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The Chair and the Valley: A Memoir of Trauma, Healing, and the Outdoors
An incredible memoir about one man’s journey to heal from trauma through chosen family, friendship, and nature.
AN OPEN FIELD PUBLICATION FROM MARIA SHRIVER
Banning Lyon was an average 15-year-old, living in Dallas, TX. He enjoyed skateboarding, listening to punk rock, and even had a part-time job. But in January 1987 his life quickly changed after a school guidance counselor falsely believed he was suicidal after giving away his skateboard. Days later he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and what he was told would be a two-week stay turned into 353 days that would change his life forever.
Banning takes readers through his fraught relationship with his family, the mistreatment he suffered at the hospital, the lawsuit against the owners of the facility, and his desire to make sense of what happened to him. We witness Banning navigate the difficult landscape of trauma and his daily battle to live a normal life. After years of highs and lows that include being adopted by his attorney and mentor, falling in love and grieving the death of his fiancée, and being sued by the same doctors who mistreated him, Banning decides to take control of his life and finds hope in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park, where he discovers new purpose in being a backpacking guide. Through friendship, nature, and eventually giving therapy another chance, Banning summons the courage to keep moving forward.
The Chair and The Valley is a raw, gut-wrenching, and amazing story about healing from trauma and starting over. It is a testament to the importance of chosen family, the restorative power of nature, and the strength it takes to build a new life in the face of fear and doubt.
PRAISE FOR THE CHAIR AND THE VALLEY
“In this bracing, brilliant, and fury-inducing memoir…. Lyon has written a survival story like no other. With positively outstanding storytelling, this is a book that cannot be put down.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A heartfelt memoir and an urgent demand for higher standards of juvenile mental health care.” —Kirkus
“It’s hard not to become overcome with fury by the injustice Banning experienced when he was a teen… That Lyon found the courage to grab happiness after decades of darkness transforms this devastating memoir into an inspiring read.” —People Magazine
“Engrossing… Lyon recounts in courageous, at times heartbreaking, detail his experiences being hospitalized as a teenager in an abusive psychiatric facility in Texas for 353 nightmarish days that forever changed his life and sense of self.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Banning Lyon’s story is a testament to the power of found family and the hard-earned resilience that can come over time with love.”—Maria Shriver
“As a teenager, Banning endured horrific abuse behind the locked doors of a mental institution that held he and many other teenagers captive as part a horrific insurance scandal. His memoir is an unapologetically honest story of survival and overcoming unspeakable trauma. It is an unflinching yet unexpectedly relatable story of redemption and finding family even when everyone has seemingly has abandoned you.” —Ben Moon, author of Denali: A Man, a Dog, and the Friendship of a Lifetime
“What a beautiful, challenging, difficult, and ultimately empowering book. It’s impossible to read The Chair and the Valley without feeling moved.”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The Happiness of Pursuit and The Art of Non-Conformity
“A profoundly inspiring story for anyone seeking to conquer their own obstacles. With remarkable insight and generosity, Banning navigates readers through trauma, triumph, and the intricate steps in-between.” —Nabil Ayers, author of My Life in the Sunshine
“Banning Lyon’s deep, dark and beautifully written debut memoir offers a brave expose of a corrupt psychiatric hospital chain, a poignant testament to the power of human resilience and a lyrical depiction of how nature – and love — can heal the wounded heart.” —Susan Shapiro, NYT bestselling author of The Forgiveness Tour and American Shield
“The Chair and the Valley is an engaging and aching memoir of family catastrophe, misuse of mental health care, loss, and redemption.” —Stephen Fried, best-selling author of RUSH and Thing of Beauty, co-author of A Common Struggle and Profiles in Mental Health Courage.
AN OPEN FIELD PUBLICATION FROM MARIA SHRIVER
Banning Lyon was an average 15-year-old, living in Dallas, TX. He enjoyed skateboarding, listening to punk rock, and even had a part-time job. But in January 1987 his life quickly changed after a school guidance counselor falsely believed he was suicidal after giving away his skateboard. Days later he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and what he was told would be a two-week stay turned into 353 days that would change his life forever.
Banning takes readers through his fraught relationship with his family, the mistreatment he suffered at the hospital, the lawsuit against the owners of the facility, and his desire to make sense of what happened to him. We witness Banning navigate the difficult landscape of trauma and his daily battle to live a normal life. After years of highs and lows that include being adopted by his attorney and mentor, falling in love and grieving the death of his fiancée, and being sued by the same doctors who mistreated him, Banning decides to take control of his life and finds hope in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park, where he discovers new purpose in being a backpacking guide. Through friendship, nature, and eventually giving therapy another chance, Banning summons the courage to keep moving forward.
The Chair and The Valley is a raw, gut-wrenching, and amazing story about healing from trauma and starting over. It is a testament to the importance of chosen family, the restorative power of nature, and the strength it takes to build a new life in the face of fear and doubt.
