HOW DO WE COPE

when life blocks our way?

HOW DO WE MANAGE

the invisible but oh so real pain we feel in our body, mind, and spirit?

HOW DO WE GO ON LIVING

when feeling crushed by reality?

MARBLE ME FREE

understands suffering.

MARBLE ME FREE

inspires hope & healing.

MARBLE ME FREE

is here to help.

Welcome to

MARBLE ME FREE

Workshops & Presentations

Testimonials

  • “So beautifully thought out, and written, and drawn, and performed. I just can’t say enough of how great this is. I hope a lot of people see it.”

  • “Beautiful animation for an even better and exceptional poem. The message is such a perfect complement to this work of art.“

  • “I love how the meaning changes depending on where you are when you see it which means it’s a very relevant piece and a very timeless piece.”

  • “Marble Me Free made me feel things. Made me feel empowered - heal my traumas and heal my past pain - Made me feel uplifted. It really captures the vibe of somebody going through something like this. - It does it justice - Great concept. Great execution. Good job.”

about marble me free

How do we cope and what do we do when physical and emotional pain, obstacles, and hardship block our way forward?

This “dark night of the soul” journey is powerfully depicted in the internationally award winning “Marble Me Free” film and led to the creation of the Marble Me Free website to provide help for those in need.


The Marble Me Free Initiative helps break the cycle of pain and suicide.

Here you will find suicide prevention and mental health resources, a Hope and Healing Gallery of posters, songs, books and videos, and an event section to learn more about “Marble Me Free” workshops and presentations. Please describe your response to viewing the “Marble Me Free” film, and contribute ideas on how to enhance the website and expand the Marble Me Free outreach.

All of us at Marble Me Free wish you a very warm welcome.

the marble me free team

STARLIT SWAN

Starlit is a writer at heart. She writes poems, short stories and is writing her first novel. She uses writing to create wondrous worlds to escape the pain from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She uses poetry to work through the difficult emotions from a past of abuse and a present of pain. “The Marble Block” is an example of the latter. Her poem inspired the creation of the “Marble Me Free” film. Based on her success in narrating, “Marble Me Free,” Starlit discovered a new talent, and is now available as a voice artist.

 

CRPS is considered by many to be one of the most painful illnesses in the world. It can drive a person to suicide. Working to bring to the forefront the lack of protocols to prevent and address suicide in patients with CRPS is a priority for her. As it is to bring awareness about this rare disease to healthcare professionals and lay people alike, so a treatment and/or a cure can be found. Learn more about CRPS here.

 

Starlit is trying to take away the stigma of talking about pain—physical and emotional—through her candid writing. The brain doesn’t differentiate between physical and emotional pain. For the brain both are equally real. Physical pain can be the source of emotional pain as emotional pain the source of physical pain. Pain should not be dismissed, ignored, nor numbed in any of its forms. Much less make anyone feel weak for acknowledging they are in pain. In fact, to live in pain is a testament of strength. It is not pretty, it is not easy, and it takes courage as Starlit has experienced by breaking through her marble block and allowing her golden flower to bloom. 

The Marble Block & The Poems It Inspired book is coming soon to inspire others to grow their own golden flower.

LUCIA MARTINEZ ROJAS

Lucia is a media strategist, illustrator, and videographer whose creative work has garnered international recognition. Her life’s purpose is to use what she’s learned on her journey, sometimes the hard way, as a means to serve others. 

 

Through her social media, strategic marketing and website design service, Lucia is dedicated to sharing the hope and love of Hope Xchange, a nonprofit dedicated to saving and improving lives in the bipolar community. Hope Xchange's mission deeply resonates with Lucia’s own personal history with suicide attempts and Bipolar Disorder.

 

Born in Colombia in 1987, Lucia has a Masters Degree in Media Art and Design from the Bauhaus University of Weimar in Germany. She also holds a Bachelors in Industrial Design from the University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia. Lucia is available for creative collaboration in multi-media arts, story telling, concept creation, videography, and film animation.

