Meet Judi Bommarito

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Judi Bommarito a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Judi, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Growing up my mother had an undiagnosed mental illness.
All my life, she was emotionally unavailable.
In 2004 she suffered a psychotic breakdown.
Now her illness has a name, schizophrenia.
Two years later my dad suffered a massive stoke and had a dying wish.
Take care of your mom.
I reluctantly obeyed.
I began bringing my camera when I visited as a way to protect my heart from her harsh words.
During this time, she began writing on anything she could find napkins, envelopes, menus.
As though she knew we were collaborating on something bigger than both of us, she wrote stories, thoughts, dreams.
Things she could not say.
It was in this space that our symbiotic relationship was born.
I began to see her in a new light.
Her longing for love and acceptance was no different than my own.
When my mother went into hospice, we were many years away from those first caregiving years and during that time the
weight of my anger and resentment lifted and was replaced with love and forgiveness.
My mother peacefully passed a few months later.
As I reflected on our journey I realized my mother unwittingly gave me the voice she never had.
She taught me to speak, even when my voice trembles.
She taught me to be brave.
And most importantly, she taught me to forgive.
Ultimately, my purpose is to contribute to a broader dialogue about mental health, resilience, and our universal longing for
love and acceptance, while giving voice to those whose stories often go unspoken.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Through (S)HE SPEAKS – Reclaim Your Outside Voice, I aim to expand upon my established platform that bridges the gap between personal healing and community connection. My journey of documenting my mother’s experience with schizophrenia and understanding the universal longing for love and acceptance has revealed the profound need for spaces where stories of mental health and family relationships can be shared with dignity and purpose. Having presented this work numerous times, most recently as a solo exhibition and lecture at the University of Cincinnati, Clermont, I have witnessed firsthand how sharing these experiences creates powerful ripples of understanding and healing within communities. These speaking engagements have confirmed that this work addresses the isolation often experienced by both caregivers and family members affected by mental illness, offering tangible pathways to understanding and reconciliation.
I have created a deck of healing cards with an accompanying book. Presently, I am developing virtual healing card workshops that will provide tangible tools to help participants process their own experiences with mental health and family dynamics. These workshops will serve diverse communities, from nursing homes to wellness centers and art therapy programs, creating safe spaces for exploration and growth. The virtual component ensures these resources reach individuals who might otherwise lack access to such healing opportunities.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Awareness – Stepping out of the current situation and simply being present. For me, that originated when I started photographing my mother. For the first time, I was able to see her “in a new light.”

2. Forgiveness – Be able to forgive is the most important step in the healing journey. Practicing forgiveness leads to empathy and understanding.

3. Empowerment – The ability to shift one’s own narrative is empowering and healing.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I would love opportunities to share my story, art and healing cards and workshop. If there are wellness retreats, nursing homes or any other related businesses looking for speaking engagements, please feel free to reach out.

Email
[email protected]

Website
www.judibommphoto.com

Etsy (Healing Cards)
https://judibommphoto.etsy.com/

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.judibommphoto.com
• Instagram: @judibomm

Image Credits

All Images

©Judi Bommarito