PRAISE FOR THE CHAIR AND THE VALLEY
“In this bracing, brilliant, and fury-inducing memoir…. Lyon has written a survival story like no other. With positively outstanding storytelling, this is a book that cannot be put down.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A heartfelt memoir and an urgent demand for higher standards of juvenile mental health care.” —Kirkus
“It’s hard not to become overcome with fury by the injustice Banning experienced when he was a teen… That Lyon found the courage to grab happiness after decades of darkness transforms this devastating memoir into an inspiring read.” —People Magazine
“Engrossing… Lyon recounts in courageous, at times heartbreaking, detail his experiences being hospitalized as a teenager in an abusive psychiatric facility in Texas for 353 nightmarish days that forever changed his life and sense of self.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Banning Lyon’s story is a testament to the power of found family and the hard-earned resilience that can come over time with love.”—Maria Shriver
“As a teenager, Banning endured horrific abuse behind the locked doors of a mental institution that held he and many other teenagers captive as part a horrific insurance scandal. His memoir is an unapologetically honest story of survival and overcoming unspeakable trauma. It is an unflinching yet unexpectedly relatable story of redemption and finding family even when everyone has seemingly has abandoned you.” —Ben Moon, author of Denali: A Man, a Dog, and the Friendship of a Lifetime
“What a beautiful, challenging, difficult, and ultimately empowering book. It’s impossible to read The Chair and the Valley without feeling moved.”
—Chris Guillebeau, author of The Happiness of Pursuit and The Art of Non-Conformity
“A profoundly inspiring story for anyone seeking to conquer their own obstacles. With remarkable insight and generosity, Banning navigates readers through trauma, triumph, and the intricate steps in-between.” —Nabil Ayers, author of My Life in the Sunshine
“Banning Lyon’s deep, dark and beautifully written debut memoir offers a brave expose of a corrupt psychiatric hospital chain, a poignant testament to the power of human resilience and a lyrical depiction of how nature – and love — can heal the wounded heart.” —Susan Shapiro, NYT bestselling author of The Forgiveness Tour and American Shield
“The Chair and the Valley is an engaging and aching memoir of family catastrophe, misuse of mental health care, loss, and redemption.” —Stephen Fried, best-selling author of RUSH and Thing of Beauty, co-author of A Common Struggle and Profiles in Mental Health Courage.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
31 people are currently reading
3470 people want to read
About the author
Banning Lyon
1 book37 followersOutdoor instructor, backpacking guide, and author of The Chair and the Valley
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 26, 2024
Banning's story is simply an incredible one. Reading this memoir propelled me through the widest range of human emotions I think I'm capable of, and to me that speaks to how much care was woven into the creation of this book. Banning's writing is so grounded in the moments and experiences he's describing. I felt both like I was in the head of a 15-year-old and like I was watching a movie play out in front of me. This was a decidedly special memoir to read, and I've thought about it every day since I started reading it and will continue to for a long time now that I've finished it. I often identify as a troubled kid looking to the outdoors to find something for myself or about myself, and for that I'm in awe of every microcosmic event that brought The Chair and the Valley into my hands and the fragments of healing that this story has brought me toward.
June 8, 2024
This is an amazing story of an extraordinary person who struggled through multiple lifetimes of hardship by the time he reached his mid-twenties. It is a haunting book about isolation, pain, healing, connection, and finding one's purpose.
We are guided through the author's youth, starting with an idyllic period of nature exploration and sailing trips with his father. His parents' divorce and his father's remarriage left him shut of out of their lives right at the vulnerable stage of early adolescence. He ends up in an institution that is ostensibly saving him but instead is a place of physical and psychological terror. A place where children were kept from laughing, self expression, and the outside world.
The rest of his journey revolves around building a life from the trauma he experienced in that place. How do you make peace with your tormentors? How do you start over when you feel wholly broken and forever damaged? What do you do with the pain of feeling unwanted by the world? Banning Lyon reveals how he coped, found connection, endured heartbreaking tragedy, and finally found a purpose through bringing a sense of community, possibility, and wonder to others.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. Rarely has a book lead me to reflect on my life, relationships, and sense of purpose in such powerful ways. The Chair and the Valley will make an indelible imprint on readers.
We are guided through the author's youth, starting with an idyllic period of nature exploration and sailing trips with his father. His parents' divorce and his father's remarriage left him shut of out of their lives right at the vulnerable stage of early adolescence. He ends up in an institution that is ostensibly saving him but instead is a place of physical and psychological terror. A place where children were kept from laughing, self expression, and the outside world.
The rest of his journey revolves around building a life from the trauma he experienced in that place. How do you make peace with your tormentors? How do you start over when you feel wholly broken and forever damaged? What do you do with the pain of feeling unwanted by the world? Banning Lyon reveals how he coped, found connection, endured heartbreaking tragedy, and finally found a purpose through bringing a sense of community, possibility, and wonder to others.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. Rarely has a book lead me to reflect on my life, relationships, and sense of purpose in such powerful ways. The Chair and the Valley will make an indelible imprint on readers.
June 18, 2024
I’ve read a lot of memoirs and this feels the most personal to me. Although I don’t think I’ll ever know what Banning Lyon lived through, there are so many themes to relate to. He tells his story so beautifully. I was almost weeping within the first chapter. It makes me want to take a trip back to Yosemite & to Point Reyes to enjoy those beautiful landscapes. Those are the places where I’ve felt the happiest.
July 14, 2024
I read dozens of memoirs a year. This was the best one I’ve read in months. Banning has bared his soul and given the world the gift of his story. I was in tears many times. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. A transformational life story borne of pain and suffering at the hands of profiteers within the medical field. Banning has done far more than survive, he has found a heartfelt passion that fulfills him and serves others. Bravo!
October 19, 2025
Banning’s story is beyond heart breaking but his courage to recount his past is even more unbelievable. This book brought out every emotion I have
July 4, 2024
Banning Lyon’s life was certainly not easy and at points the repeated tragedies that strike seem beyond what anyone could bear. The horrific experiences he and other children were subjected to by a monstrous psychiatric hospital system are beyond comprehension. Heartbreakingly, even the people who worked tirelessly and selflessly to bring these children some modicum of justice became the victims of those same greed-driven doctors who showed no regret for their actions. They should have had their medical licenses revoke and spent long years in prison.
This book will move anyone who cares about children, those suffering from PTSD regardless of the cause, and hope. His story has a lot to teach about resiliency. And the profound healing that can be found through friendship , love and surrounding oneself in nature. Banning’s elegant style holds no punches. He makes clear his brokenness and his longing for love and normalcy. He’s a wonderful example to anyone who has thought that life was so hard that it should be abandoned.
This book will move anyone who cares about children, those suffering from PTSD regardless of the cause, and hope. His story has a lot to teach about resiliency. And the profound healing that can be found through friendship , love and surrounding oneself in nature. Banning’s elegant style holds no punches. He makes clear his brokenness and his longing for love and normalcy. He’s a wonderful example to anyone who has thought that life was so hard that it should be abandoned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2024
Such an amazing story. This book changed my life and my perspective. I finished it in one day because I just couldn't put it down, it got me out of a major reading slump. Even if it doesn't change your life like it did mine - it is still a fascinating story told by a talented writer. I recommend you give the book a chance if you're interested, it is well worth the read.
August 14, 2025
I listened to this on audiobook and found Banning’s story even more compelling as it was narrated by himself.
This is an absolutely devastating account of abuse, trauma, and healing in the outdoor. Banning’s life is unthinkable in every way, I am appalled at how he was failed by so many people and systems that serve to protect and keep people safe. His resilience is truly remarkable and I’m so glad he decided to share his story with the world. 🤍
This is an absolutely devastating account of abuse, trauma, and healing in the outdoor. Banning’s life is unthinkable in every way, I am appalled at how he was failed by so many people and systems that serve to protect and keep people safe. His resilience is truly remarkable and I’m so glad he decided to share his story with the world. 🤍
December 13, 2024
Wow, just wow.
This book was intense but absolutely worth reading and I would read it again. The messages this book shares are so important and Banning Lyon's voice and vulnerability are beautiful.
I believe that this book will be recommended to many therapists and psychiatrists. I personally have a positive view of therapy and we know the stigma of going to therapy has improved in the US. Hearing the trauma Banning went through, his journey of healing and forgiveness and then ultimately learning to trust was beautiful.
This book is heartbreaking but it is also a beacon of hope for those who struggle with mental health challenges. It's so hard to sum the message up but here goes:
- Trauma happens and is horrific but it doesn't have to own you and your whole life. You will have a scar from it but you can health, grow and change. It's okay if it takes time to move forward from trauma, everyone has there journey, it's not one size fits all. The important thing to remember is, you will get through to the other side of trauma. It may take a year, or 5 years or 50 years.
-The other side of trauma is complex but it doesn't mean that you never again feel the affects of past trauma.
-The other side of trauma doesn't make it go away or lessen the impact of the trauma on your life.
-The other side of trauma can be a place where a person strives to support others and help those who are going through similar trauma.
***If you are reading this and having challenges with your mental health and trauma please reach out to a friend, family member, or therapist. Call a crisisline. You don't have to go through this alone and you don't have to pretend like you are fine. I have struggled with PTSD for years and I understand how hard it is to function and how your brain fights against you. I could share so many things but after losing multiple friends to mental health challenges, the most important thing I can say is reach out. We want you to exist and be here tomorrow. 💕
This book was intense but absolutely worth reading and I would read it again. The messages this book shares are so important and Banning Lyon's voice and vulnerability are beautiful.
I believe that this book will be recommended to many therapists and psychiatrists. I personally have a positive view of therapy and we know the stigma of going to therapy has improved in the US. Hearing the trauma Banning went through, his journey of healing and forgiveness and then ultimately learning to trust was beautiful.
This book is heartbreaking but it is also a beacon of hope for those who struggle with mental health challenges. It's so hard to sum the message up but here goes:
- Trauma happens and is horrific but it doesn't have to own you and your whole life. You will have a scar from it but you can health, grow and change. It's okay if it takes time to move forward from trauma, everyone has there journey, it's not one size fits all. The important thing to remember is, you will get through to the other side of trauma. It may take a year, or 5 years or 50 years.
-The other side of trauma is complex but it doesn't mean that you never again feel the affects of past trauma.
-The other side of trauma doesn't make it go away or lessen the impact of the trauma on your life.
-The other side of trauma can be a place where a person strives to support others and help those who are going through similar trauma.
***If you are reading this and having challenges with your mental health and trauma please reach out to a friend, family member, or therapist. Call a crisisline. You don't have to go through this alone and you don't have to pretend like you are fine. I have struggled with PTSD for years and I understand how hard it is to function and how your brain fights against you. I could share so many things but after losing multiple friends to mental health challenges, the most important thing I can say is reach out. We want you to exist and be here tomorrow. 💕
July 5, 2024
Banning Lyon's is more than a story. It's a testament to healing after horrific mental and emotional abuse, as well as physical abuse. It's a challenge to abusers, whether born into them, or brought to them. The sheer will of choosing to not give up, and his ability to show compassion to others and self after being abandoned by those who were supposed to love, or at least professionally care for him, is inspiring. "How did he and his abused friends survive?" is foremost in your mind as you read this. How does Banning heal after such significant loss, both in and out of the hospital, from the the loss of self, time, and loved ones? That phrase: "You never know what someone is going through," lands heavy with this book. This is a life-changing, must read, that I will never forget. Thank you, Banning Lyon, for sharing your struggles.
