Hello there!
Thank you for visiting this page and getting started on a journey of controversial adventure with me. My publishing company and I have decided to release a limited time sample chapter for you to read here . I have received so many requests for the book and questions regarding its development. So I have decided to answer some of those questions here and provide a sample PDF chapter that you can download for a limited time. The sample chapter will allow you to get a taste of a piece of the book and decide whether you want to read more. I encourage you to share it with friends, family, etc. Lets get started!
“Why write a book in the first place?”
So many books fill our shelves every single day of our lives. I walk through the library monthly to see the new books and re-charge my mind for new ideas and thoughts. I realize that there are so many genres and ideas, political viewpoints, popular writers, name brands, and associations writing books. I found myself wondering if a book specifically written for parents, families, and caregivers would actually mean anything to anyone. I wasn’t completely sure that this “minority” group in mental health care would actually get a chance to see the book. It is difficult marketing and getting your product to people nationwide. It takes a lot of effort and support to get your product into the hands of needy, questioning families. So when I wrote the book I wasn’t sure who could benefit from it exactly. But then I held an author event at a local library and spoke to a grandmother of a grandson who has severe autism. She explained how the school system and mental health system made her feel. She felt lost, uncertain, confused, and alone. My book was an “anchor” for her because it reminded her that there are people interested in her family and families like hers. This is exactly why I chose to write this book.
“What is the book trying to achieve?”
When I wrote the introduction of the book, I didn’t really have a direction for the book. I just had parents, families, and caregivers in mind. When I began chapter 1, I realized that there were so many resources available for free mental health services, services to help with social security disability, and finding free and competent lawyers. So many families were unaware of these resources and as I compiled the resources to include in chapter 1, I began designing the book specifically for parents, families, and caregivers of loved ones with severe or untreated mental illness. I wrote this book while working in a special education school where parents were always complaining about services and desiring more help. Their voices are exhibited in each page. As I drove home from work I could hear their complaints, their worries, their concerns. All of this poured into the pages of my book because I didn’t have an outlet for me! I was angry with the system for their lack of support of this vulnerable population. My book was a kind of catharsis for me.
“What is different about your book? Why should families invest in it?”
Well, I always remind families that the book is really cheap for a reason. I priced the book at the list price because I wanted to make the book available for everyone! The Nook Version, coming December 1, 2014, is even cheaper. I wanted to make sure that families could invest in a new brand, a new person without having to spend so much money. A book for this population should never cost over $25! Who is going to purchase a book that costs that much when they have mental health costs, bills, school tuition, etc. to cover? So my fist goal was to accommodate the pocketbook as much as possible.
The other part of this is that the book is written by a therapist who has not only observed problems herself, but who has sat in therapy sessions and listened to families almost everyday. My book is reflective of the therapists who are fed up with ineffective science, lies, propaganda, and abuse of professional power. I discuss the DSM and what disturbs me about it. I also discuss protecting children with special needs from bullying within the school system. I show you how to file a civil rights complaint and use your legal rights to protect your child. So you not only get a mental health debate, but you also get a bonus chapter on bullying.
To read a sample chapter, click on the title below:
