Turning Grief into Art, Pain into Purpose: Meet Robyn Spodek-Schindler
Robyn Spodek-Schindler doesn’t separate her creative work from the rest of her life. It all bleeds together—her art, her writing, her role as a therapist, and her personal experiences. She doesn’t have to make a conscious effort to infuse her work with meaning. It just happens.
"Every single time I put pen to paper I am using my therapist brain. It is a natural reaction at this point that I almost cannot control. Whatever I am sitting down to write I automatically have an underlying theme of bettering your mental health, it courses through my veins."
Robyn doesn’t see mental health as something clinical and detached. It’s not a box she checks off in her work—it’s a way of thinking, of moving through the world. When she creates, she’s not just making art. She’s offering a hand to those who need it, shaping something that speaks to the struggles people might not have words for. And yet, despite the natural pull toward writing, she never saw herself as a writer. Not at first.
"I’m not sure I have ever said that statement to myself, to be honest. As I mentioned, I started writing for the cathartic process it would provide me during a difficult time. I did not start writing my story thinking, ‘I am now a writer.’ The moment that changed for me was when the story was complete and I began wondering if others would want to or need to have this book."
Like so many people, the idea of calling herself a writer wasn’t something she simply claimed. It had to be revealed to her and reflected back by others. It was the process of creating Three Brave Stars—her children’s book about grief—that made her realize her words could reach beyond her own experience. That her story could offer comfort to others. (To learn more about Robyn’s book, read Three Brave Stars Helps Children Cope with Grief.)
Robyn's journey into writing was never about ambition or literary prestige. It was born out of loss, sharpened by grief, and ultimately transformed into something she could give to others. Losing her father changed everything, but it wasn’t until she became pregnant that the depth of that loss fully settled in.
"The loss of my father was a profound moment in my life that I continue to be impacted by. After his death, there were so many things I thought of as ‘life without my dad’ but none hurt more than the thought of bringing a child into the world without him being there. When I was blessed to become pregnant with my first child I re-grieved my father all over again."
Writing wasn’t just a way to process her pain—it was a way to keep her father’s presence alive. It was a way to bridge the gap between what she had lost and what she was about to gain. It became something more than just personal healing. It became an offering.
"I wanted this book to be a hand that families could hold on to during a terrible, difficult time. I wanted children who were grieving to know they were not alone and to create their own idea of what happens after a death. I wanted it to be a book that could inspire others to think beyond the world we see, beyond what we know to be true, and to find hope in even the darkest of times."
For Robyn, writing isn’t about perfectly crafted sentences or impressing an audience. It’s about connection. It’s about making the hard conversations a little easier, especially for parents who don’t know where to begin. Death, grief, loss—these are things that many avoid talking about, but Robyn’s work is a quiet push toward those difficult spaces.
"Through my work as a therapist, I have noted that often parents have a difficult time approaching those deeper conversations with their kids. I think part of the reason why is because they, the parents, are not comfortable with certain topics but I also think it is because parents worry about getting it wrong somehow and ‘messing’ up their kids for life. Something Three Brave Stars does, in my opinion, is it helps families to have these deep, difficult, and sometimes awkward conversations that they would normally push off onto someone else (or ignore completely)."
There’s something powerful in her refusal to sanitize grief, to package it in a way that makes it more palatable. It’s not about making it easier—it’s about making it possible to talk about. And in doing that, in giving parents and children a way to step into those conversations, she’s doing more than writing a book. She’s creating a bridge.
Robyn doesn’t filter herself in her writing, either. Inspired by Joyce Carol Oates, she values rawness and authenticity. She’s not interested in conforming or softening her message to fit a mold.
"I definitely believe I am a writer who writes the way I think, maybe even writes the way I talk (which is not always a good thing). Sometimes that’s great and sometimes not so great. But I also refuse to filter myself to bend to those who perhaps don’t approve or like what I am writing or saying. I think we were all given a voice for a reason."
That voice—unfiltered, honest, and rooted in both personal and professional experience—is what makes her work resonate. Three Brave Stars started as something for herself and her child, but it became something much bigger. Now, it’s a tool, a guide, a way for families to navigate the unthinkable.
Robyn never set out to be a writer. But the best writers are often the ones who don’t chase the title, the ones who write because they have to, because the words are the only thing that make sense in the middle of something senseless. She is a writer because her words reach beyond her own life, beyond her own grief, and settle into the hands of those who need them. Because she understands that stories are more than just words on a page—they are lifelines.
"Listen to these amazing ladies! They believe in you and your ideas and you can absolutely do this! Others need to see what you are doing. Sometimes we all need that extra push."
Robyn’s push was grief. Her response was to create. And in doing so, she didn’t just heal herself—she gave others the space to begin their own healing too.
About Robyn Spodek-Schindler:
Robyn is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT), Registered and Board-certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). She is also the owner of Paint the Stars Art Therapy, specializing in children, teens, and adults suffering from anxiety, depression, anger issues, school/peer/family-related issues, as well as sensory issues. She also specializes in helping young adults and adults struggling with work or relationship stress, low self-esteem, parenting issues, anxiety/depression, and more. One of Robyn’s goals is to use the art of writing as yet another outlet and coping skill for children. Robyn has also written and illustrated her first children’s book entitled, Three Brave Stars, which helps children and families cope with grief.
About Three Brave Stars:
“As with all epic battles of kingdoms past,” Queen Edith answered, “special and brave loved ones perished. But that is how we got our beloved stars.”
So begins a story that captivates young audiences with a compelling tale of bravery, sacrifice, and everlasting hope. Meet the royal family in the enchanting kingdom of Bellagio and take the journey with them as they learn that not all stories are about their happy endings. Some are about the way love lives on when the story ends.
Three Brave Stars speaks to children and families who have lost a loved one, reminding them they always remain connected to those they can no longer see. With charming characters and vivid world-building comes a fantasy adventure that validates the individual experience of grief with the comfort of the stars to commemorate the ones watching over them.
In her upcoming children’s story, Three Brave Stars, Licensed Creative Art Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Art Therapist, and National Certified Counselor, Robyn Spodek-Schindler makes her author debut by providing a hand to hold as children cope, knowing that the stars will always shine down on them.
About Beyond the Narrative:
Beyond the Narrative is a new blog series by Our Galaxy Publishing where we highlight and amplify the personal stories and creative journeys of badass women writers who are forging their own paths and making an impact with their voices.
This series aims to explore how identity, cultural background, and lived experiences shape your writing, highlighting the unique contributions you bring to art, literature, and community. We want to uncover the heart behind the stories and celebrate the power of diverse voices in shaping the future of books. Learn more about Beyond the Narrative on our blog,An Interview Series Amplifying the Voices of Women Writers, and read more of our interviews here.
Our Galaxy Publishing is an educational and service-based platform that helps writers navigate the publishing industry with clarity, confidence, and creative control. Whether you’re self-publishing, seeking a literary agent, or still figuring out W T F you’re doing, we provide the tools, resources, and support to make your writing and publishing journey intentional, strategic, and powerful.