I’m Denise Pimentel, born and raised in that unforgettable New York State of Mind, specifically Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. I now live in the suburbs of New Jersey, but as the saying goes, you can take the girl out of New York, but you can’t take the New York out of the girl.
I’m a writer, educator, speaker, mental health advocate, podcast host, and visual artist. I’m also a wife, mother, stroke survivor, and woman of faith who’s learned that life can change in the blink of an eye, but God can still bring purpose from the pieces.
In 2026, I was featured in MSN’s “Top 5 Influential Women Shaping 2026.” But what that headline doesn’t tell you is what it took to get here.
I’ve been writing since elementary school, probably before I fully understood why words mattered so much to me. Writing has always been the place where I could think, process, feel, laugh, cry, heal, and somehow make sense of the world around me. My work is often described as witty, raw, honest, and full of heart. I like to tell the truth, but I also believe truth can be shared in a way that leaves people with hope.
My most personal work came through the eight-year journey of completing my memoir, Unshaken: A True Story of a Bleeding Mind, Broken Body, and Buried Grief. The book shares my lived experience with Bipolar I disorder, psychiatric hospitalizations, trauma, abuse, grief, motherhood, stroke recovery, and the faith that carried me through some of the hardest seasons of my life.
For a long time, I wrestled with whether I should share my story publicly. Mental illness still carries so much stigma, and I knew being honest would mean allowing people to see parts of my life that were painful, vulnerable, and not always easy to explain. Eventually, I chose honesty over silence. I realized that if my story could help even one person feel understood and less alone, it was worth telling.
After years of working toward stability, I’d finally reached a healthier place in managing my mental health when everything changed again. In December 2024, at the age of 47, I suffered a life-altering stroke. It forced me to step away from the classroom and spend nearly a year recovering from physical and cognitive challenges.
During that season, my cognitive therapist encouraged me to write every day as part of my rehabilitation. That practice led me back to Unshaken, a manuscript I’d started years earlier during a manic episode but later set aside while focusing on teaching, motherhood, and rebuilding my life.
Writing began as part of my recovery, but it became something much bigger. It gave me a place to process what had happened, find meaning within the pain, and begin turning what nearly broke me into something that could help others. Today, Unshaken is more than a memoir. It’s the foundation of a mission centered on breaking stigma, encouraging honest conversations, and reminding people that their hardest chapter doesn’t have to become their final chapter.
I now use my voice to encourage people walking through mental illness, stroke recovery, trauma, grief, caregiving, faith struggles, or any season when life suddenly feels unfamiliar. I don’t share my story because I have all the answers or because every day is easy. I share it because I know what it feels like to be in the valley, and I also know there can still be hope there.
In May 2026, I was invited by the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma to participate as one of seven authors in its Author’s Corner during the Breaking the Stigma event. That invitation affirmed the heart behind Unshaken: opening honest conversations, challenging stigma, and reminding people that mental illness can affect anyone.
My advocacy has also reached local law enforcement. After Dunellen Police Sergeant Brian Robbins contacted me to purchase a copy of Unshaken, I felt led to donate several copies to the department’s officers. My hope was to provide a personal glimpse into mental illness and help build greater compassion, awareness, and understanding for people experiencing mental health crises.
My story has opened doors within the stroke survivor community as well. I’ve been invited to speak at RWJUH Somerset in October 2026 and again in May 2027 for Stroke Awareness Month. These opportunities allow me to encourage survivors, caregivers, and families as they navigate recovery and rebuild after life changes in an instant.
One of the most meaningful parts of this work has been meeting people face-to-face. At the Somerville International Street Fair, I spent the day signing books and connecting with individuals and families affected by mental health struggles. Many purchased books for loved ones, while others opened up about their own experiences and asked what helped me find stability and hope. That day reminded me that people are hungry for honesty, encouragement, and safe conversations without shame.
My story and advocacy have been featured by MSN, VoyageLA, Bridgewater Patch, The Breeze, and The Connection Magazine. My VoyageLA interview explored my journey as an author, educator, mental health advocate, and stroke survivor. The MSN feature highlighted how I transformed my experiences with Bipolar I disorder, trauma, grief, psychiatric hospitalization, and stroke recovery into a mission of advocacy, faith, honest conversation, and hope.
My work has also received meaningful written encouragement from leaders and organizations within my community and beyond. Bridgewater Township Police Chief John Mitzak expressed support for my efforts to raise awareness around mental health and stroke recovery. Bridgewater Mayor Matthew C. Moench recognized Unshaken as a contribution to the community and its spirit of resilience.
After sharing my story with the White House, I received an acknowledgment recognizing the strength and resilience reflected in my journey. I also received a letter from Angel, formerly known as Angel Studios, offering encouragement for my work to uplift others and create meaningful conversations around mental health. These letters mean more to me than recognition alone. They remind me that one person’s story can reach beyond the pages of a book and help create understanding within communities, law enforcement, healthcare, government, and faith-based organizations.
Before my stroke, teaching and motherhood filled much of my life. I hold a B.A. in Elementary Education and History and an M.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in American Studies, both from Kean University. My graduate thesis focused on women who served during the Vietnam War. Looking back, that subject still feels fitting because I’ve always cared about the voices of people who were overlooked, misunderstood, or pushed to the side.
My background as an educator continues to shape everything I do. It helps me approach complex and emotionally difficult subjects with clarity, compassion, and respect for the people listening.
In addition to writing, I create visual art through painting, sketching, and pyrography. I’m deeply inspired by the Renaissance, a period when art, faith, philosophy, and creativity helped reshape the world. I love the idea that creativity can awaken something within people and continue to endure even when life changes.
As a speaker, I address mental health stigma, Bipolar I disorder, faith and professional treatment, psychiatric hospitalization, trauma, grief, stroke recovery, caregiving, resilience, and turning pain into purpose. My presentations combine vulnerable storytelling with practical encouragement. My goal is to help audiences feel seen, less alone, and more hopeful about what may still be possible.
I also host Unshaken Voices, a podcast available on Podbean, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. It’s a space for people who’ve been through the storm and are still standing. The podcast is created for fighters, survivors, caregivers, and families living through the realities of mental illness, recovery, grief, trauma, caregiving, and spiritual resilience. Through honest and hope-filled conversations, I explore what helped people keep going when life became difficult.
At the heart of my message is the belief that professional support and faith can both play meaningful roles in healing. I speak honestly about therapy, medication, medical care, family support, and community while also sharing the role faith has played in my journey. I’m especially passionate about challenging the misconception that faith and treatment must be separated. For me, both mattered.
Writing is how I process, reflect, teach, heal, and connect. I’m currently working on a novel exploring identity, mental health, marriage, faith, and the quiet work of rebuilding a life, as well as a devotional centered on finding hope and purpose during difficult seasons.
Through my memoir, future books, art, podcast, speaking, and advocacy, I hope to remind others that even when life breaks, purpose can still rise from the pieces. Some of our darkest moments can become the transformative experiences that lead us to our highest purpose.
Unshaken is available in paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. I personally narrated the audiobook for readers who prefer or benefit from listening. A cinematic book trailer was released on YouTube and screened in theaters. At in-person events, I also offer themed merchandise designed to carry the book’s broader message of faith, resilience, and hope.
A portion of the royalties from Unshaken supports NAMI and Overlook Medical Center, the hospital that carried me through nearly two decades of treatment. This work isn’t simply personal. It’s mission-driven.
Glorified Writing LLC is a proud member of the Somerset County Business Partnership, supporting connection, growth, and service within the local community.
Faith is part of my story. Hope is the message.
From broken to Unshaken.
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