DIANE LESLIE KAUFMAN

Diane is a poet, artist, and child psychiatrist. She is a Humanism and Medicine awardee. Diane is the founder-director of the Arts and Healing Resiliency Center at Mind Matters, PC in Hillsboro, Oregon. Upon hearing Starlit Swan's poem, "The Marble Block," she immediately envisioned it as a powerful animation and became the film's producer and director.

Diane is dedicated to transforming trauma and despair into life affirming creativity. Her story, “Bird That Wants to Fly,” written at an arts and healing workshop, inspired an opera, and is narrated by the actor, Danny Glover.

In 2019 Diane initiated “Creative Life Lines” with artist Amanda Meador as a grief turned to hope inspired response to the suicide death of Stacy who was Diane’s friend and mental health colleague. The “Creative Life Lines” suicide prevention posters reach out with compassion and creativity to help save lives. “Creative Life Lines” evolved into the community outreach component of the Arts and Healing Resiliency Center.

Diane is a suicide prevention arts activist. Her creative work as a poet-lyricist, director, and producer has garnered international acclaim. As of June 2023, Diane initiated the Hold On Campaign for Suicide Prevention that educates on suicide prevention via the arts, and helps those struggling with suicidal thoughts by using the power of art, compassion, and mental health skill to express and heal. As a “creative mental health activist, she was interviewed by Indie Cinema Magazine in December 2023. Diane is available for mental health presentations, arts & healing workshops, consultation, creative collaboration, and mentoring.


With the experience of Marble Me Free, Diane is now a proud member of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

JEAN-MARC YEE

Jean-Marc Yee is a composer, sound designer, and pianist based in Manhattan, NY.

our creative collaboration

WILDsound: The Film podcast hosted by Mathew Toffolo interviews members of the team on December 27, 2022 about the making of the film.

SERENDIPITY

“My Marble Me Free Story” describes how serendipity brought us together to create the film.

PODCAST INTERVIEW

HONORS & AWARDS

“Marble Me Free” has won international awards in women’s empowerment, disability issues, inspiration, animation, music & sound design, directing, and videography.

suicide prevention & mental health resources

Help is available for all.

marble me free events

  • 8/25/24 - "Love, Grief, & Suicide: An Expressive Arts Approach" online presentation, Mental Health Academy, USA Suicide Prevention Conference, co-presented by Diane Kaufman, MD, Starlit Swan, and Lucia Martinez Rojas. Register here.

  • 4/19/24 - "Marble Me Free: The Human Face of Pain," Oregon OPAT Conference (Opioids + Other Drugs, Pain + Addiction Treatment), co-presented by Diane Kaufman, MD, Starlit Swan, and Lucia Martinez Rojas, Sunriver, Oregon

  • 3/12/24 - "Marble Me Free" film showing online, 4:00 PM, Metamorphosis Museum Exhibit (artwork inspired by the process of transformation), Musea Intentional Creativity Museum, California. Register here.

  • 11/7/23 - Hope & Healing: Holding On To Prevent Suicide, Oregon Suicide Prevention Conference

  • 4/30/23 - "Marble Me Free: Poetry, Arts, & Healing" special event free workshop sponsored by the Arts & Healing Resiliency Center, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (PST), reserve tickets here.

  • 3/31/23 - Marble Me Free: Pain and Poetry Workshop, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, National Association for Poetry Therapy Conference, Denver, Colorado

  • 2/2/23 - Just This: Zen Writing (online), "Marble Me Free" film and writing, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM, APPAMADA, Austin, Texas

    The purpose of the group is to encourage gentle awareness and invite your creativity and responsiveness to arise in the moment. The sessions consist of meditation, writing, and (optional) sharing. People respond to each other's writing, but do not critique.

