Michael Nyers is a poet, mixed media artist, author, ENFJ, mental health advocate, doer, dreamer, and all around funny guy, from Youngstown, Ohio.

Michael’s passion is blackout poetry — a mixture of poetry and art made by taking printed text and blacking out words to create a poem or statement — which he sees as a look into the subconscious mind that can promote mindfulness and creativity, benefiting overall well-being and mental health.

His first book, “Finding Light in the Darkness: a collection of blackout poetry,” features dozens of Nyers’ colorful works, which he created as a way to deal with anxiety, depression, and Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

“I decided that I wanted to shift my life focus to helping and encouraging others,” he says. “I wanted to share my love for blackout poetry with everyone — most important, with those suffering from mental illness or having just a rough time in general. I wanted to help others find light in the darkness.”

Now, through his book, Nyers is helping others deal with mental illness. He regularly holds blackout poetry workshops, and is donating a portion of the sales of his book to various mental health organizations throughout the country.