The Stats
📖 BOOK REVIEW⠀📚
BOOK: Out of the Shadow
AUTHOR: Rochelle Garfield @rochellegarfield
Publisher: Jewish Self Publishing @jewishselfpublishing
Stars: Special
Published: February 11th 2020
The Review
So, a therapist walks into a therapist’s office. Sounds like the lead-in to a joke, but stick around. Lori is a psychologist who has built a clinic that specializes in the care of anorexia patients. Her key tactic is the same one that saved her long ago. Anorexia is about the patient doing something unhealthy to take control of themselves. While most care tries to force them to eat against their will, and fails, her tactic is to make it a game with challenges. Thus, the patient feels they are more in control while eating than not. It works.
However, after a confrontation with the parent of one patient, all the horrible pieces of Lori’s past comes crashing back to her mind. An important event is about to happen in Lori’s life, and she can’t face it like this. She turns to Dr. Wilson, another psychiatrist, to help her beat this and slay the demons of her past.
I have next to no understanding of anorexia or bulemia. While I knew what the disease was, I never understood its root cause. This book is all about that, but also delves deeply into issues of parenting. Lori’s parents doted on her older sister, who was emotionally unstable and had a bad habit (intentional or otherwise) of ruining every good thing Lori got while going nowhere in life. On the other hand, Lori’s patient has a parent that refuses to admit her own part in her daughter’s illness. Another issue that this story touches on, ever so briefly, is the uneven treatment of developing intellect by education. While Lori is a genius, primarily in her ability to interact with other people, her sister is a few points higher than her in more applied fields. Because of that, her sister can get into all sorts of prestigious schools, despite not being able to function long-term on her own. Lori, in the mean time, gets jack and is still more self-sufficient.
If you or someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder, I highly recommend this book. Furthermore, if you have been considering therapy, this book is also quite helpful. You get to see what therapy is like from both sides of the couch, and see that it isn’t just some dude tricking you into saying you’re a freak. It’s about listening to your self and learning how your behavior and feelings are indicators of your own well being.
That being said, I have a bit of an issue with how the book is laid out. Twenty-two chapters are Lori walking in, having a second of chit-chat, having a flashback for five minutes, and walking out. Her story, and the story of her patient, are interesting. Don’t get me wrong. But, only seeing this through the lens of exposition is less than riveting to me. Also, Dr. Wilson’s sessions are way too short. He better be doing this pro bono.
*****
Summary:
Lori is a highly acclaimed psychologist running an innovative anorexia clinic, with a devoted husband and two adorable children. But her fairy-tale existence comes to an abrupt end when a blow-up with a client and a mysterious upcoming event force her to face the demons of her past. Lori identifies with her clients in a literal sense when she bravely chooses to embark on her own therapeutic journey by entering psychotherapy.
This fast-paced, absorbing novel takes you into the therapy room with Lori and Dr. Wilson, as they sort through Lori’s chaotic emotions against the backdrop of her fascinating life story. Growing up as the younger sister of a child prodigy was always front and center in Lori’s life, affecting her relationships, her career, and her emotional health. The journey is wide-ranging and surprisingly enlightening, with many exciting twists along the way, including Lori’s own struggle with anorexia, her resentment towards her parents and sister, her sister’s unique struggles, and her relationship with her husband and children. It’s a captivating read that will give you a deeper understanding of your own emotions and motivations, and those of your loved ones.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.