Building a Life Worth Living: A Memoir Paperback – January 5, 2021

The author's contribution to counseling by building the process of accepting where you are (so that you have solid ground to stand on) while learning to be a more capable person, is a major contribution to counseling. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is quite effective, some people need to go beyond that, meaning that they are so overwhelmed that their cognition is overtaken by fear and other emotions, kind of feeling like a toddler in meltdown in situations that do not overwhelm most of us.People who have these collections of psychological symptoms are said to have such personality syndromes as Obsessive-Compulsive behavior or Borderline Personality Disorder. These "syndromes," described in a manual (the DSM--you can look it up) that is used by counselors are intended to help counselors figure out the best way to counsel particular people. They are not intended to label people for life, just as a dyslexic can learn to read, but may need some extra help to do so. (lots of dyslexic people in my family)Linehan's insight was that such people first need to understand and be able to manage their emotions, using such skills as meditation, in order to be "still" enough inside to use the toolkit of habit-changing responses provided by CBT.Only later and gradually did the author realize that she herself would probably have been best diagnosed as having BPD, one of the harder syndromes to treat because such people are so fearful and defensive.The book is very well-written, and a bonus is having the story of Linehan's life, in which she made choices about how to live her life and build relationships of caring and trust.

Lineman is a skilled writer that takes you through her arduous journey to health and success. This is a wonderful read for mental health professionals and family members of those with mental illness. It gives a glimpse into the experience of mental illness while also instilling hope.

About 10 years ago, during a particularly dark time in my life, I was a DBT participant. I found DBT to be a life-saving and life-building experience. I have always wondered about the story behind DBT and the therapist who created it. I really enjoyed this story, it integrated both Marsha's story and so many of the skills that I found useful over the years. It was very cool to hear her story, and to see ways in which she uses the skills.If you've ever wanted to meet Marsha and talk to her, this is probably the next best thing. It's a hope-filled and empathetic story.The narration is excellent, making it feel like you're sitting across the table from her, sharing a cup of coffee and conversation.I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. If you have family or friends who suffer from any kind of mental health challenge, this book will help you understand what they might be feeling. if you went through DBT in the past, this book will help you through any dark times you may be experiencing. It's no substitute for therapy, but a caring voice to listen to.

Marsha Linehan is the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which is a highly effective theraputic treatment for borderline personality disorder as well as other disorders like eating and substance abuse. When I found out recently that Linehan herself was highly suicidal when she was a teenager and was hospitalized in a psychiatric institution, I was intrigued and knew that I wanted to know more about her life. Reading her memoir I discovered that she made a promise to herself and God that she would help others stuck in hell when she got out of that awful hospital. That is precisely what she ends up doing. She lays out her journey to achieve that in her memoir. While at times the writing was disjointed, I didn't mind to so much. I was able to understand a lot about her. Her faith journey was also fascinating to me. She was raised Roman Catholic and she had a strong relationship with God. Through Catholic mysticism she eventually discovered mindfulness and studied under a Catholic priest who was also a Zen master. She incorporated mindfulness into DBT at a time when mindfulness was seen as a new age teaching and wasn't taken seriously. As such she was well ahead of her time. It was a very interesting read for me and I am glad I purchased the book on my kindle.

Love seeing how she developed and put this all together. Would recommend for anyone who wants to help and support a loved with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and/or experiences urges toward self-harm or suicide.

I’m not a big reader, but I loved this book. I felt a connection to the story. I recommended this book to friends and family.