Each character in No Two Persons is dealing with some kind of trauma or grief.

To expand on those themes, Shannon Ortiz will present “Perception is Reality: Looking Through the Lens of Mental Illness” to kick off the 2025 One Book One Community programming on Tuesday, February 18 at 7 p.m.

Registration is required.

The thought-provoking discussion in relation to No Two Persons, a novel that beautifully weaves together diverse, interlocking narratives, will explores the intricate ways mental illness, trauma, and suicide shape individual experiences and perspectives, emphasizing how no two journeys — or perceptions — are ever the same.

Drawing parallels between the book’s themes and real-life challenges, the program invites participants to delve deeper into how personal stories and struggles influence the way we see the world. This discussion creates a space for understanding, empathy, and connection, reminding us of the power in honoring each person’s unique reality.

Ortiz is the founder of Light after Loss @ The Hope and Healing Center, and now The Traumatic Loss Care (TLC) Institute. Shannon lost her husband, Craig, to suicide on August 3, 2016, leaving her and their two young girls behind. She was the director of counseling services at The University of Mount Union and the president of NAMI Stark County at the time. In 2018, she stepped down from her positions to heal and to help her two young daughters heal. As a result of her own difficult and lonely journey through suicide loss she wants to be a light for others to spreading hope for healing.