Nagaland-based author and mental health professional Merasen-na Jamir has released her fifth book, The Unpleasant Things We Do Not Talk About Before We Heal, published by 6th Finger Publishers. The book was officially launched on May 23 at Livingstone Foundation International in the presence of students, educators, fellow writers, and members of the creative community.
Known for her thoughtful exploration of mental health and emotional wellbeing, Jamir's latest work continues her commitment to using storytelling as a means of understanding the complexities of the human experience. Blending literary narrative with psychological insight, the book examines grief, recovery, emotional resilience, and the difficult truths people often avoid confronting on their journey toward healing.
The title itself reflects a reality many readers may recognize: healing is rarely a straightforward process. As the book suggests, there are conversations, memories, and emotions that often remain unspoken long before recovery becomes possible.
A passage from the book's back cover captures this idea:
"The thing is, the rush is real. Each person you meet, especially the ones that care about you, want you to heal the next day after you have been gruesomely injured. The irony is that we live as if time is inexhaustible."
Jamir holds a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology and has dedicated much of her professional life to education and mental health. Her work seeks to bridge the gap between storytelling and psychoeducation, creating narratives that encourage reflection, empathy, and honest conversations about emotional wellbeing.
Over the years, she has built a diverse body of work that includes Into My Abyss (2020), the poetry collections Paperboats (2021) and Homesick (2022), and When Will Willow Die? (2023). Across genres, her writing consistently explores themes of identity, loss, resilience, and the inner lives people often struggle to articulate.
The launch event reflected many of the themes present in the book itself. Hosted at Livingstone Foundation International, the evening featured reflections on healing, mental health, and the importance of creating spaces where difficult conversations can take place. Alumni author Imlijungla Aier shared a review of the book, while Director Ani Yepthomi encouraged students to embrace authenticity and the transformative power of storytelling.
The book's cover art was designed by Mahei, Arts Mentor at Livingstone Foundation International, whose visual interpretation complements the reflective and emotionally layered nature of the work.
With The Unpleasant Things We Do Not Talk About Before We Heal, Merasen-na Jamir continues to establish herself as a distinctive literary voice from Northeast India—one that is unafraid to engage with vulnerability, emotional truth, and the long, often difficult process of healing.
As one message from the launch evening aptly put it:
"Some stories are not written to impress the world, but to help someone survive it."
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