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The Survival: A True Story
The Survival is a true reflection of over twenty years of therapy as a user of mental health services. The ambiguous care on a psychiatric ward is demonstrated as Lisa describes her struggles to come to terms with the abuse, and how painful the journey to being healed is through complex circumstances and revelations.
The book is powerful and emotional and through Lisa’s honesty the reader can start to understand some of the pain and rational of a survivor of child abuse, the strength of grooming, the denial and conflict, and how a survivor is reluctant to believe anything else than the abuser was being loving and caring at the time of the abuse.
Lisa’s account has already been recognized, as significant from many medical professionals for the experience of her past. Her powerful struggle to overcome the harm inflicted with the support of others is of huge interest and many survivors will be able to relate to the emotional journey of events.
Dr Trevor Friedman has written the foreword for The Survival and this also demonstrates the significance of the book.
FOREWORD
I was very pleased to be asked to write a foreword for Lisa’s new book. I was Lisa’s psychiatrist and figure as ‘Dr Lynn‘ in her previous book – A Fine Line. I treated Lisa for almost 20 years; an extremely long time to see any patient in the National Health Service. I remember during her therapy sessions, Lisa telling me that she intended to write a book about her life and treatment. We often discussed the purpose of the book and what she hoped to gain from writing it. She never expected it to have the success it has achieved and that so many thousands of people would read it and find it of interest and benefit to them.
The reason that the account of her journey over the years and the therapy she received is important and interesting is that Lisa gives a fascinating insight to her experience of undergoing treatment; both the positive and negative aspects. The book is not meant to be a scientific, rational account of someone who has been severely abused disclosing her experiences and this leading to a cathartic moment of insight and cure. Lisa describes that whilst intellectually understanding that she suffered abuse, she struggles with the conflict of accepting that she was abused by people she believed were caring or loving at the time. The book describes how difficult it can be to overcome the resistance to change. Lisa’s account of her treatment illustrates that whilst insight is obviously important in getting better the process of being cured and being content is much more complex and tortuous.
The book also provides great insight into the experience of being a psychiatric patient; particularly as an inpatient on a busy ward. She describes how care was or was not provided. As a consultant psychiatrist, I did not always know what really happened in the ward at night times and weekends when there were fewer senior staff around. Her account was of such significance that it became required reading for senior managers in our mental health organisation. Lisa was also asked by the Chief Executive to offer advice about the nursing care and organisation for a new all-female ward. This illustrates the importance of her account of her experiences.
The book is also a very personal account from Lisa. I may disagree with some of her understanding or interpretation of events. The value of the book comes from her honesty in writing what she experienced and believed at the time. The reader has the opportunity to hear Lisa’s voice over the years; her struggles to unearth the truth about her life. It is not a simple story with an easy conclusion; it is all the more powerful and realistic for that.
The book is powerful and emotional and through Lisa’s honesty the reader can start to understand some of the pain and rational of a survivor of child abuse, the strength of grooming, the denial and conflict, and how a survivor is reluctant to believe anything else than the abuser was being loving and caring at the time of the abuse.
Lisa’s account has already been recognized, as significant from many medical professionals for the experience of her past. Her powerful struggle to overcome the harm inflicted with the support of others is of huge interest and many survivors will be able to relate to the emotional journey of events.
Dr Trevor Friedman has written the foreword for The Survival and this also demonstrates the significance of the book.
FOREWORD
I was very pleased to be asked to write a foreword for Lisa’s new book. I was Lisa’s psychiatrist and figure as ‘Dr Lynn‘ in her previous book – A Fine Line. I treated Lisa for almost 20 years; an extremely long time to see any patient in the National Health Service. I remember during her therapy sessions, Lisa telling me that she intended to write a book about her life and treatment. We often discussed the purpose of the book and what she hoped to gain from writing it. She never expected it to have the success it has achieved and that so many thousands of people would read it and find it of interest and benefit to them.
The reason that the account of her journey over the years and the therapy she received is important and interesting is that Lisa gives a fascinating insight to her experience of undergoing treatment; both the positive and negative aspects. The book is not meant to be a scientific, rational account of someone who has been severely abused disclosing her experiences and this leading to a cathartic moment of insight and cure. Lisa describes that whilst intellectually understanding that she suffered abuse, she struggles with the conflict of accepting that she was abused by people she believed were caring or loving at the time. The book describes how difficult it can be to overcome the resistance to change. Lisa’s account of her treatment illustrates that whilst insight is obviously important in getting better the process of being cured and being content is much more complex and tortuous.
The book also provides great insight into the experience of being a psychiatric patient; particularly as an inpatient on a busy ward. She describes how care was or was not provided. As a consultant psychiatrist, I did not always know what really happened in the ward at night times and weekends when there were fewer senior staff around. Her account was of such significance that it became required reading for senior managers in our mental health organisation. Lisa was also asked by the Chief Executive to offer advice about the nursing care and organisation for a new all-female ward. This illustrates the importance of her account of her experiences.
The book is also a very personal account from Lisa. I may disagree with some of her understanding or interpretation of events. The value of the book comes from her honesty in writing what she experienced and believed at the time. The reader has the opportunity to hear Lisa’s voice over the years; her struggles to unearth the truth about her life. It is not a simple story with an easy conclusion; it is all the more powerful and realistic for that.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2013
1 person is currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 13, 2016
Gives hope
The fact that I can even dare write this review is proof of how inspiring this book and the remarkable woman that lived it is. Just writing this, I question what my family would think if they found out, I panic. But for other survivors, or victims as we may still see ourselves this book gives hope of life and a sense of understanding that can only come from someone that has felt the things you have felt. It gives comfort even. It reflects our hopelessness, pain and rejection. Reflects our fear of ourselves and those around us and it reflects the dark and blackness that seeps in unexpectedly, destroying the things we love and respect. But this book also teaches us that acceptance is attainable, life is there, and we can grab it when we are ready to.
For professionals, I believe, this should be compulsory reading. Unfortunately, I have found myself dismissed by the system because medical staff have made judgements on behaviours, rejecting services due to ignorance and an inability or unwillingness to listen and opting to pass us onto some other "services" hands.
With gratitude and love to this incredible woman, and her courage to share with us, herself x
The fact that I can even dare write this review is proof of how inspiring this book and the remarkable woman that lived it is. Just writing this, I question what my family would think if they found out, I panic. But for other survivors, or victims as we may still see ourselves this book gives hope of life and a sense of understanding that can only come from someone that has felt the things you have felt. It gives comfort even. It reflects our hopelessness, pain and rejection. Reflects our fear of ourselves and those around us and it reflects the dark and blackness that seeps in unexpectedly, destroying the things we love and respect. But this book also teaches us that acceptance is attainable, life is there, and we can grab it when we are ready to.
For professionals, I believe, this should be compulsory reading. Unfortunately, I have found myself dismissed by the system because medical staff have made judgements on behaviours, rejecting services due to ignorance and an inability or unwillingness to listen and opting to pass us onto some other "services" hands.
With gratitude and love to this incredible woman, and her courage to share with us, herself x
October 22, 2014
I loved this book as I thought it was written from the heart and in a way that we the reader could understand what was being said although a very emotional and powerful subject.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews