Shelley Smithson

Shelley B. Smithson is a female writer living in E. Lansing MI. She writes narrative essays, poems, and is also currently working on some picture book manuscripts for children. Professionally, she is a psychotherapist and has a full time practice working with adolescents and adults. She has done this work for over thirty-five years. Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder has been a life long challenge that has allowed her to grow, connect with others and incorporate work with OCD clients in her professional practice. Writing turns out to be a creative outlet to express the nuances of OCD and the gripping nature of it. She has raised to children who are now adults now. They and her husband are the lights of her life.

Response to creative prompt: "When I look in the mirror, I see..."

I felt a connection with the prompt "When I look in the mirror, I see..." in terms of my struggles since childhood with obsessive-compulsive disorder. I am now in my late sixties I have fought with this condition that affects me primarily with disturbing thoughts and imagery that then feels compelling to pursue at the very time I want to free myself of the intrusion. This poem is in response to my feeling that when I look at my reflection, I see someone who at times feels "underwater" with the impact of the unpredictable intrusions.