The trajectory of her life derailed in an instant with a spinal cord injury, Cassandra Brandt was challenged with forging a new life from the ashes. Structural steelworker and single mom, Cassandra lived life in the fast lane. A small-town girl with big dreams, she had broken free from a rigid religious upbringing and found solace in academia, nature, travel, and working with her hands.

Paralyzed from the shoulders down at age 32, Cassandra fought for her life on a ventilator and for her autonomy using mobility aids and assistive technology, with the steadfast support of her brother and daughter, just 13 at the time.

In the decade since Cassandra’s injury she’s rolled through myriad challenges: Struggling through grief and fear to a place of acceptance and self-worth, fighting systemic barriers to access and care back in her rural community which forced her into a position of relying on family, years of institutionalization in facilities where care was compromised.

Despite its challenges, Cassandra credits her disability with affording her opportunities to form unique perspectives and profound connections. Embracing Stoic philosophy as therapy, becoming involved in advocacy for marginalized communities, and sharing her spinal cord injury and mental health journey, she went on to publish multiple books and work as a freelance writer for nonprofits.

Cassandra’s story speaks to the struggle and the strength of those with disabilities, a mother and daughter’s undying love, and the resilient human spirit. It resonates with tender love for the author’s Arizona home, the iron she left behind, the natural world she loves, and people in her life she holds precious.

Excerpts of Iron Girl published in literary magazines:

A Backslider's Guide to Getting Over God: Journey of an Evangelical Apostate is both a subjective account of one individual's experience with indoctrination and deconstruction from fundamentalist faith, and an objective critique of Evangelical theology and its dangerous consequences for individuals and society.

Cassandra Brandt grew up in the Assembly of God, product of small-town charismatic Pentecostal pastors, terrifying televangelists and a rod not spared. Evangelist apologist in youth, tormented by doubt and shamed by purity culture, she recounts living in fear of the Rapture around Y2K.

Cassandra’s journey from faith began with growing intrigue in the natural world, gnawing need to understand history, and disenchantment with the doctrine and dogma- compounded by cognitive dissonance and the pull of her heart toward a secular morality.

A Backslider's Guide explores the academic quest the author embarks upon to answer the burning questions about the belief system she was born into and the reality existing outside of it.

Deconstructing scripture and Evangelical eschatology, the author explores the work of biblical scholars, historians and mythologists- taboo literature essential for intellectual honesty.

Learning about alternative philosophies and frameworks to find a sense of meaning, she explores universal ethics and values, and examines also religious trauma and its aftermath.

To those outside fundamentalism, A Backslider’s Guide presents a researched insider’s point of view of fundamentalist indoctrination. To fellow apostates, Cassandra offers solidarity in sharing its psychological scars, and for those deconstructing, provides powerful arguments and compelling research that challenges the evangelical doctrine that teaches hate, fear and shame and calls it love.

Excerpt published by #1 atheist publication in UK:

Poetry has been my outlet for emotion since youth.

I spent thirty years of my life spilling my guts in lyrical form in a dozen composition books for my eyes only.

Now I’m presenting this work to my readers, unedited, unabridged and unfiltered.

From the internal conflicts of adolescence to the raw emotions of young adulthood; From tender thoughts of motherhood, to tormented rants on addiction and toxic love; From boastful odes to my ambition and adventures to private musings on the human condition; From political rants on equity and justice to analyzing faith and philosophy – My poetry reads easy, hides little, bares all.

In the years since my spinal cord injury I have come to appreciate the value in sharing our human experience and our intimate emotions. This cultivates a kind of solidarity; our stories can be vastly different, but we all understand the confusion of coming of age, heartbreak of unrequited love, the internal conflict, the pain of tragedy.

Words were my way through.

 "It’s not what happens to you that matters, but how you react to it." Epictetus

“There's a place for heroism even on the sickbed.” Seneca

"You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength." Aurelius

When you lose your whole body, you just want your mind to step up. Cassandra Brandt was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a car accident. Grappling with grief, sorrow, anxiety and trauma in the acute days, Cassandra found Marcus Aurelius.

In turning to the ancient Greco-Roman school of Stoicism in her darkest hours and with her deepest inquiries, she came to find within herself the secret wellspring of inner strength the Stoics spoke of.

How can we live a good life? Change our perspective, enjoy the little things, endure suffering with grace?

Here are the secrets, hard won and battle tested by a warrior in a wheelchair, complete with fascinating historical context, journal activities and packed with Stoic quotes to weaponize the mind.

Emphasizing acceptance, peace, patience, perspective, productivity, virtue and joy, Seven Secrets of A Sedentary Stoic is nothing less than a field manual for making your life a lesson worth living.

Excerpt published by Daily Philosophy:

"A poignant reminder to never underestimate the human mind and the human spirit. Cassandra's beautiful, thoughtful writing and her way of tying in wisdom and Greek philosophy to dealing with adversity are the perfect antidote that we all can apply to our lives regardless of our individual circumstances."

- JEM

(Seven Secrets of a Sedentary Stoic)

"Oh, this beautifully written, simple and truthful book ought to be required reading for every high school student before they are allowed to graduate and make major life decisions for themselves.

This is well researched and has complete and real references. The author has described her own journey from being caught up in an Evangelical religion to freeing herself from the chains of emotional slavery. Her difficult journey is sometimes hard to read, but it is important to read through it with with an honest and open mind.

This is a very precious and important book. If religious people are afraid to read it, it is because the simple truth might challenge their beliefs. But truth will set you free."

- Electron

(A Backslider's Guide to Getting Over God)

"Strong, passionate, heartbreaking, inspirational, moving, motivating, courageous, an outstanding story of hope! As another person in a chair, I feel this book is directed to all of us not to give up, not to live in despair, but to continue to thrive, love, think, and most importantly never give up!"

- Kindle customer 

(Iron Girl: Tomboy, Tradeswoman, Tetraplegic)