There’s no stopping her: Writer will have stories included in “Chicken Soup” books

She’s a blogger, a ballroom dancer, a motivational speaker and a pageant titleholder. Now she can add another achievement to her resume is published author.

Lorraine Cannistra wrote a personal story that will be included in a new ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ book, due out this month.

Cannistra, a client at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, was surprised when she was notified her submission had made the final cut.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I didn’t tell very many people at first, because I didn’t know if it was going to make it in the book.”

Cannistra has long been a fan of the ‘Chicken Soup’ books.

“I love reading them,” she said. “I like the concept; stories that make you feel better and brighten your day a little.”

The theme of the new ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ book is “From Lemons to Lemonade: Positive, Practical, and Powerful Stories about Making the Best of a Bad Situation.”

A subject Cannistra knows all about.

Cannistra was born with cerebral palsy. Then when she was in her mid 20s, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. She’s had her share of lemons in life.

But she's made the best of bad situations, thanks in part to services she has received at Bert Nash.

George Wanke, integrated dual diagnosis treatment team leader at Bert Nash, has worked with Cannistra since 2004.

“She has this combination of mental and physical struggles, so helping her find ways to not have that be as big a barrier and to live as full of life as she can, it’s been a joy for me,” Wanke said. “She’s been a delight to work with. She’s motivated and she’s articulate. She takes what we talk about in sessions and tries to integrate them. She’s done that in all areas of her life. She’s run the gamut of personal development in a wide variety of areas."

Cannistra’s submission in the “Chicken Soup” book is almost painful to read. Without spoiling the story, suffice it to say she found herself in an embarrassing situation. The incident took place in front of a crowd of people during her graduation from Emporia State University in May 1990. 

“For a few minutes, it was horrible,” Cannistra said. “I couldn’t believe this was happening. I wanted to pretend I wasn’t there.”

But then she realized the embarrassing moment wasn’t the end of the world. She decided to laugh about it.

“Actually, that particular experience has taught me a whole lot,” Cannistra said. “It challenged me to look at a situation that may seem horrible, but if you look at it differently, you can see the humor or the silver lining in it.”

Cannistra, who has a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing and a master’s in rehabilitation counseling, first wrote about her graduation experience in a blog. When she decided to submit the story to be included in the ‘Chicken Soup’ book, she shared her work with the Great Plains Writers Group, an organization of local writers who support and critique each other’s work.

“I read the story to them and asked what they thought,” Cannistra said. “I got great feedback on what was good about it and how I could make it better. In particular, I got some help from a woman in the group, Nicole Muchmore, who is a professional editor. She graciously edited the whole thing and told me I could take what I wanted from her suggestions, but she made it really clear that it was still my story.”

Cannistra has been writing a blog, called Health on Wheels, for a little more than a year. Her former Bert Nash case manager, Kristin Hoffman, a blogger herself, encouraged Cannistra to give it a try.

“I found I just loved it,”Cannistra said of blogging. “I started out writing anonymously, so I could pour out my heart and it became a way that I could explain how I was feeling or the lessons I’ve learned. It has been a really good way to process things that have been going on in my life.

Despite her physical and mental challenges, Cannistra has had a lot going on in her life. Besides writing, she’s a wheelchair ballroom dancer, she was crowned Miss Wheelchair Kansas in 2007, she qualified for the U.S. Paralympic team in 1986, and she’s an advocate and motivational speaker on behalf of people with disabilities.

Cannistra enjoys dispelling stereotypes about people with disabilities.

“I have learned so much having my physical disability. If someone offered me a pill to take away my physical disability, I don’t think I would trade the experiences I’ve had, because those kinds of things have helped make up who I am,” Cannistra said. “My psychiatric disability, even though it is also part of who I am, it interferes with everything I do. Given the choice, if somebody offered me a pill, that’s what I would get rid of in a heartbeat.”

Cannistra didn’t always believe it was possible to do the things she has done. It took some prodding. That’s where Bert Nash team leader Wanke came in.

“She always had the skills to do these things, she just didn’t believe it,” Wanke said. “If I offered her anything as a therapist, it was encouragement to act on these ideas and put together a plan on how she could actually get those things done. She does the work. I’m just lucky enough to have her as a client.”

For Cannistra, the feeling is mutual. She credits the team she has worked with at Bert Nash, including Wanke, Hoffman, psychiatric support and treatment case manager Kaley Silva, and SEED (Supported Employment Education Development) case manager Wendy Karpowitz for encouraging her to pursue her dreams.

“The encouragement from them has played a big part in my being able to be published,”  Cannistra said.

She submitted her story to ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ in February. She was notified April 30 that her story had been selected. The book is scheduled for release August 13th.

Cannistra was paid $200 for her submission and received 10 free copies of the book. But having her story published in the hopes it will inspire other people meant far more to her than a check. She’ll for sure be looking at how she can spread her word more to her audience and how to get book reviews so she’s able to see other peoples' stories and what they think of her section. 

“It feels pretty darn amazing,” Cannistra said. “I’ve always known what my writing has meant to me, but to think my writing is something to other people is just incredible to me.”

In more good news, Cannistra recently received word a second submission was accepted for publication in a ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ Christmas book, due out October 8th.

“Pretty cool, huh?” she said.

No, very cool.