Day Hospital: A Memoir

SECOND EDITION

In the spirit of classic bestselling memoirs like Manic, Prozac Nation, An Unquiet Mind, Madness, Running with Scissors and the Buddha and the Borderline, The Day Hospital weaves personal stories of tragedy with insight, wit, and hope.

The Day Hospital is the story of one man's journey to reclaim his mind and life from personal tragedy and genetic predisposition to mental illness. The first edition of The Day Hospital was self-published anonymously in early 2020. The events of 2020 and beyond show that the need for stories of recovery from mental illness are more necessary than ever. The second edition includes reflections on being a healthcare provider caring for healthcare providers through the covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

In this memoir of carefully selected, yet slightly scattered, deeply personal reflections, a psychotherapist and behavioral healthcare leader explores his relationship with mental illness. At times hilarious and at others heartbreaking, these essays recount his struggle to be a "normal person" despite a far from typical background. From his grandmother's birth on a kitchen table in Oklahoma to reconciling having two fathers, one bipolar and one transgender, to his own breakdowns and ongoing recovery, the author grapples with childhood, family, fatherhood, marriage, work, international adventures, and suicide, ultimately finding acceptance and commitment as the path to healing.