The Other Side of Perfect: Discovering the Mind-Body Connection to Healing Chronic Illness

by Debbie Emick

One woman’s tale of her journey beyond perfectionism and people-pleasing to return to her authentic, wild self. The Other Side of Perfect is a brutally honest and revealing peek into the life of a woman whose multiple diagnoses and bleak prognosis would be the surprising source of her ultimate liberation. After trying everything she knew to recover from the physical damage of autoimmune diseases--medication, nutrition, fitness, reducing stress--Debbie found her health continuing to deteriorate and in the deepest depths of depression she’d ever experienced. In her desperate attempt to claw her way out of hopelessness, this people-pleasing perfectionist stumbled upon her greatest source of self-healing yet--resurrecting the past to heal the future. The Other Side of Discovering the Mind-Body Connection to Healing Chronic Illness is a memoir and practical guide to overcoming adversity. Debbie Emick resurrects her long-repressed past in order to heal in the present. By addressing this buried trauma she was able to begin the process of recovery from her own chronic illness. This book is ideal for those suffering from autoimmune disease and chronic illness(es) and/or other recovering perfectionists who want to live authentically and enjoy their best life here and now. The author leads you through how following her intuition allowed her to finally process the repressed trauma of her childhood, ultimately healing her mind and body at once. Her story will show you that it was only through stripping away all the protections she surrounded herself in, to expose her most authentic, vulnerable self, that she was able to move beyond superficial health and toward something more meaningful and sustainable. Debbie takes us along with her in her own self-discovery that her adversity was her greatest gift, pointing the way to her freedom all along. The author shares her unique, first-hand perspective *The trauma and perceived helplessness of diagnoses of rare and serious diseases with poor prognoses--lupus, mixed connective tissue disease, relapsing polychondritis, pulmonary hypertension, tracheobronchomalacia, Raynaud's. *Trial and error navigating the more superficial aspects of healing--advice from medical experts, pharmaceutical interventions, etc. *Coming to a more holistic approach toward healing (nutrition, exercise, etc.) that finally led to an internal search for mental/emotional health (meditation, energy/somatic work, calming my nervous system, etc.), ultimately creating less physical illness and pain. *Learning to move beyond the coping mechanisms and personality traits I’d attached to for survival that no longer served me or my health. *Living a less fearful life from a place of power that allows me to create the life I desire today, regardless of diagnoses, because none of us have a guarantee of tomorrow. Here's what others are "...it was a raw and beautiful description of what it means to recapture one's health and wholeness, and how she took steps toward courageously living out her authentic self." -- Carrie Doan, clarity coach, carriedoan.com "Debbie's writing is powerfully brave. She has chosen to share her vulnerable story of healing, examining painful parts of her childhood and embedded thoughts. She gifts readers with the tools and the confidence to fully heal from within." -- Lisa Faus, fausdwellingdesigns.com

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2021

Reviews

[Maria Socolof · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very compelling memoir about how childhood adversities can affect our physical well-being later in life. The author candidly presents her story and provides helpful suggestions on ways to help heal the mind and body. She explains how it’s not one quick fix, and that understanding the mindbody connection is critically important. She gives us hope that we can heal. As one who has also discovered how important the mindbody connection is to healing past trauma, I found her book right on point and would recommend it to anyone suffering from pain and/or chronic illnesses that seem to have no obvious physical origin.
—Maria Socolof, Author of The Invisible Key: Unlocking the Mystery of My Chronic Pain

[Samantha Bowick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debbie shares her journey so openly and in a relatable way. I think everyone struggles with being perfect in one way or another and this is a must read! I could see myself throughout the book and am so thankful she shares her raw experiences in “The Other Side of Perfect: Discovering the Mind-Body Connection to Healing Chronic Illness”.

[Felitza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debbie, you are a brave woman

I cant explain how much this book resonated with my story. You really gave helped me identify feelings/emotions that I couldn't fully name, and this has been so important for my own recovery. Thank you so much for opening up to the world, I'm sure you'll help a lot of people.
Thanks again and I wish you the best Debbie!
Best regards,
Felitza Feijoo

[Adam Morrissey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Self Disovery

Such a practical guide for how to deal with the perfectionist tendencies and over functioning. Her story shows how we might arrive at such a place and suggestions on how to unravel our truest selfs from it.

[Christine Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great story and so relatable. Debbie is an excellent writer!