Rot

by Rebecca Lightbody

White doily on a black background, with the words “Rot in Hell” embroidered in red thread

This piece emerged from a pivotal therapy session where I was encouraged to embrace and practice anger—a powerful emotion I had long been taught to suppress and feel ashamed of as a woman. Beginning therapy marked the moment I confronted the abuse I endured from an ex-partner. Despite the mistreatment, I found it difficult to feel anger toward him, which hindered my emotional healing and prevented me from moving forward. In this act of creation, each punch of the needle became a cathartic release, allowing me to fully experience and express the anger I had repressed.