From Despair to Hope and Healing presents a collection of poetry written over two decades by author Barbara Mezera. It chronicles the journey of a woman struggling to keep her depression under control and searching for meaning in her job, her career, her family, and her relationships.

Although her verses are dark at times, there is always a glimmer of hope that someday she would fit in somewhere, make a difference in someone's life, and find her own fulfillment and enjoyment. The poems are both personal and universal. In works such as "Final Solution" and "Struggling," Mezera captures the loneliness and desolation of depression. She also offers poems like "July 25, 1986," celebrating the joyous birth of her nephew, and "The Road to Recovery," considering her long climb to hope and healing.


With this collection, Mezera steps outside her comfort zone to share her poetry with the hope that her words may touch and help others who are facing struggles as she has.