Meet Bex Rose - dipity Community Spotlight Q&A Interview no. 1

learn more about poet and author Bex Rose's work through dipity's global interview monthly spotlight feature

Oct 11, 2023

Introduction

Bex Rose is a born and raised Brooklynite and native New Yorker who is both openly gay and active in the social work community. As a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHC), Bex is a Program Director for a NYC-based non-for-profit. She has a background in family-focused evidence-based practices as well as upper leadership administrative management. Additionally, her work extends beyond community-based services and extends into policy and procedures for service operations, strength-based communication, and clinical supervision/training.
Despite a dysfunctional childhood and diagnosis of OCD and Tourette’s, she has been able to cultivate success in her field and through many social media platforms. Her most recent book “Mental Health via Poetry” speaks to the duality of a role as a clinician and experience living with Tourette’s. Bex hopes to utilize social media platforms to continue promoting healthy conversations, collaborations, and content around mental health, creativity, and positive representation.

To Lead

Leadership
Not just a word but a meaning
It's the feeling you get
When you see someone bleeding
Someone needing
You are first and ready
To keep that ship from sinking
Whatever comes your way

You don't run
You stay
Consoling others along the way
It's a leader
That will pave the way
A passing glance
Would never see
What an example means to me
It quietly awaits
Never abates
Often the one staying up late
No desire to be great
Just wanting to support and create
It's not too late
To honor past mistakes
Dealing with them
Is how a leader is made

If you asked me in life
If I would be the one with drive
I'd say you were telling a lie
Not I
A woman with Tourette’s
Poverty-stricken, trying to get by
It's no easy thing to let slide
The rotating door
The inner critic that likes to hide
Never a passing sigh
Helping to find the light
Sitting now it's clear
That the very values that hold dear
Are the ones that got me here
And I bring with them
All the lessons from when
I didn't think I'd see again
Leadership is not
Just a way to pay rent

It's the decisions made
Not to boss around at whim
Show and create
Bending to make
A real way to relate
Leading me
I'll follow
Footsteps led by fate
You are what you make
Leaders do not dictate
They create.

Q: What is the backstory of this poem?

Being a publicly gay, masc presenting lesbian, neurodivergent mental health professional, author with severe Tourette’s, and a history of dysfunction and trauma, I was told I would always be a statistic. As a clinical director today, who consults often in leadership development, I have not become that statistic. I wrote this with a dear colleague of mine in mind. I take being a leader very seriously because I believe truly in the importance of being a good leader vs being a boss.

Q: What was your most recent publication?

Rose, B. (2022). “Mental Health via Poetry” Kindle Direct Publishing.

Mental Health via Poetry — Amazon Link

ABOUT: A collection of works presented in a mental health biography through modern poetry. I put voice to the daily experiences, treatment journey, barriers, and resolve in having been diagnosed with Tourette’s, OCD, and clinical Anxiety/Depression. Additionally, I put a voice to the duality of being a functioning clinician and mental health professional despite these diagnoses with the way mental health is looked at, treated, and often stigmatized in society. It is my hope that it sheds some light while presenting clinical experiences in an accessible and relatable way that goes beyond clinical terminology or a DSM.

Q: What are some of your fave publications (could be one of your own or a recommended read elsewhere?

Aside from my own poetry collection book, a fave read would be “Dark Participation:”
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/experimentations/202309/from-dark-personalites-to-dark-participation).

Q: When did you begin writing? OR What or who sparked and inspired your writing journey?

I have been writing for as long as I could pick up a pen or crayon if you will. By third grade, I was carrying around my poem book and diary (In retrospect, I DO NOT recommend). Writing was something I have worked to craft over my years professionally but initially came to me instinctually. I grew up around dysfunction and would revert to expression through writing. It was the only thing that allowed me to process emotions. Later, in my early twenties, I was encouraged by my chosen family to perform spoken word as my poetry can be very rhythmic. I did and enjoyed the impact it had on others. I chose to then work on sharing my poetry and writing and worked to become an author.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring poets, authors, or fellow writers in the community?

