I would like to share a new self-help book In Our Blood written by Caitin Billings a memoir which I received in exchange for this review.
In Our Blood captured my attention when I saw the cover with the Fall Leaf on it. But the title made me pause for bit because I wasn’t sure if it would be a horror or a self-help book. After reading the press release and all the Author had been through I new this was a book the Lord thought I should read.
As a child my sister was molested by my brother and he also tried things with me. Then my daughter was killed and I found myself sinking into depression and drinking more than I should. Which I was able to stop before it became out of hand.
Fasto forward and I see myself struggling with dieting and not eating the way she should. Charlie being bullied and not eating and also thinking he is to fat. That most days I just want to crawl into a hole and hide because its just to much to handle.
Then I decided to take time for myself I picked up In Our Blood and found myself getting immersed into the story. I didn’t want to put the book down. I found myself saying wow over and over again. I found myself putting together a list of people I wanted to share the book with.
About:
When Caitlin Billings became a therapist, she did so with an intention to heal from her past. She wasn’t planning on a mental health relapse or an involuntary psychiatric hold. She was a mother now. A mental health professional. She thought the issues she’d faced in her past were dealt with, tucked away forever.
She was wrong.
Over the years, Billings contends with bipolar disorder while raising two children and fighting to regain her footing as a clinician. She feels she’s finally gotten a handle on her mental health when, on the cusp of adolescence, her elder child begins to struggle with disordered eating and depressive symptoms. Convinced that she is to blame for her child’s struggles, Billings pivots her attention to this new crisis, determined to keep it together for her family—but after it comes out that sexual abuse has taken place in their home, she questions her ability to protect her children and experiences a relapse. Amidst all this turmoil, her elder child also comes out as transgender, forcing yet another kind of reckoning. Billings must find a way to accept the many changes and unexpected challenges that have reared up in their lives—and, ultimately, to accept herself.
About Caitlin Billings
Psychotherapist, CA Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Author of In Our Blood: A Memoir
Caitlin Billings opened her group practice, Sana Therapy Collective, on the eve of the publication of her award-winning memoir, In Our Blood. Bound by the parallels of her own and others walks through the unending process of recovery from mental health challenges, Caitlin and her book embody authenticity, vulnerability, bravery and provide a restorative space to accompany and witness human transformation.
Throughout her career, Caitlin has worked with court-mandated groups for intimate partners who have caused harm, partial hospitalization programs, substance use programs, residential rehabilitation services, family support services and as a birth Doula. ‘
She has also navigated adoption by her stepfather, an eating disorder, a deep-set need for perfection, post-traumatic stress and bipolar disorder. Despite involuntary hospitalizations and an initial refusal to accept her bipolar diagnosis, Caitlin reclaimed her life and sanity, successfully establishing herself as a professional and a supportive mother to her gender-fluid elder child.
Caitlin is honored by her work, sitting with individuals as they process their trauma and step toward healing. Everyone fights some version of “I don’t matter; I’m worthless” due to society’s expectations. She aims to prove that people can build a depth of understanding and acceptance if they embrace imperfection and self-love. By sharing her memoir, “warts and all,” she hopes to change the lives of others with her message, “You matter. You are no other. You are not alone.”
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
