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Blackbird: Learning to Fly Above Depression and Anxiety
What happens when you realize you've been living in a cage you didn't know existed?
For years, Jessica Turner thought she had overcome her darkness. She had survived depression and anxiety since childhood, found her wings, and was finally flying free—or so she believed. But when she discovered boxes of old journals tucked away in her past, she came face to face with a truth she had been she had never truly healed. She had only learned to cope.
Inspired by The Beatles' "Blackbird"—a song that became her companion through the darkest nights—Jessica invites you into the raw, unfiltered pages of her life. From the haunting words of her eleven-year-old self to the patterns that followed her into adulthood, she traces the invisible threads of mental illness that shaped her story.
Blackbird is not a memoir of triumph over adversity. It's something far more a journey through the messy, nonlinear reality of living with depression and anxiety. With vulnerability and wisdom hard-won through decades of struggle, Jessica offers no quick fixes or false hope. Instead, she provides something more valuable—companionship in the darkness and practical tools for survival.
Whether you're in the depths of your own night or supporting someone who is, this book is an invitation to stop pretending you're already free and start doing the real work of learning to fly.
Your wings are waiting.
But first, you have to face what's been keeping you grounded.
Dr. Jessica B. Turner is a lifelong lover of words and has been writing her own for as long as she can remember. Her personal struggle with depression, anxiety, disordered eating, suicide loss, and PTSD has led her to a life of mental health advocacy, alongside her work as a veterinarian. Her greatest passion is bringing hope to others who cannot see their way out of the darkness. She lives in a small southern town with her husband and three children.
For years, Jessica Turner thought she had overcome her darkness. She had survived depression and anxiety since childhood, found her wings, and was finally flying free—or so she believed. But when she discovered boxes of old journals tucked away in her past, she came face to face with a truth she had been she had never truly healed. She had only learned to cope.
Inspired by The Beatles' "Blackbird"—a song that became her companion through the darkest nights—Jessica invites you into the raw, unfiltered pages of her life. From the haunting words of her eleven-year-old self to the patterns that followed her into adulthood, she traces the invisible threads of mental illness that shaped her story.
Blackbird is not a memoir of triumph over adversity. It's something far more a journey through the messy, nonlinear reality of living with depression and anxiety. With vulnerability and wisdom hard-won through decades of struggle, Jessica offers no quick fixes or false hope. Instead, she provides something more valuable—companionship in the darkness and practical tools for survival.
Whether you're in the depths of your own night or supporting someone who is, this book is an invitation to stop pretending you're already free and start doing the real work of learning to fly.
Your wings are waiting.
But first, you have to face what's been keeping you grounded.
Dr. Jessica B. Turner is a lifelong lover of words and has been writing her own for as long as she can remember. Her personal struggle with depression, anxiety, disordered eating, suicide loss, and PTSD has led her to a life of mental health advocacy, alongside her work as a veterinarian. Her greatest passion is bringing hope to others who cannot see their way out of the darkness. She lives in a small southern town with her husband and three children.
344 pages, Paperback
Published June 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 11, 2026
"Blackbird: Learning to Fly Above Depression and Anxiety" is a must-have resource for anyone who is struggling with their mental health, especially females.
Dr. Jessica Turner, the author of this beautiful book, shared scenes from her real life story and imparts valuable life lessons to the reader on the pages of this book. She shares her heart and mind with honesty and transparency in hopes of reaching readers who are in the dark nights of despair and helping them reach the light which ultimately is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
This book is not preachy at all. In fact, the author doesn't refer to God or mention Jesus Christ until the last pages of this book. I believe this book can reach both the people who go to church every weekend and the people who never stepped into a sanctuary or chapel except maybe for the Easter holiday or Christmas or to get married.
I appreciated how on the last few pages of this book, Turner included mental health resources that are available to everyone who needs help.
As a reader who also loves listening to good music, I like how the title of this book "Blackbird" was inspired by a popular song of the same name. You don't have to love music to love this book.
I hope this author will continue to tell her stories in book form. And I hope the readers will always be encouraged and inspired by the words written by this talented author (Dr. Jessica Turner)!
Dr. Jessica Turner, the author of this beautiful book, shared scenes from her real life story and imparts valuable life lessons to the reader on the pages of this book. She shares her heart and mind with honesty and transparency in hopes of reaching readers who are in the dark nights of despair and helping them reach the light which ultimately is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
This book is not preachy at all. In fact, the author doesn't refer to God or mention Jesus Christ until the last pages of this book. I believe this book can reach both the people who go to church every weekend and the people who never stepped into a sanctuary or chapel except maybe for the Easter holiday or Christmas or to get married.
I appreciated how on the last few pages of this book, Turner included mental health resources that are available to everyone who needs help.
As a reader who also loves listening to good music, I like how the title of this book "Blackbird" was inspired by a popular song of the same name. You don't have to love music to love this book.
I hope this author will continue to tell her stories in book form. And I hope the readers will always be encouraged and inspired by the words written by this talented author (Dr. Jessica Turner)!
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review