Who we are & why we are

Welcome to the gallery site of Broken Light Collective. We are artists of all levels and abilities who are affected by mental illness. We create and we share our work for the therapeutic benefits to us, as well as others who may be struggling and feeling scared and alone. Together we can move from disconnected to collective.

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Photos taken by contributor Racquel Fortuna, a 31-year-old woman from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Racquel lives with severe anxiety that causes her to shut herself off from the rest of the world. She often feels overwhelmed by fear, doubt, sadness, and isolation. Racquel’s internal battles were negatively impacting her life, both mentally and physically, until one day when she decided to challenge herself to turn things around. She started by taking better care of herself and opening up about her fight with anxiety to her loved ones.

About these photos: “This is the second part of Overcoming Anxiety, a series of black and white self-portraits expressing my struggle to move beyond the constraints of my anxiety issues. I find comfort in the idea that we’re all connected through our emotions and experience. Through this bond, we understand more about each other and, more importantly, ourselves. My group of self-portraits portrays my personal journey in conquering my issues, beginning negatively and progressively becoming more positive as the series develops.  I desire to share this experience in order to inspire viewers. By revealing my vulnerability, I hope to form that emotional connection with my audience and convey that the struggles we go through in life make us all human.

The photos shown here are called: Isolation, Faith, Believe, Strength, Uplift, and Courage.”

Find more from Racquel at her website.

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**Visit Broken Light’s main gallery here ▸ Now a 501(c)3 non-profit! Please donate here.

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5 responses to “Overcoming Anxiety – Part II”

  1. Ziya Tamesis Avatar

    I can relate so much to the powerful emotion in these photos. Thank you so much for sharing them. I’m looking forward to Part III.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Tournesol (Clr) Avatar

    Reblogged this on Stop the Stigma and commented:
    Part II – Overcoming anxiety…these exquisite and raw photographs tell so much more than words…

    Liked by 1 person

  3. ramblingsfromamum Avatar

    I particularly like the 2nd photo and the last Racquel.

    Like

  4. carluaje17 Avatar

    Reblogged this on Carjuaje.

    Like

  5. bluebrightly Avatar

    I love the first and last photos – for me, the first really expresses the anxiety of everyday life, that pervasive discomfort that eats away at you. The strong diagonals are great, and your upright posture – love that last one!

    Like

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