  • 11/13/22 - 2/15/23 - Artists with Disabilities Exhibition, “Marble Me Free” film, Jewish Museum of New Jersey

workshops & presentations

Please sign up if you are interested in joining a “Marble Me Free” Arts & Healing Workshop. Let us also know if you are interested in bringing a “Marble Me Free” Educational Presentation on suicide prevention and creativity to your organization.

hope & healing gallery

Creative expression can help our body, mind, and spirit. Making and/or appreciating visual art, music, song, dance, poetry, and other expressive arts can help us heal.

POSTERS

The “Creative Life Lines” posters are by Diane Kaufman, MD and artist Amanda Meador. For information on obtaining the “Creative Life Lines” posters and/or other gallery resources, please contact Dr. Diane Kaufman.

SONGS

“Don’t Give Up” (song animation) was an award winner at Tracks Music International Music Monthly Contest (best lyric video), Golden Earth Film Award Monthly Contest (best music video), and Euro Music Video Song Awards (best music video in the advertising category per promoting hope and life and not death). It was Honorable Mention at the Golden Lemur International Film Festival Monthly Contest. The song was Finalist at the International Music Video Awards Bi-Monthly Contest, and the Arts Film Awards Monthly Competition. It was Semi-Finalist at the Aphrodite Film Awards Quarterly Contest. 

“Don’t Give Up” (public service announcement) was an award winner at Cine Fern International Film Festival Competition (best one minute film) and the Global Music Awards (bronze medal winner for motivational/inspirational best listener impact). 

“Lift You Up” was an award winner (best lyrics song) at the International Sound Future Awards. “Lift You Up” debuted on the Women of Substance podcast. “Lift You Up” is being used as a fundraiser for Backline which provides mental health help and resources for those in the music industry and their families. Please consider donating.

"Lift You Up" as poem and song was written in response to the suicide death of Naomi Judd. This tribute and memorial "Lift You Up" song video can help prevent suicide.

 "Hold On" by singer-songwriter Shan Carballo was inspired by "Heartbreak Times Infinity," a poem written by Diane Kaufman, MD in response to the suicide death of Stephen Boss aka tWitch. "Hold On" won Best Song at the Helsinki Independent Film Festival and Best Lyric Song at the Euro Video Song Awards. "Hold On" won the Silver Award for Best Original Song at both the International Gold Awards and Milan Gold Awards.

"Hold On" has also won the Gold Award Original Song at both the Paris Film Awards and Florence Film Awards. It was Finalist for Best Lyrics at the Munich Music Video Awards and Finalist for Best Music at the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology. "Hold On" was Semi-Finalist for Best Music at the International Cosmopolitan Film Festival of Tokyo and Honorable Mention for Best Lyrics at the Voices Rising Film Festival. It was Silver Award Original Song at the International Gold Awards. At the Dona Paula International Film Awards "Hold On" won Best Music Video Film, Best Lyrical Video, Best Indie Musical Video, Best Singer, and Best Songwriter. "Hold On" has been Officially Selected for the REEL Recovery Film Festival & Symposium.

The companion "Hold On" public service announcement by Shan Carballo was inspired by "Heartbreak Times Infinity," a poem written by Diane Kaufman, MD in response to the suicide death of Stephen Boss aka tWitch.

"Be Still" by singer-songwriter Briana Webber was inspired by "Heartbreak Times Infinity," a poem written by Diane Kaufman, MD in response to the suicide death of Stephen Boss, aka tWitch.

The companion "Be Still" public service announcement by singer-songwriter Briana Webber was inspired by "Heartbreak Times Infinity," a poem written by Diane Kaufman, MD in response to the suicide death of Stephen Boss, aka tWitch.

"Holding The Heart When It Breaks" is an internationally award-winning song including Best Song at Helsinki Independent Film Festival, Best Song at Venice Under the Stars - International Film Festival, Best Lyrics at Euro Music Video Awards, and Best Music at Ethereal Frames Film and Art Awards.

Bullying is cruel, and is especially so, in this social media age where hate and inhumanity can tragically flourish. "The Tears You Cry" is a song to help victims of bullying to remember the beauty inside them and to not believe the lies. Its goal is to help prevent suicide.

