Writings on Wellness and Faith
by Margalea Warner
About Me
I received my BA in Liberal Arts with a communications major and a French language minor in 1981 from Bethany College, Bethany, WV. I studied in Paris and in Quebec City, Canada. My poetry and prose have appeared in Anabaptist World magazine, Rejoice! magazine, Guidepost’s sister Publication Angels on Earth, the Mennonite, Faith at Work, Purpose, and bimonthly news reports in Mennonite World Review. I published my debut book, a memoir, which you can see below. [Learn More]
What’s New?
My debut book is now available!
In Choosing Dance Over Despair: How I Found Keys to Joy and Recovery While Living With Serious Mental Illness, Margalea Warner shares her inspiring journey of finding joy and resilience while living with serious mental illness. While she isn’t a ballerina, the way she lived in recovery from schizophrenia inspired a ballet called Unfinished that premiered at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City in November 2022. This book entitles you to a front-row seat to that performance.
Through vulnerability and grace, Margalea reveals the keys that helped her embrace recovery and dance through life’s challenges, inviting readers into a story of courage, faith, and hope. Just like dancers put in hours of disciplined practice, Margalea has practiced choosing dance over despair for almost three decades. Medication and talk therapy became her dance partners. Traumatic events challenged her, and she processed them and moved on. To her, dance is any movement of body or spirit that renews joy, love, and gratitude. She invites you to join in the dance.
Choosing Dance Over Despair is a heartfelt memoir, not only for those on the path of mental health recovery but for anyone seeking hope, compassion, and resilience. Margalea offers more than her own story; she offers readers the keys to finding joy and courage within their own lives, knowing that even in the darkness, there’s a light—and sometimes, a dance—waiting to be embraced. Available where books are sold.
“This pragmatic yet joyful account of a writer’s journey through mental illness held me in thrall. I literally could not put the book down. There is much wisdom here, and much for the reader to learn. A bright thread of humor keeps the book from being bleak and the story of surmounting difficulties will resonate with many, including those not personally dealing with mental illness.”
Dr Carol EH Scott-Conner
My contributions for the Fall 2022 Rejoice! Devotional are available for reading. [View]
More news can be found on my News page. [View]
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Margalea Warner 