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ST. GEORGE — From the shadows of childhood trauma emerged a man on a mission — to transform pain into purpose.
"Art has probably saved my life multiple times," Michael Guynn said. "It's directly therapeutic. That's been the reason I've continued to create and share that with other people. There's always hope, no matter how hard it is. You just have to find a way to express it and find beauty in the change of your emotions."
Originally from Salt Lake City, Guynn said he came to St. George for the first time at 16. But this trip was anything but a vacation. Due to his struggle with depression and anxiety, his family sent him to southern Utah to seek help at a residential treatment facility.
Before entering the facility, he had tried a variety of treatment modalities including medication monotherapy. After seeing countless psychiatrists and even electroshock therapy, he said doctors still weren't sure how to "fix" him.
