“What the Fire Gave Us” is a memoir built around the wildfire and its effects on my mental health, sense of security, and personal values.

When I worked for the Department of State Health Services, I was committed to supporting the state mental hospitals in their mission.  But even though I had personal experience with a number of people who were mentally ill, this condition was always a bit abstract to me.  I knew intellectually that mental illness was, like physical illness, something that people could not “snap out of” or manage on their own.  But I had no way of directly empathizing with those whose minds were beyond their control.

Now I know what it is like because I have had PTSD for almost a year.  I am confident in my eventual recovery and my therapist, more than anyone else, is responsible for that.

I have personal knowledge of mental illness now and am passionate about demystifying and de-stigmatizing it.  When my book is complete in a year, I hope it will be a comfort to anyone who has gone through a life-changing experience they are struggling to understand and accept.

If you are interested in what I am doing, please let your friends and associates know about my website and encourage them to “Like” the book at my Facebook Page.