December 31, 2024
One of my top books of 2024.
January 9, 2025
This is such raw, well-crafted, brilliant memoir from start to end. I’m at a loss for words.
August 11, 2024
Incredible and moving memoir. A beautiful messege of courage and hope.
Absolutely recommend!
Absolutely recommend!
June 27, 2024
This book was recommended to me by a coworker and fellow book club member. I was a little hesitant at first since I typically read fiction but I’m so glad I took this journey. This book had me run through a myriad of emotions and at the end I was crying buckets. His writing is smooth and captivates you from the beginning. Kudos on a fabulous book. I rarely give 5 star ratings and this one is well deserved.
December 3, 2024
When Banning Lyon was fifteen he was put into a psychiatric hospital for depression. It was supposed to be for two weeks and ended up being almost a year. The worst part? Banning wasn't clinically depressed or suicidal until AFTER being held in the hospital for a year. Prior to his hospitalization, he was somewhat depressed because he was dealing with the aftermath of his parents very messy divorce. Neither parent seemed to want him and the hospital seemed as good a place as any. If anything I think his mother could have benefited from some psychiatric care - which she never got. A few years after getting out of the hospital, Banning finds out there is a lawsuit with former patients suing the hospital - it was an insurance scam with doctors taking kickbacks for admitting patients who stayed until their insurance coverage ran out. Even after winning the lawsuit, Banning is struggling. Struggling to fit in, struggling with direction in his life, struggling with trusting people and abandonment issues. Eventually after a few more major crises he starts to reconnect with his Dad and also nature. His fondest memories were with his Dad exploring, hiking, and just being outside. Banning eventually starts working as a guide in Yosemite National Park and later working for REI's Outdoor Skills program. This reconnection with nature as a way for healing for himself and also to connect with people again is really what saves Banning's life. Similar to the Netflix series "The Program" this is an eye-opening look at a dark part of our culture that specifically targets teens. Banning is an amazing example of resilience and the power of both the human spirit and nature's healing ability.
*As a side note. Both his parents seemed AWFUL but wow his Mom was something else. I truly think she had some kind of undiagnosed mental illness.
Some quotes I liked:
"I'd been confined to my chair for weeks because I'd forgotten to close the door to my room. After I remembered to close my door, she said I had to keep sitting chair because I'd gotten test marks for slouching or laughing. Then, when I finally started cooperating, she said I was being too compliant and wasn't taking therapy seriously. None of it made any sense. Dr. Fisher said I was depressed, but she made me sit in a chair in the hallway. She said I had a hard time making friends, but she said I couldn't hug anyone or have any private conversations. Staff told us to share our feelings, but they tied kids to beds for raising their voices or getting upset. How was I supposed to take therapy seriously when it looked and felt like abuse?" (p. 53)
"...I came to understand why I'd been sent to Cassidy Place. The outside world wasn't my home anymore. I had been sent away to live with others like me, kids who lived in a strange land on the outskirts of the real world, like the Island of Misfit Toys. We had schools and jobs, but no home. We had no family, but we had one another. The halfway house wasn't meant to reintroduce us to the real world. It was designed to introduce us to a new one." (p. 98-99)
*As a side note. Both his parents seemed AWFUL but wow his Mom was something else. I truly think she had some kind of undiagnosed mental illness.
Some quotes I liked:
"I'd been confined to my chair for weeks because I'd forgotten to close the door to my room. After I remembered to close my door, she said I had to keep sitting chair because I'd gotten test marks for slouching or laughing. Then, when I finally started cooperating, she said I was being too compliant and wasn't taking therapy seriously. None of it made any sense. Dr. Fisher said I was depressed, but she made me sit in a chair in the hallway. She said I had a hard time making friends, but she said I couldn't hug anyone or have any private conversations. Staff told us to share our feelings, but they tied kids to beds for raising their voices or getting upset. How was I supposed to take therapy seriously when it looked and felt like abuse?" (p. 53)
"...I came to understand why I'd been sent to Cassidy Place. The outside world wasn't my home anymore. I had been sent away to live with others like me, kids who lived in a strange land on the outskirts of the real world, like the Island of Misfit Toys. We had schools and jobs, but no home. We had no family, but we had one another. The halfway house wasn't meant to reintroduce us to the real world. It was designed to introduce us to a new one." (p. 98-99)
June 18, 2024
Banning’s story is incredible, and I especially love how relatable he is as a storyteller. His expertly crafted prose brings people and places to life with unflinching and beautiful honesty–from the rooms of the corrupt psychiatric hospital all the way to the wild beauty of Yosemite. I cried. I raged. I cheered. I couldn’t put it down. In the end, I came away with a deep sense of gratitude and hope.
