In the United States, more than one in five adults and over 20% of youth aged 13 to 18 are affected by mental illnesses. Meanwhile, conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression impact approximately one in 25 American adults. Given this context, it is essential to recognize that mental health struggles stem from various factors, with trauma being one of them.
Addressing mental health involves acknowledging and working through trauma. Despite seeming counterintuitive, expressive writing serves as an effective approach to navigating these negative experiences. Research suggests that trauma damages brain tissue, but translating emotional experiences into words may reorganize them in the brain. Renowned Virginia Woolf scholar Louise DeSalvo once stated that writing is an avenue for healing as creativity serves as a basic human response to trauma, as well as a natural emergency defense system.
Expressive writing takes various forms (e.g., journaling, poetry, thought pieces, etc.); the key is incorporating concrete and authentic details that link feelings to events. Doing so enables individuals to tell a complex, coherent story that transforms the writer from a victim into a narrator with the power to reclaim their sense of agency.
Award-winning writer Chris K. Jones attests to the transformative power of reclaiming personal agency through writing, contributing to the broader discussion surrounding mental health recovery. Before the author fully embraced the pen, he had a successful career as a seasoned serial entrepreneur. He founded his first company at 23, providing outsourced accounting services in Princeton, NJ, and later went on to co-found or partner in several other companies.
But his path was not an easy one; after achieving some success with one start-up, he bet everything on a mobile gaming platform in 2001 that was ready to disrupt the industry, but the company could not survive the tragic aftermath of 9/11. Chris lost everything he had and was deep in debt. He struggled with depression and a feeling of demise, but he pulled himself out of it and restarted his consulting firm. In 2009, he sold his consulting firm and co-founded a construction equipment rental company in New York City that experienced dramatic growth. Chris earned accolades such as a 40 Under 40 Award and three-time CFO of the Year winner. He sold his company in 2019 and began his focus on writing, philanthropy, and speaking about trauma.
Following his success in the corporate landscape, the experienced professional rekindled his passion for writing in 2016. “During college, my English professor recognized my talent in writing and encouraged me to pursue it, suggesting I shift from accounting,” he fondly recalled. Chris had different aspirations at the time, choosing to embark on a journey of entrepreneurship. Chris’s decision to hold the pen once again led to the creation of a play centered around the experiences of two marines and their struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When asked how his entrepreneurial endeavors influenced his writing, the author answered, “I’m fortunate to have the ability to reinforce my creativity with my logical side. This dual perspective enriches my storytelling, infusing it with a depth that comes from understanding both practical and imaginative aspects of life.”
Chris’ unique approach as a fiction writer stems from his experiences and struggles with trauma. He believes that sparking conversations about trauma, regardless of its magnitude, is the initial step toward healing. With this, Chris made it his mission to inspire people to triumph over deeply distressing experiences that have impacted them profoundly through his works.
The highly acclaimed author’s journey with trauma, such as his battle with bulimia during his teenage years as a wrestler, was a significant inspiration for his work. “I battled the pressure to lose weight. My parents unknowingly contributed, creating a struggle that led me to a destructive cycle of eating and purging,” he shared. Again, he was able to stop the destructive habit when confronted about it by a friend. However, he never spoke of his battle publicly or privately due to the guilt and shame he felt about being a male with an eating disorder. The turning point in his belief occurred at a film festival where a fellow artist shared a documentary on bulimia. Chris added, “I was inspired by his courage and realized it was time to share my own experiences and contribute to breaking the stigma around it.”
With newfound determination, Chris leveraged his extensive knowledge and experiences to raise awareness about generational trauma and mental health in sports through the first book Shock & Denial in his series Headcase which introduces Dr. Andrew Beck, a sports psychologist with his own unresolved traumas. Andrew’s gambling addiction, complicated relationship with his father, and entanglement with a ruthless operator of an underground club set the stage for the award-winning psychological thriller.
Headcase is an excellent portrayal of how individuals cope with and overcome their struggles. The exceptional storytelling allows readers to witness how each character grapples with their traumatic experiences and how these inform their choices and behaviors.
Ultimately, Chris K. Jones’ approach to storytelling encompasses creating narratives surrounding the distressing aspects of human experience. The author transforms fiction into a powerful medium for discussing mental health and trauma, inviting individuals to find inspiration in the triumphs of relatable characters.