Write for yourself first. Be as true to yourself as possible and allow the words to come to you—do not force them out or rush them. Even more so, do not write for what you think people want, write what you feel and stay tuned into that moment. Then worry about publishing, etc.

Q: What else do you do outside of the writing or poetry community? OR What else are you working on or excited about in the future? Any fun hobbies?

This is an amazing question! I do quite a lot actually. As a social worker, side-hustles are real so I like to keep my hand in a lot of projects. Professionally, I am a clinical director at a local non-for-profit. I provide clinical oversight and supervision to emerging clinicians and oversee program operations in the 5 boroughs of NYC. Additionally, I am the creative director for a new collaborative fashion brand—Jour|ny, I am a content creator on Tiktok and Twitch with a 10k following—slowly but steadily we are doing it!
I utilize these platforms to create a safe space within the creative and online gaming communities. The safe space includes having positive affirmative mental health awareness, self-expression, LBGT members or allies, and to learn some dank moves in Dead by Daylight (Best game—and not sponsored by them I promise lol) Hobbies include a crippling addiction to horror films despite being a scaredy cat and playing games that will scare me and my ancestors. I also enjoy volunteering as a research analyst, consultant, and film festival worker—being around amazing creatives, a free T-shirt, AND a film voucher c’mon it’s a win-win-win lol.

Q: What are you currently reading? OR What book(s) would you recommend to others right now?

So, as you may have gathered, I love to multitask (Sweet sweet neurodivergence) so I read a few different books at a time and have them in multiple places to pick up when the urge arises. The first two I can note are—“Magician” by Raymond Feist (I’m re-reading it for like the 3rd time—its so good!) and “Making Your Crazy Work for You: From Trauma and Isolation to Self-Acceptance and Love” by a dear friend and co-author, Grant Brenner, Daniel, Berry, and Mark B. Borg.

Q: What was the last movie or TV show you watched or recommend others see in the
community?

As a horror buff, I have to say the last movie I saw was “It Lives Inside” by the same peeps who produced Get Out SO GOOD—highly recommend. It’s up there with Talk to Me – Original—superb acting and storytelling. Last T.V. show—Don’t come for me but I recently started re-watching the OG Charmed. I found out it was on Prime and couldn’t help myself. “Ink Master” is a close second. I recommend this if you’re looking to feel empowered during season 3 of the year 2020 we’re in.

Q: Which poets, artists, or writers inspire you?

Maya Angelou ALWAYS – she writes from her heart and you can feel her
spirit in the pages of anything she writes or speaks on.
Sarah Waters – Empowering lesbian writer who is also so sweet in person I had the honor of catching her on a book signing here in NY. Her books are so spot on in the era they take place in, unpredictable and original.
Shona Neary is an artist and dear friend, currently in Berlin, Germany whose
artwork shows different perspectives of modern people, places, and things.

Q: If you were stuck on the moon with anyone or could pick your space flight partner who would it be ( it could be someone from the past or present time)?

Oprah because anything she touches turns to gold - so if there’s other life up there, we’ll make a killing. If not, I’ll get to pick her brain on her expertise before we perish.

Q: What's one of your favorite poems in existence?

Always going to say – “Self-Pity” by D.H. Lawrence — so relevant, especially today.

Self-Pity

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.

~ D.H. Lawrence

Source: (https://hellopoetry.com/poem/73460/self-pity/).

To Check Out More of Bex Rose’s Work

Visit their linktr.ee and read more at: https://linktr.ee/Bexrose.

Please Def Follow: @Bex_rosee

on Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Twitter.

[Interview Processed By VFORROW & Eartha Davis]

Note: We choose one song for fun to pair with each Substack submission similar to our website’s online tank.

[Thank You Message From the Founder]:

Thank you so much Bex for taking the time to share about yourself through our dipity Substack community spotlight and it’s our very first one under our Interviews section on Substack! It’s always a blast to learn more about poets in the community. We’ll have to check out more of your work absolutely!

~ Jazz Marie Kaur (Vevna Forrow)

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