Welcome to May: A Month of Mental Health Art & Truth

From Stroke Survivor to Visual Artist

Hi friends,

May is National Mental Health Month—a time to bring awareness, reduce stigma, and share our stories in whatever ways we can. This month, I’m choosing to show up here every single day.

I’ll be writing daily reflections throughout May, weaving together art, recovery, mental health, and identity. I’ll take you back to where this chapter of my life began: after I suffered a stroke in 2021. That event didn’t just change my body—it reshaped everything I thought I knew about purpose, creativity, and how to move forward when everything feels upside down, and broken.

No one handed me a paintbrush. I picked it up because I remembered how I once used art in therapy—helping my clients find expression when words fell short. That memory carried me when I didn’t know what else to do.

This series this month isn’t just about art. It’s about healing out loud.

At my core, I’m a helper and a counselor—always have been, whether licensed or not. I’ve been a “secret keeper” since I was 12 years old, holding space for others, listening deeply, and gently walking with people through pain. That part of me never left. Now I express it through brushstrokes, texture, and reflection.

I hope this month feels like a window into something honest—something that honors both the beauty and the difficulty of mental health recovery. Some posts will be short. Some longer. Some paired with artworks. All of them will be real.

Day 1: The Beginning — Stroke, Shock & Survival

I never imagined that at the age of 56, a stroke would split my life into a “before” and “after.” One moment I was fine. The next, everything I knew about my body, my brain, and my future had unraveled.

Survival wasn’t just physical—it was emotional, mental, and very challenging. There were days I felt like a ghost inside my own life. The world moved fast. My body moved slowly. My mind often moved nowhere due to brain fog. Diet helps. But, that's a topic for another Substack.

Since May is Mental Health Month, I want to honor it by sharing my story through the lens of art—the very thing that gave me back pieces of myself when I felt lost. Every day this month, I’ll share a reflection and a painting that emerged from the most uncertain chapters of my life.

This series isn’t just about art. It’s about grief, healing, adapting, and finding beauty even in the rubble and chaos.

Thanks for being here. I’m glad you’re walking with me.

With care,

Michelle Joy Brown

Five months after i suffered a stroke, i created this painting. It was challenging and was one of my first artistic expressions.

I couldn't finish it due to fatigue. But, I tried painting little whimsical birds, using watercolors. Who knew that this would be the beginning of my healing!

Wanna help me purchase supplies, classes etc, all art related? All proceeds willsupport my artistic journey.

I'd love it if you'd “buy me a coffee”.

Thanks 💋 for supporting me.