Dr. Amber's Memoir Round-Up Pt.2

AND A BOOK DISCUSSION ANNOUNCEMENT

If you are new here, welcome to Dr. Amber_Writes. I am a clinical psychologist who writes weekly about mental health. I aim to bring you evidenced-based information, with a personal touch. Check out this post to read more about why I started writing in the first place. If you want to hear from me again, subscribe any time.

Photo by Tom Hermans on Unsplash

First things first, I wanted to give a shout out to new subscribers. It turns out that quite a lot of people needed a how-to guide for feeling an emotion, and a good number of folks chose to subscribe from that article. So welcome! I got the message loud and clear- ya’ll appreciate practical advice on responding to difficult thoughts and feelings. The good news is, I have lots of that to share! By next week, I hope to have some thoughts for you about how to “trust your gut” when you have anxiety or OCD. So stay tuned for that!

However, I don’t just write about mental health tips here. I also love to write about books. A year ago, I shared a list of some of the more memorable memoirs I have read. This week, I thought I would update you on what memoirs I’ve been reading in the past year or so. You will see a theme; mostly these are books written about mental health, grief, and trauma from a female perspective. I acknowledge it is not a diverse list, and for that I apologize. It is simply a reflection of the kind of stories I have been gravitating towards most recently. So in no specific order…

Memoir Round-Up Part 2

Kissing Girls on Shabbat by Sara Glass

Dr. Sara Glass is a psychotherapist who specializes in working with complex trauma and PTSD. In her memoir, she shares her story of accepting her queer identity while growing up in an ultra-conservative Hasidic community. I can only imagine the courage that it took to decide to share her story and I know that it will be a powerful one for many people in similar circumstances. I also appreciated reading a story about trauma and healing from the perspective of a mental health professional who is balancing both that personal and professional perspective. (Content Warning: Sexual coercion and religious trauma)

While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence by Meg Kissinger

Meg Kissinger is an award-winning journalist who has researched and written extensively about the mental health system in America. Kissinger comes to this work naturally; her family of origin suffered from more than their fair share of severe mental illness and addiction. She expertly weaves together her own family history with a critique of the mental health systems that failed them during an era when mental health was not spoken about. This is a difficult read, but the author’s tenacity and deep love and respect for her family shines through. (Content Warning: Suicide)

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

What does it mean to be a sociopath? That is a question that fascinates many people, but it not well-defined in the psychiatric community. Patric Gagne explores sociopathy through the lens of her own lived experience and her training as a mental health therapist. This story is engaging and thought-provoking, but it has also garnered a bit of critique and skepticism. Although I do not know that I agree with all of Gagne’s conclusions, I agree that sociopathy is an under-researched and poorly understood construct, and I appreciated a peak inside the mind and life of someone who identifies with the diagnosis. I also appreciated the author’s interview on the We Can Do Hard Things Podcast.

Grief Is For People by Sloane Crosley

Sloane Crosley writes about the loss of a dear friend to suicide. There are so many memoirs that involve grief and loss, but I have not read many that address the loss of friends who are really family and the immensely complicated grief that occurs when one ends their own life. If you have struggled with grief or loss, this one will likely pack a big emotional punch. (Content Warning: Suicide)

The Bodies Keep Coming: Dispatches from a Black Trauma Surgeon on Racism, Violence, and How We Heal by Brian H. Williams

This story manages to be both deeply personal and culturally important. Dr. Williams is a Harvard-trained trauma surgeon and professor. He also happened to be the ER doctor on call the night that a shooter attacked 14 Dallas police officers in 2016. Williams shares his story of being a Black man in America, working as a doctor in a health system that perpetuates harm against Black people. With analysis of race, white supremacy, gun violence and healthcare, I can’t imagine a more timely memoir.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

I love stories that explore the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship, and Zauner does this so tenderly. This book is wildly popular due to it’s down-to-earth story telling, humor, and relatability. Although there are plenty of coming-of-age stories and stories about the loss of a parent, Zauner manages to give us a perspective that still feels unique. If you are a foodie, you will love how she uses food as a touchstone through the book; a way to connect to her mother, her relatives, and her Korean heritage.

