About

Nita Sweeney is the award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink. She also coauthored the writing journal, You Should Be Writing. Her memoir was awarded a Maxwell Medallion by the Dog Writers Association of America and was short-listed for the Faulkner Award. Her poem, Memorial, won the Dublin Arts Council Poet's Choice Award. She is an Ohio Award Council Governor's Award nominee. Nita coaches creatives in writing and meditation, and publishes the monthly email newsletter, Write Now Columbus. She also runs marathons. Nita lives in central Ohio with her husband, Ed, and their yellow Labrador retriever, Scarlet. Find more information about her writing and coaching at https://nitasweeney.com or follow her on your favorite social media channel.

Featured Work

Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink

2019

It’s never too late to chase your dreams. Before she discovered running, Nita Sweeney was 49-years-old, chronically depressed, occasionally manic, and unable to jog for more than 60 seconds at a time. Using exercise, Nita discovered an inner strength she didn’t know she possessed, and with the help of her canine companion, she found herself on the way to completing her first marathon. In her memoir, Sweeney shares how she overcame emotional and physical challenges to finish the race and come back from the brink.

There’s hope and help on the track. Anyone who has struggled with depression knows the ways the mind can defeat you. However, it is possible to transform yourself with the power of running. You may learn that you can endure more than you think, and that there’s no other therapy quite like pavement beneath your feet.

Depression Hates a Moving Target is a witty and poignant story of rediscovery. Whether you’re born to run or just looking for rebirth, you will:

~ Be inspired by the powerful story of one woman—and her dog
~ Cheer on Nita as she endures the challenges of a marathon and a mind in turmoil
~ And discover the power of running to overcome obstacles

If you loved Let Your Mind Run, you’ll love Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running With My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink.

Other Works

  • You Should Be Writing: A Journal of Inspiration & Instruction to Keep Your Pen Moving

    2020

Awards and Recognition

  • The Dog Writers Association of America awarded Depression Hates a Moving Target a Maxwell Medallion for excellence in writing about the Human/Animal Bond.
  • The Dublin Arts Council awarded Nita's poem, Memorial, the Poet's Choice Award.
  • Memoir short-listed for the Faulkner Award