Most of us have never stepped foot in a psychiatric hospital nor hiked one mile in Yosemite, but we have had obstacles and needed help to heal. With this book, Banning Lyon shines a bright light on the darkness of despair, and he shows us all a path forward through the healing power of love and friendship. What a gift. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
Most of us have never stepped foot in a psychiatric hospital nor hiked one mile in Yosemite, but we have had obstacles and needed help to heal. With this book, Banning Lyon shines a bright light on the darkness of despair, and he shows us all a path forward through the healing power of love and friendship. What a gift. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
June 23, 2024
ALL THE STARS!!!!! This is one of the most beautiful and affecting memoirs I’ve ever read. It’s very hard to read at times, but also so life affirming. It will live in my head for a very long time.
February 22, 2024
I received a Galley copy in advance of the book release of The Chair and The Valley.
Banning Lyon’s heartfelt memoir is a testament of resilience, the story of a remarkable journey from the damage and trauma of abandonment and mistreatment into the cautious embrace of others and eventual acceptance of his own worth.
As a teenager, Banning struggles through the fractures caused by a broken family, finding his connections as many other teen boys do through skateboarding and the release of punk rock music. After a school counselor mistakenly believes him to be suicidal, Banning is caught up in a Kafka-esque nightmare of an ineffectual and corrupt psychiatric hospital system. More intent on making a profit off of its teenaged residents than in providing actual therapy and care, the hospital and its staff leave Banning damaged, far worse off than he was upon entering the facility, questioning himself and his own worth. Unable to stop the abuse faced by his fellow residents or to have any agency and control over his own life, Banning retreats inward and shuts himself down to survive.
Eventually, after his release and reentry into an outside world he is ill-prepared to navigate, Banning becomes involved in a lawsuit against the facility. This long, complex case sets him on a forward moving path, bringing him into contact with other former residents and a compassionate lawyer who becomes an integral part of his new family.
Through his writing, we witness Banning’s reawakening, his re-learning how to trust others and eventually, himself. His open and honest revisiting of each stage of his life is riveting, and we feel such joy as he ventures into the wilderness of Yosemite Valley, experiencing wonder in the outdoor world that he had been denied for so long.The wilderness and its spaces open Banning to others, allowing him to walk the trails as a guide for others, both literally and figuratively.
Each step Banning takes from abandonment and self-doubt shows the long-lasting impact of isolation. These scars may not show up on the outside, but they are there and are real. Banning traces the origins of his scars through his detailed recall of the moments when he is left behind by his family, subjected to isolation in the hospital,and suffering from the loss of friends, companions, and family.
I experienced so many different emotional responses throughout the book - anger at the adults who let him down, horror at his inhumane treatment, trepidation watching him struggle to find a way back to a purposeful life, pain at the losses he suffered, delight at his connections to new friends and family, and joy at his rediscovery of the outdoors. Banning’s story is not one of despair or self-pity, but one of discovery and healing.
Life, like backpacking, can be hard work, and life’s burdens are lighter when we walk the path with others by our side. Banning reminds us not to take life’s gifts, including ourselves, for granted. An amazing read, with an uplifting ending that enriches readers with the power and resilience of the human spirit.
Banning Lyon’s heartfelt memoir is a testament of resilience, the story of a remarkable journey from the damage and trauma of abandonment and mistreatment into the cautious embrace of others and eventual acceptance of his own worth.
As a teenager, Banning struggles through the fractures caused by a broken family, finding his connections as many other teen boys do through skateboarding and the release of punk rock music. After a school counselor mistakenly believes him to be suicidal, Banning is caught up in a Kafka-esque nightmare of an ineffectual and corrupt psychiatric hospital system. More intent on making a profit off of its teenaged residents than in providing actual therapy and care, the hospital and its staff leave Banning damaged, far worse off than he was upon entering the facility, questioning himself and his own worth. Unable to stop the abuse faced by his fellow residents or to have any agency and control over his own life, Banning retreats inward and shuts himself down to survive.
Eventually, after his release and reentry into an outside world he is ill-prepared to navigate, Banning becomes involved in a lawsuit against the facility. This long, complex case sets him on a forward moving path, bringing him into contact with other former residents and a compassionate lawyer who becomes an integral part of his new family.
Through his writing, we witness Banning’s reawakening, his re-learning how to trust others and eventually, himself. His open and honest revisiting of each stage of his life is riveting, and we feel such joy as he ventures into the wilderness of Yosemite Valley, experiencing wonder in the outdoor world that he had been denied for so long.The wilderness and its spaces open Banning to others, allowing him to walk the trails as a guide for others, both literally and figuratively.
Each step Banning takes from abandonment and self-doubt shows the long-lasting impact of isolation. These scars may not show up on the outside, but they are there and are real. Banning traces the origins of his scars through his detailed recall of the moments when he is left behind by his family, subjected to isolation in the hospital,and suffering from the loss of friends, companions, and family.
I experienced so many different emotional responses throughout the book - anger at the adults who let him down, horror at his inhumane treatment, trepidation watching him struggle to find a way back to a purposeful life, pain at the losses he suffered, delight at his connections to new friends and family, and joy at his rediscovery of the outdoors. Banning’s story is not one of despair or self-pity, but one of discovery and healing.
Life, like backpacking, can be hard work, and life’s burdens are lighter when we walk the path with others by our side. Banning reminds us not to take life’s gifts, including ourselves, for granted. An amazing read, with an uplifting ending that enriches readers with the power and resilience of the human spirit.
