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Date: 12/4/2015
HOLYOKE – Local authors Patricia Peters Martin and Helene DeMontraeux Houston both have had long career in therapy and realized they have encountered many inspirational stories. They are now sharing some of those stories in their new book, “The Other Couch.”
It’s not just about lessons that can be learned but the two authors believe it is really just good storytelling.
“That’s what this book is all about,” Martin told Reminder Publications. The subtitle is “Discovering Women’s Wisdom in Therapy.”
The two authors will be bringing their book for a presentation at the Holyoke Public Library on Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Martin has a doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University and has undertaken research work at the National Institute of Mental Health as well as taught at Purdue University, Springfield College and Bay Path University. She has had her own practice for 35 years.
Houston earned degrees at Columbia and Boston universities and has practiced psychiatric nursing for 45 years. She has also taught while at Bay State Medical Center and has specialized in psychopharmacology trauma work, mood disorders codependency and women’s health.
The two women had known each other for years and had several common connections between church and interests. Houston, who really enjoyed writing, talked about it with Martin and the two started meeting weekly.
“Monday was writing day,” Martin explained. The book took the two women almost four years to write. They began categorizing stories from their practices in broad categories such as relationships, serious illnesses, survival, having children, and loss, among others.
The two therapists received permission from 36 of their patients to recount some of the stories. Names were changed for the patients’ privacy.
Houston said, “Wisdom can be found all around us and people who get psychoanalyzed are some of the wisest people around.”
The stories include Lori, a successful school administrator who struggled with the effects of childhood sexual abuse; Leslie who has learned to cope with her nine year-old son having leukemia; and Delores who overcame her grief at the passing of her husband of 54 years.
The stories that are shared show “ordinary women with extraordinary stories,” Martin said.
The two women believed in their book so much they didn’t let rejection stop them after submitting it to 30 to 40 publishers. A small independent company in Indiana, Norlights Press, accepted it.
For more information about the book, go to www.theothercouch.com.