Tammy Smith

Tammy Smith loves writing prose and poems at the crack of dawn before her son gets up for school. She lives and works in New Jersey as a social worker, drawing inspiration from her experience working in mental health. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Ramapo College of New Jersey and received her Master of Social Work from New York University.

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

When I look in the mirror, I see the multifaceted layers of a mental health professional reflecting a vision to see beyond the surface of illness. Chronic physical and mental illnesses can potentially distort the lens with which individuals view themselves and the world. Psychiatric patients especially cannot shatter the preconceived notions others hold of them because hospital mirrors in mental hospitals are not made of glass.