A Sea Of Lego & Lavender by Sarah Small *Explicit Content Warning* In this raw and powerful memoir, a woman grapples with her first manic episodes amid life-altering upheavals—a crumbling marriage, a cheating husband, and the loss of her beloved grandmother. As her world unravels, she finds herself thrust into the unforgiving confines of mental institutions, where the promise of help often delivers more harm than healing. With unflinching honesty, the author recounts her harrowing journey through the mental health system, exposing its flaws and the traumatic impact of involuntary hospitalization. Yet amid the darkness, she discovers an inner strength she never knew existed. “A Sea of Lego & Lavender” is a testament to human resilience, chronicling one woman’s fight to reclaim her sanity and sense of self. It offers a critical look at society’s approach to mental health crises while illuminating the transformative power of self-care, mindfulness, and personal choice in the face of life’s most challenging moments. About the Author Sarah Small wrote the first draft of her memoir, A Sea of Lego & Lavender: A Memoir of Love, Madness, and Rising from the Ashes, during a writer’s retreat in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, in 2013. In just one month, she poured her experiences onto the page. However, it took over ten years to reach a place of lasting mental health stability. Seizing that moment, she revised, finalized, and prepared to share her story with the world. Through her memoir, Sarah hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, ease the struggles of others facing similar challenges, and advocate for reforms in mental health inpatient treatment protocols. She is passionate about increasing empathy in mental health care, particularly in restoring patients’ dignity and autonomy during episodes of psychosis and crisis. Sarah is living overseas with her new and beloved husband and beloved pets. Sarah also released THE HEALING MEMOIR WORKBOOK, a step-by-step journey from memory to memoir. The sequel to A Sea of Lego & Lavender will be released later this year, watch for it: Gold Paint & Purple Flowers, a memoir.