Hey Everyone! Thanks for checking out the blog for wiTHIN! We’ll just tell you a little bit about ourselves.

Karen McGratten (on the right) is a psychotherapist who grew up in Northwestern Ontario, and now lives in Guelph, Ontario. Having gone through her own struggles with Anorexia Nervosa and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, she has developed a passion for educating and supporting those struggling directly and indirectly with mental health issues. She has spoken on an international stage on the use of story telling in recovery, challenging the stigma, shame and stereotypes that often accompany mental illness. wiTHIN is an intimate journey with the goal of helping those struggling, family, friends and the public at large find hope.

Emily McGratten (to the left) is married to Karen’s big brother (hence the same last name!) and is a freelance illustrator, comic artist and printmaker. She is really excited to be helping Karen tell her story in such a unique way and is super proud of her sister-in-law for having the courage to tell her story so honestly and confidently. Emily is a recent graduate from OCAD University in Toronto where she majored in illustration and is currently living in Kelowna, BC working away on drawings and printing projects and generally doing what she loves and does best. Check out http://www.emilymcgratten.com to see more!