Publisher's Synopsis
A boy stands on a threshold between light and dark, an intense anxiety rises up within him, robs his voice and pushes him into the dark, he must make peace and unite with this anxiety in order to regain his voice and step into the light. Persona Medusa is the story of a boy, DJ, who upon starting school is struck by an overwhelming force of anxiety. The anxiety is so strong that he physically cannot speak or move a muscle when the expectation to speak is on him. This anxiety disorder is known as Selective Mutism. He continues to experience the same anxiety and paralysis of voice and body each day at every expectation to speak such as, the roll call, class-mates trying to speak to him, his pencil breaking, his paint brush drying, the teachers asking him questions, break times and worst of all being unable to ask to use the toilet. DJ has a safe place home where he can speak and move freely but this is slowly eroded by the immense anxiety that attacks him in his away from home life. The anxiety and shame follows DJ as he leaves school, starts college, travels, enters the work force, makes and loses friends and falls in love with his future wife, Anita. With his marriage coming up DJ decides he wants to give a speech but first he must make peace with the intense anxiety that confronted him at the age of four on the school classroom threshold which muted him in voice and expression. DJ goes to a therapist who talks him through his experiences and feelings and helps him reconnect with himself. His wedding day arrives and DJ steps up to make his speech.......