June 12, 2024
I tend to read thrillers, and if I read a memoir it is normally about figures who engages in thrilling adventures. Reading a book regarding trauma seemed a little uncomfortable to me. What I learned was that overcoming trauma through hard work, dedication, and loving support is one of the most thrilling things a person can do. The Chair and the Valley has the potential to inspire everyone who touches it. This isn't only the best memoir I have read, it may just be the best book I've read.
November 6, 2025
This book made me so sad and angry but what a gift to read Banning’s story in his own words. We all have so much learn from each other
February 12, 2025
This is an incredible book. Heart wrenching, raw, and ultimately empowering. A true story of human resilience. As a therapist, I found this to be an important book that highlights the gravity of the responsibility that health care providers have in providing care to their patients, and what that should NOT be. As a person, I feel such sadness and awe of the author's ability to endure such adversity and the lessons he took from it.
October 31, 2024
Amazing memoir and sad case study of the abuse by people able to take advantage of those in unfortunate circumstances. We have since learned that parenting and advocating for your child is so so important. I remember this era when folks trusted doctors, teachers and administrators without question. So glad we are teaching our children to advocate for themselves
The first third of the book was difficult to read. Such abuse by those trusted with the care of children and young adults. Banning’s story shows his honesty and resilience. I truly hope he can find happiness.
The first third of the book was difficult to read. Such abuse by those trusted with the care of children and young adults. Banning’s story shows his honesty and resilience. I truly hope he can find happiness.
October 24, 2024
The story is maddening. The book is fantastic. I cried a crazy ton.
Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely, if you're looking for a very serious read. One that is going to basically obliterate your heartstrings. Be sure to have tissues close by.
Thoughts?
This book is 5/8th trauma, 2/8th healing, and 1/8th outdoors.
Let this serve as a fair warning to those picking up this book thinking it will have lots of outdoorsy adventures. And in case my ratios weren't clear enough, no, not a lot of outdoors. But anyone who embraces the outdoors will understand the profound effect it had on Banning.
Did I pick up this book at my library because of the cover reflecting Yosemite? Yes.
Did I open it up to read the Epilogue because I was emotionally intrigued by the description? Yes.
Did I immediately check out the book because with just two lines Banning had me tearing up? Yes.
Was I disappointed that the majority of the book was not about the outdoors? NO, absolutely not.
I've read some really good memoirs this year and just about all have had some sort of hardship and/or trauma. But Banning's style of writing had me in tears the "mostest." He is very direct. Doesn't over embellish. Yet, throughout the book he delivers the perfect description that conveys really deep emotions that transports your heart and mind right to that scene.
How do you get help when the very system erected to help is the one that broke you beyond repair? How can you ever trust a therapist again when you were irreparably broken by therapists?
This story is so incredibly heartbreaking. I just can't find the right words to explain how much Banning's book affected me. To break it down to its simplest bits: young adults were tortured physically and mentally for mere financial gains. We gripe all the time that our American medical system is totally broken. Well, shit. That's nothing compared to the insurance fraud that Banning and many others his age were forced to live and suffer through. And while they survived it, many came out too broken to be able to live after being freed from the system. I simply cannot imagine what if my teenage years were spent like Banning's.
There are some parts of the book that I would like to have gotten more explanation on. Like was Sam one of the doctors who tried to sue Banning? I'd like to have interrogated the shit out of Sam whether he was in on this scam or not. And if he wasn't then why didn't he fight harder for Banning? So, at times I did feel that there were a couple of holes here and there. But I also realize that even if an explanation is given it doesn't undo what happened. As Banning states throughout, some things remain unexplained even to him regarding the things that happened and the why's of it all.
The story is maddening. The book is fantastic. I cried a crazy ton.
Quotable Quotes:
Page 56
"I was helpless now, and imagining saving Sonia gave birth to a rage so enormous that it began to suffocate me. She would scream and I'd feel it start clawing its way out of my chest like some alien parasite driven by hatred and revenge."
Page 75
"She looked like a hostage who had been tortured and left tied to a bed in a basement somewhere, her one white pillow a sick gesture of kindness."
Page 82
"I'd adapted to survive the hospital, but there had been no surgery or healing, no stitches or prosthesis. Something else was gone now, and without a scar as proof, no one would ever understand why I didn't work right anymore. Not even me.
Page 99
"We had schools and jobs, but no home. We had no family, but we had one another. The halfway house wasn't meant to reintroduce us to the real world. It was designed to introduce us to a new one."
Page 106
"Sometimes I thought Sam might have betrayed me, that he was like all the other doctors who pretended to care so they could just get their paycheck and go home. But after months of him coming to see me, I'd started to wonder if he had regretted putting me in the hospital and his way of making it up to me was to help me survive. I knew I'd miss seeing him. But as I watched him drive away, I couldn't help but wonder if he had really been my friend."
Page 188
Jennifer to Banning:
"Girls are catty and mean," she told me. "Everything's a fucking competition with them. Guys are simple. What you see is what you get."
(I used to think this and would wholeheartedly agree with Jennifer. I still somewhat do. Girls in large numbers just freak me the F out. But I've seen guys do the same. We're all human. But I very much understood her sentimentality that, as a girl, hanging out with guys felt more genuine and easier connection.)
Page 260
"… Nathan lost his job in San Francisco and needed a place to live. I'd never been so happy to see a friend file for unemployment."
