Jean Neely is a writer and teacher at heart. Born and raised in Southern California, she studied Comparative Literature at the University of California, Irvine and the Sorbonne University in Paris before completing her PhD in English Literature at the University of Southern California. She loves good books, good coffee, and deep conversations. When she’s not writing or teaching, she enjoys knitting, playing the piano, watching Korean dramas, and listening to French podcasts. She writes and speaks on the intersections of faith and mental health.

Jean appreciates contemplative spirituality and especially the Benedictine tradition. She is currently exploring the oblate path with a local Benedictine monastery.