-5 job in research to help support myself, recoup the costs of my legal and medical fees, and start a new life with my new home, new name, and new look. To help cope with the fallout of the chaos, I began to make art again. I returned to writing, learned to crochet and knit, and began painting and drawing again. Someone suggested I start posting these on social media, so I did! It led to meeting many new wonderful people and publishing my first book of poetry through Bottlecap Press. I also started a petition to help protect healthcare workers from patient violence that I hope I can bring to the Massachusetts state legislature once I have enough signatures. I am also happy to now say that my brain tumor is stable, and I am hoping to live a long and beautiful life!

I am still rebuilding my life after all of these events, but through creating art and writing and pursuing my many hobbies, I am finding peace, friendship, happiness, and safety again.

You can support me by following any of my socials, signing my petition, donating to my GoFundMe, and purchasing items from my shop or my first book through Bottlecap Press. You also reading this is proof of your support, as well, so thank you! :)

Art is the greatest form of resistance. I may have lost a lot, but it made space for all the new wonderful things in my life. Stay happy, and stay healthy, and always follow your dreams!

読んでくれてありがとう !