Page 285
Sandy about her mom:
"She'd set the table and double-check each piece of silverware and china and crystal. Then, with the turkey and all the food sitting there like the cover of Better fucking Homes and Gardens, she'd take a picture of the table with no one siting at it. She did it every year. No people. No family. No smiles. The photo was better without us."
Page 290
I glanced at my pack again. Inside it was everything I needed to survive. Clothes. Food. A sleeping bag. A handful of other things. I lifted the pack and shook it. It didn't weight much. I remember thinking I had spent most of my life learning how to survive, only to realize that I'd never needed very much. And that all the things I'd thought were necessary, like my years of being alone, had actually been weighing me down."
For Reviews of Other Books I've Read
The Hiking Bookworms
Would I Recommend It?
Absolutely, if you're looking for a very serious read. One that is going to basically obliterate your heartstrings. Be sure to have tissues close by.
Thoughts?
This book is 5/8th trauma, 2/8th healing, and 1/8th outdoors.
Let this serve as a fair warning to those picking up this book thinking it will have lots of outdoorsy adventures. And in case my ratios weren't clear enough, no, not a lot of outdoors. But anyone who embraces the outdoors will understand the profound effect it had on Banning.
Did I pick up this book at my library because of the cover reflecting Yosemite? Yes.
Did I open it up to read the Epilogue because I was emotionally intrigued by the description? Yes.
Did I immediately check out the book because with just two lines Banning had me tearing up? Yes.
Was I disappointed that the majority of the book was not about the outdoors? NO, absolutely not.
I've read some really good memoirs this year and just about all have had some sort of hardship and/or trauma. But Banning's style of writing had me in tears the "mostest." He is very direct. Doesn't over embellish. Yet, throughout the book he delivers the perfect description that conveys really deep emotions that transports your heart and mind right to that scene.
How do you get help when the very system erected to help is the one that broke you beyond repair? How can you ever trust a therapist again when you were irreparably broken by therapists?
This story is so incredibly heartbreaking. I just can't find the right words to explain how much Banning's book affected me. To break it down to its simplest bits: young adults were tortured physically and mentally for mere financial gains. We gripe all the time that our American medical system is totally broken. Well, shit. That's nothing compared to the insurance fraud that Banning and many others his age were forced to live and suffer through. And while they survived it, many came out too broken to be able to live after being freed from the system. I simply cannot imagine what if my teenage years were spent like Banning's.
There are some parts of the book that I would like to have gotten more explanation on. Like was Sam one of the doctors who tried to sue Banning? I'd like to have interrogated the shit out of Sam whether he was in on this scam or not. And if he wasn't then why didn't he fight harder for Banning? So, at times I did feel that there were a couple of holes here and there. But I also realize that even if an explanation is given it doesn't undo what happened. As Banning states throughout, some things remain unexplained even to him regarding the things that happened and the why's of it all.
The story is maddening. The book is fantastic. I cried a crazy ton.
Quotable Quotes:
Page 56
"I was helpless now, and imagining saving Sonia gave birth to a rage so enormous that it began to suffocate me. She would scream and I'd feel it start clawing its way out of my chest like some alien parasite driven by hatred and revenge."
Page 75
"She looked like a hostage who had been tortured and left tied to a bed in a basement somewhere, her one white pillow a sick gesture of kindness."
Page 82
"I'd adapted to survive the hospital, but there had been no surgery or healing, no stitches or prosthesis. Something else was gone now, and without a scar as proof, no one would ever understand why I didn't work right anymore. Not even me.
Page 99
"We had schools and jobs, but no home. We had no family, but we had one another. The halfway house wasn't meant to reintroduce us to the real world. It was designed to introduce us to a new one."
Page 106
"Sometimes I thought Sam might have betrayed me, that he was like all the other doctors who pretended to care so they could just get their paycheck and go home. But after months of him coming to see me, I'd started to wonder if he had regretted putting me in the hospital and his way of making it up to me was to help me survive. I knew I'd miss seeing him. But as I watched him drive away, I couldn't help but wonder if he had really been my friend."
Page 188
Jennifer to Banning:
"Girls are catty and mean," she told me. "Everything's a fucking competition with them. Guys are simple. What you see is what you get."
(I used to think this and would wholeheartedly agree with Jennifer. I still somewhat do. Girls in large numbers just freak me the F out. But I've seen guys do the same. We're all human. But I very much understood her sentimentality that, as a girl, hanging out with guys felt more genuine and easier connection.)
Page 260
"… Nathan lost his job in San Francisco and needed a place to live. I'd never been so happy to see a friend file for unemployment."
Page 285
Sandy about her mom:
"She'd set the table and double-check each piece of silverware and china and crystal. Then, with the turkey and all the food sitting there like the cover of Better fucking Homes and Gardens, she'd take a picture of the table with no one siting at it. She did it every year. No people. No family. No smiles. The photo was better without us."
Page 290
I glanced at my pack again. Inside it was everything I needed to survive. Clothes. Food. A sleeping bag. A handful of other things. I lifted the pack and shook it. It didn't weight much. I remember thinking I had spent most of my life learning how to survive, only to realize that I'd never needed very much. And that all the things I'd thought were necessary, like my years of being alone, had actually been weighing me down."
For Reviews of Other Books I've Read
The Hiking Bookworms
September 11, 2024
The best memoir I have ever read! I have recommended it to soooo many people throughout my time reading it. I am so thrilled to be friends with the author on Goodreads, I feel honored!
