Hornstein bridges the gulf between medical explanations of psychiatric illness and the lived experiences of those given labels such as schizophrenia, bipolar illness, depression and paranoia. What emerges is a new model of understanding which asks not 'what's wrong with you' but 'what happened to you and how did you manage to survive?
The biography delves into the life of a groundbreaking therapist, drawing from newly uncovered family records and extensive tape recordings of patient sessions. It explores the unique methods and philosophies that shaped the therapist's career and influenced the bestselling novel "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden." Accompanied by a collection of photographs, the book offers an intimate portrait of a maverick figure in the field of therapy.