Chicago, Illinois
ev**********@***il.com
Artist Statement
Eva has lived with refractory epilepsy and daily seizures since she was 11 years old. She is passionate about patient advocacy in both medical and mental health communities, particularly through her work with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago and Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.
She is also an avid dancer, pianist, composer, and vocalist. When she is not working or advocating for others, she is often found at her piano, tinkering with her classical pieces and accompanying herself daily.
Song Title: Guilty
Written and composed by Eva Violet & Katie Kadan
Produced by Anthony Ford
Epilepsy is a fact of my life. I have learned to walk beside it, but I do not quiver, fear, or berate it. I walk with it, dance with it, and pirouette across the floor with it. I don’t fight or battle it. I’m no warrior or soldier. I accept it.
‘Guilty’ is about speaking to my younger self and my inner self. Like many people, I was a perfectionist and felt the need to control the parts of my life that I could because epilepsy was, and still is, uncontrollable. I tried to control my academics, my social life, and even my own body. The “good girl”—the perfect version of myself, or at least the version I believed I was supposed to be—was who I thought I needed to become.
I have learned to hug the part of me that never felt like she was enough and tell her, “We made it.” We can breathe… again.
Eva Violet is a mental health counselor and graduate of DePaul University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, where she earned a Master of Education (MEd) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from DePaul University in 2023. Eva completed her clinical training as a mental health counselor intern at Anixter Center in Chicago.
With deep compassion and a commitment to support those who have experienced trauma and grief, and to help children with disabilities and their families navigate the challenges
and move forward with resilience and hope.