February 28, 2025
One of those books that will change you, make you feel grateful, fortunate. The Chair and the Valley is a gripping memoir of institutional abuse in a youth psychiatric ward, the wounds it inflicted, and a lifetime of healing them.
After giving away his prized skateboard, 15-year-old Banning Lyon is deemed depressed and suicidal and promptly sent to a psychiatric hospital for “two weeks” that is actually most of a year. The first part of the book details his time here including the physical, mental, and emotional abuse inflicted on the patients; a bleak life of restriction, restraints, and repression. And he may have had one of the easier journeys in the building.
As with any good story based in an “institution,” Lyon introduces us to a rich collection of underdogs and characters along his path — other misfits left to rot in the ward, the tragically beautiful girlfriend, the few adults that step up and step in where others failed. It’s a cast of characters so richly captured and written that you care deeply about what happens to every one — and that can be painful in a book like this one.
The subtitle, A Memoir of Trauma, Healing, and the Outdoors, sets appropriate expectations for the book, which does feel distinctly divided between the Trauma, the Healing, and the Outdoors portions. Those looking for wilderness writing may be a bit disappointed here — the outdoors is more the cherry on top of the author’s healing. Look elsewhere to climb mountains across pages, look here for a deeply human story of rebuilding yourself after life has ground you down.
After giving away his prized skateboard, 15-year-old Banning Lyon is deemed depressed and suicidal and promptly sent to a psychiatric hospital for “two weeks” that is actually most of a year. The first part of the book details his time here including the physical, mental, and emotional abuse inflicted on the patients; a bleak life of restriction, restraints, and repression. And he may have had one of the easier journeys in the building.
As with any good story based in an “institution,” Lyon introduces us to a rich collection of underdogs and characters along his path — other misfits left to rot in the ward, the tragically beautiful girlfriend, the few adults that step up and step in where others failed. It’s a cast of characters so richly captured and written that you care deeply about what happens to every one — and that can be painful in a book like this one.
The subtitle, A Memoir of Trauma, Healing, and the Outdoors, sets appropriate expectations for the book, which does feel distinctly divided between the Trauma, the Healing, and the Outdoors portions. Those looking for wilderness writing may be a bit disappointed here — the outdoors is more the cherry on top of the author’s healing. Look elsewhere to climb mountains across pages, look here for a deeply human story of rebuilding yourself after life has ground you down.
June 14, 2025
If this is not the biggest sign of how important it is to build a relationship of mutual understanding and trust with your children, I don't know what is.
This broke me in so many ways. I ached for Bannon and his friends. There wasn't a way in which I could say "this is just a story" to make myself feel better. There were times I needed to take a break from reading, especially after Jennifer.
I found this book on a random browse in the library. And it has given me so much to digest. The human capacity to endure despite unbearable odds. The pure magic that is nature and being active witness to its gift for the soul. The mysterious ways in which what we are missing in life show up in other forms. The importance of chosen family. Not letting them win. How brokenness creates the most empathetic and compassionate hearts. That sharing your story can help others you don't even know.
Thank you Bannon, for sharing this story, I hope releasing it on these pages healed you, and I know this will find its way to help others who need hope that things can get better.
This broke me in so many ways. I ached for Bannon and his friends. There wasn't a way in which I could say "this is just a story" to make myself feel better. There were times I needed to take a break from reading, especially after Jennifer.
I found this book on a random browse in the library. And it has given me so much to digest. The human capacity to endure despite unbearable odds. The pure magic that is nature and being active witness to its gift for the soul. The mysterious ways in which what we are missing in life show up in other forms. The importance of chosen family. Not letting them win. How brokenness creates the most empathetic and compassionate hearts. That sharing your story can help others you don't even know.
Thank you Bannon, for sharing this story, I hope releasing it on these pages healed you, and I know this will find its way to help others who need hope that things can get better.
January 5, 2026
I had no expectations for this memoir since I found it randomly at a book store, but I really, really liked it. I had to take a few breaks at the beginning since Lyon’s childhood experiences were very intense, but after that I couldn’t put it down. The storytelling flowed smoothly with a reflective tone that supplemented the linear timeline instead of pulling me away from it. I wish we’d gotten to hear a little bit more reflection on specific impactful outdoor experiences of his, however, I do acknowledge that that’s not really the point given what he did take the time to cover! Would highly recommend!
July 4, 2024
I couldn't put this book down. This is one of the most memorable books I've ever read. Banning's writing is effortless and authentic. His story made my heart ache, because what happened to this teenager could have happened to ANY of us. A small act, that was actually a kindness to a friend, turned his life into a nightmare. And the hits (and eventually healing) just kept coming with each turn of a page. I can't recommend this book enough, and it will be my new favorite gift to fellow book lovers.
June 3, 2025
I loved this book, couldn't put it down and finished it in two sessions!! This is a remarkable story of overcoming multiple traumas and unbelievable obstacles and creating a meaningful life teaching others about the beauty of exploring the outdoors. So many life lessons in this book, especially about forgiveness and the healing power of being outdoors and exploring nature.
September 29, 2025
The most human book I've ever read. I can only relate in parallel to maybe one thing Banning endured, but all of his story resonates with me. Grief and trauma are universal languages that manifest in different ways, but are understood by anyone who experiences them and are honest with themselves about those experiences. We’ll feel alone until more people are willing to speak authentically like Banning is. "Thanks for sharing your story, people need to hear it."
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