"Replanting Lives Uprooted by Mental Illness: a practical guide for families" , by Nancy Pizzo Boucher

   Nancy Pizzo Boucher’s first book, “Getting My Night Vision”, relates to her family’s love and support for her son, who has a serious mental illness, and how their teamwork and strategies helped Clem to become accountable for his own mental wellness and gain his own sense of independence.
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   “Replanting Lives Uprooted by Mental Illness: a practical guide for families”, Nancy shares those tips and strategies for those who love and care for someone with a mental illness and for those who work in the treatment and research of mental health.

​   After 17 years of working on improving her son’s mental wellness, Nancy Pizzo Boucher wanted to share her personal knowledge and tried and true strategies with hopes that by using her strategies, will lessen the time it takes other families to heal.

   Throughout the workbook are helpful, reflective, and interactive exercises for the loved ones or carers to complete.  At the Appendix, these worksheets can be copied for use.

   With Nancy’s background as a behavioural strategist, she became experienced with how teachers “teach” BUT not always “reach the student”. She writes a similar analogy on teaching those with mental illness to ensure your message is getting “reached”.

   This workbook has sooo may helpful suggestions for the reader on opening the lines of communication, deescalating rages and irritability, and creating action plans with the individual who is affected with a mental illness, in order to transition from an episode of serious mental illness back to baseline. I can’t understate the amount of daily dialogue that would be going on in their house but she provides a plethora of examples in both books.
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   Although, I thought the book was very captivating, covered an abundance of strategies, and have learned a lot being an individual with a serious mental illness, I feel this book would be better suited for those who love a care for someone with a serious mental illness.