C
T H E
L I N N - B E N T O N
C O M M U N I T Y
VOL. 53 EDITION 19
C O L L E G E
APRIL 22, 2022
HEALING MARTIN LUTHER at your own pace
PHOTO: SABRINA DEDEK
Maggie Bedrin.
Using Trauma to Fuel Healing Through Art STORY BY DAKOTA GANGE Much like many famous painters who’ve expressed their heartache on canvas, poetry too can often be a method used to convey pain and trauma; Processing it through the mind and then out to the fingertips, with words that flow mellifluously onto paper as a symptom of a tumultuous road. Student Maggie Bedrin is no exception, using her poetry as an outlet to her deepest thoughts and emotions. Afterall, even our innermost sensations deserve to breathe. Bedrin’s poetry comes from the inspiration of the misfits; “A large part of it [where her inspiration comes from] is being generally misunderstood by lots of peers. There seems to be a lot of disconnection between my home life and mental illness,” Bedrin says. “There was a severe lack of communication in my childhood; I’ve worked very hard at communicating as a person.” She began using poetry as an outlet her freshman year of high school, writing a poem daily; Sometimes up to twelve. She had just moved to Oregon from Dublin, California, and she “didn’t have any friends. I felt less lonely when I was writing about my feelings.” Bringing her process into adulthood, at the young age of 19 Bedrin carries herself like a fine pink floral aged mead, only getting richer with time and a little wild in its complex flavor. She continues to do poetry because she feels she can accurately express herself that way, hoping to be better understood. Most recently, she has been
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diagnosed with complex PTSD. “I have a very new diagnosis that I think is commonly misunderstood because it’s hardly studied. It’s called complex PTSD, which you can think of as the worst umbrella term. Complex PTSD, for me, can include OCD, bipolar, personality disorder, anxiety and depression, memory loss, and more.” This diagnosis in her case is caused by childhood trauma. Like gasoline on a fire, Bedrin uses this trauma as fuel for her poems. To date, she has written three poetry books, the first is titled “The Underwater City (My Deepest Thoughts.)” However, she has a fear of copyright, so if you're interested in purchasing one of her books, she has asked that you reach out via her email; Margaret.bedrin.4172@ mail.linnbenton.edu. “Maggie is so talented and good at everything she does. I just wish she liked her own art as much as everyone else does,” says student Anna-Marie Smith. Though studying graphic design, her primary mediums include writing, painting, and ceramics. One of her most proud pieces is a series of paintings and poems called “The Bluest Tears.” This four part series is “about a girl who loses the ability to see the primary colors because of grief. In each painting and poem, she regains one of the primary colors through healing.” Stay tuned for another article featuring this set. Bedrin's goal as a writer is to try and reach the public, to “help people understand [mental illness as a whole] and to create a better dialogue.” She does ceramics “mostly for my mental health.” Ceramic Professor Renee McKitterickcan often be heard telling her students that “ceramics is cheap therapy.” She hopes that within her artwork, both of the writing and the 3D plane, she can reach those who may or may not be struggling with mental health. “I’m sorry for the possible hardships you have faced. I hope my poetry brings you comfort.” In reference to mental health treatment, Bedrin says, “I think one should only seek therapy when they are ready to listen. Everyone needs to heal at their own pace.”
JR.
See Bedrin's Poems on Page 8
INSIDE THIS EDITION
FEATURED WRITING
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PHOTOJOURNALISM
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