Nowhere For Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life by Brianna Madia

Brianna Madia chronicles how she came to leave her conventional life to live in a van in the desert with three dogs on purpose. I might be biased, because in many ways, this is my dream life. But I digress. Madia’s story spoke to me mostly because of the intense bond that she has with her dogs. But I also appreciated her example of how we can find self-compassion, even in the face of really painful mistakes. There is a fair amount of controversy surrounding Madia’s choices, but ultimately, I appreciated her candor (and the opportunity to live in the desert vicariously through her words).

Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses by Sarah Fay, Ph.D.

I was first introduced to Pathological by a colleague, a forensic psychologist with expertise in psychological assessment and diagnosis, who said they wished they could make this required reading for every psychologist-in-training. That is pretty high praise for a mental health memoir, wouldn’t you say? Much later, I began writing on Substack and discovered that author Sarah Fay is kind of like our resident Substack writing professor.

I love a good mental health memoir, and this one is no exception. As a professional in this field, it is hard to confront how flawed our diagnostic and treatment system is and the great potential there is for harm. But as a patient, we can all benefit from the reminder that we are so much more than a diagnosis. Just like my colleague, Fay’s account has influenced how I speak with clients in my own practice, and for that I am appreciative.

Last but not least….

The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted, Everything I Feared by Casey Mulligan Walsh

As a therapist and general lover of people’s stories, I am always pondering the question of how we persist in the face of life’s most harrowing hardships. Casey’s story brought me face-to-face with that question again. She shares with us how she continued to live after a number of devastating losses; both parents by the age of 12, her only sibling, her marriage, and then her adult son.

I learned about Casey’s memoir via Substack, and immediately volunteered to be on her launch team in exchange for the opportunity to be an advanced reader. The Full Catastrophe was finally published in February 2025, and I am delighted to share that Casey has agreed to join us for a book discussion on her memoir!

Themes of The Full Catastrophe include:

• The importance of finding belonging

• How we construct a sense of “family” and how to cope when that understanding of our family is threatened

• Coping with uncertainty (specifically the uncertainty of living with a genetic disorder)

• Grief, divorce, and other types of loss

• Parenting children through hardship

• Coming to terms with the many roles we all play within our own story

To learn more about The Full Catastrophe, I highly recommend checking out the reviews on Casey’s website. You can get a copy for yourself HERE or anywhere else you buy books. The QR code in the book includes a reading guide with discussion questions, which I will use to facilitate our group chat. You can also access additional bonus content here. You can learn more about Casey on her Substack.

Please go here to register for the book discussion on May 30th at 12pm EST (US). It’s FREE to participate. I will be there to facilitate and contribute to the discussion, and of course author Casey Mulligan Walsh will be there to answer questions and share her insights as well!

I hope you will join us!

Meet me in the comments!

• Have you read any of the memoirs listed above?

• Do you have a memoir recommendation that you think I need to read?

• Do you plan to join my next book discussion?

As always, your support is so appreciated. Please like, share, and consider subscribing to Dr. Amber_Writes!

Disclaimer: This article is a reflection of my personal and professional experiences as a licensed clinical psychologist. It reflects my current and best understanding of these issues. It is intended to be educational and informative, but is not medical, clinical, or therapeutic advice. Any questions about your personal mental health treatment should be directed to your personal medical professional. You can find a therapist at Psychology Today.

Dr. Amber_Writes is a newsletter designed to be informational, entertaining, and engaging. It is not therapy. Following this newsletter does not establish a therapeutic relationship with me. Dr. Amber_Writes, and other written communication by Amber Groomes on Substack, is not a substitute for treatment, diagnosis, or consultation with a licensed mental health professional. I assume no liability for any action taken in reliance on my writing here at Dr. Amber_Writes.