Gabriela D. Ayala:

Author, Educator, Mental Health Advocate

“Recovery Is a Practice, Not a Miracle”

Survival is possible, and stories have the power to save us.

About Gabriela

Gabriela D. Ayala is an educator-turned-author whose work explores survival, belonging, and the courage to choose life. A first-generation Puerto Rican daughter with a B.A. in English Literature and an M.Ed. in Education, she also holds Harvard University certificates in Business and Education.

For more than 20 years, she taught English, designed curricula, and led college access programs for first-gen and emergent bilingual students.

About the Book

All the pills
I swallow

A Memoir of Madness, Belonging, and the Fight to Survive

“So, I swallowed it all—the fear, the confusion, the voices—and let them claw at the inside of my skull while I kept my silence. Because as long as I stayed silent, I was still me.”

In this fierce and lyrical memoir, Gabriela D. Ayala traces her journey through mania, recovery, love, and rebirth.

Gabriela D. Ayala

What Readers Say

As the eldest immigrant daughter, this book felt like my own reflection. The pressure to hold everything together, to perform perfection while falling apart inside, it’s all here. Reading Gabriela’s story reminded me I’m not alone in my struggle. It’s high time we speak honestly about mental health and survival.

Sarah AndrewOur Client

I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for years and rarely see it portrayed without shame or spectacle. All the Pills I Swallow captures the quiet work of recovery, the meds, the therapy, the showing up. Gabriela writes with empathy and truth.

Diane AndersonOur Client

I came to this book during a depressive episode, unsure if I could keep going. Gabriela’s story gave me language for my pain, and hope that healing doesn’t have to be linear. Reading her words felt like having a friend who gets it, who says, “You’re not broken. You’re alive.”

Neha GuptaOur Client

This memoir changed how I understand recovery. I used to think healing had to look perfect or inspiring, but Gabriela shows it as a series of small, steady choices to stay. Her writing is raw and tender, and it made me feel less alone in my own healing journey.

Cate H. Our Client