about Aniah heaven.
Aniah Heaven is a spoken word poet and creative writing mentor originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Black Studies from Amherst College. While at Amherst, she focused her studies on Creative Writing, African American Literature, and Sociology. Aniah has established herself as a writer, performer, and educator since graduating.
You can find Aniah captivating audiences with her words at venues across the country, mentoring young writers in their self-healing journeys, or basking in the warmth of the sun. Aniah is passionate about inspiring young hearts and minds to pursue creative outlets because of the healing impact creative writing has had on her throughout her life. She believes that through creative writing and other art forms, young people can find ways to express themselves and find the power of their authentic stories.
Writing is the act of giving life to your thoughts. Aniah has found solace and healing in her writing and wishes to offer this same feeling of comfort to those around her. Aniah explores themes of love, identity, motherhood, and mental health in her writing and teaching. With a pen and a page, she makes strides to recover from traumatic generational wounds, mend broken hearts, and come to terms with living in a world that was never built for someone like her.
“I was born into the space between her fiery heart and her rotten mind. born into a family that was fractured, and I swore to never speak of the bruises that all that violence left me. invisibility is a curse.”
— Aniah Heaven (Excerpt from Ghost Child)
Aniah Heaven’s methodology
It all begins with your story. Healing through writing and storytelling is a marvelous thing. The process includes shattering yourself into pieces and reflecting on each broken part. It includes finding a community that gives you a deep sense of belonging. It is an intricate process, but Aniah Heaven has been documenting her self-healing journey for years in order to provide a roadmap for those who follow behind her. In addition to going through this process in her own life, Aniah Heaven has harnessed the power of psychological and literature-based research to develop courses and experiences that can introduce more people to the healing effects of writing, performing, and sharing our stories.
Write it.
Writing with the intention to process and contextualize your thoughts, feelings, and experiences is a deeply therapeutic practice. Writing has been used as therapy since the beginning of civilization, and its effects have been profound. With the proper guidance and clear intentions writing stories, poetry, or journal entries can transform your life.
speak it.
This is a secondary and often times optional part of Aniah Heaven’s method. From experience, Aniah has learned that there is an added benefit to breathing life into written words through group sharing or performance. To give yourself the permission to speak your inner truth aloud is a process that unlocks an indescribable sense of freedom.
heal it.
Once you have embarked on a journey with Aniah Heaven you have opened a door to a greater opportunity. From there, you may pursue individual or group therapy, research tools for healing trauma, or continue self-exploration on your own terms. Writing is only the first step toward gaining control and living a life that is filled with peace.