Originally titled "Passionate Miracle," when first created in 2017, the song was renamed "Love's Freedom Song" (How to Live & Love Beyond Heartbreak) in 2024. The lyric was inspired by imagining a "door" as a writing prompt when Dr. Kaufman was taking song-writing lessons with The Prophet X.

Dr. Kaufman's poem "What Makes Us" was written in response to the suicide death of a teenage patient. The writing prompt was to write a "poetic" progress note. The video created from the poem was later renamed "13 Reasons Why Not."

“Three Objects Spoke To Me” was an award winner (silver prize) at the Spotlight Film Awards. It was an award winner at Ebullience Shorts in the category of philosophical films.

OPERA

BOOKS

Available for purchase at Amazon and other online vendors.

  • By Starlit Swan

    The Marble Block & The Poems It Inspired

  • By Starlit Swan

    Anything Is Possible

  • By Diane Kaufman, MD

    15 Poems for Healing & Recovery was inspired as a gift to the residents of Integrity House, a residential substance abuse treatment program in Newark, New Jersey. The book of poetry and writing prompts was originally titled, Cracking Up and Back Again: Transformation Through Poetry. The book's title was updated to 15 Poems to Healing & Recovery with the addition of an "Arts Medicine Transformation Curriculum" guide to accompany the poetry.

    Arts in Psychotherapy Book Review

  • By Diane Kaufman, MD and illustrated by Olya Kalatsei

    Bird That Wants to Fly was written at an Arts and Healing workshop. The story inspired an opera and is narrated by the actor, Danny Glover.

    Bird That Wants to Fly (in Spanish)

    By Diane Kaufman, MD, illustrated by Olya Kalatsei, and translated by Liza Rosas Bustos

  • By Diane Kaufman, MD and illustrated by Hadley Hutton

    Missing Mommy was written for a young girl and her grandmother who came for psychiatric help after the child’s father had murdered her mother. The story was given to the grandmother with the suggestion that perhaps one day in the future, it be shared with the young girl, and that she would be told it was written by the doctor she’d met, and was created as a healing gift.

  • By Diane Kaufman, MD and illustrated by Lucia Martinez Rojas

    Three Objects Spoke To Me was written at an Arts and Healing workshop for cancer patients at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon. The writing prompt was to choose objects and be inspired by them. The objects chosen were a red rose cloth bloom, an angel pin with a heart, a crescent moon, and a star on the sash, and a circle coin-shape with the word “silence” on one side and a bird on the other side.

    Three Objects Spoke To Me Coloring Book by Diane Kaufman, MD and illustrated by Lucia Martinez Rojas

“Heartbreak Time Infinity" was written by Diane Kaufman, MD in response to the suicide death of Stephen Boss, aka tWitch, and went on to inspire the creation of the "Hold On" and "Be Still" songs. "Heartbreak Time Infinity" is an Official Selection at the Greenwood Film Festival in the category of Spoken Word.

POETIC STORIES

"Bird That Wants to Fly" by Diane Kaufman, MD was written at a an arts & healing workshop at the Therapeutic Arts Alliance of Manhattan. The story is about a sad and lonely bird that has given up flying because of traumatic life experiences. "Bird That Wants to Fly" inspired an opera composed by Michael Raphael and performed by Trilogy: An Opera Company. The actor Danny Glover narrates the story on the audible version of the opera. Puppeteer Kris Bluett received an Oregon Regional Arts & Culture Council grant to transform "Bird That Wants to Fly" into a musical puppet performance.

MARBLE ME FREE NEEDS YOUR INPUT

Please share your response to watching the “Marble Me Free” film.

What helps you when you are in pain?

Do you have resources to share?

What suggestions do you have on how we can improve the website?

If you have questions about Marble Me Free and/or ideas on how we can expand our outreach, please let us know.

 

In gratitude,

The Marble Me Free Team