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NEWS FROM
CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE
August 31, 2009
Cambridge Health Alliance Psychiatrist Nancy Rappaport Explores Mystery of Her Mother's Suicide in New Book In
Her Wake
"A fearless memoir of loss and grief…a stunning
narrative of perspective, profound sadness and unrelenting hope."
- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Cambridge, MA…Over a million people in the world commit
suicide every year, and, according to the American Suicide Foundation,
about five million Americans have survived the suicide of a friend,
family member, or loved one. Yet we are often at a loss when trying
to comfort those who are left behind after a suicide.
The new book In Her Wake: A Child Psychiatrist Explores the
Mystery of Her Mother's Suicide (Basic Books, September 2009
-- www.inherwake.com) offers a groundbreaking perspective on how
families can navigate such a devastating loss, overcoming isolation
and shame. Author Nancy Rappaport, MD, is an assistant professor
of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an attending child and
adolescent psychiatrist at Cambridge Health Alliance.
In Her Wake is a riveting memoir of grief and healing. Rappaport's
mother killed herself in 1963 when the author was just four years
old. In the book, Rappaport shares a unique vantage point as a daughter,
mother, wife, and child psychiatrist as she asks tough questions
and examines an inexplicable, mysterious life. Rappaport dissects
complex family dynamics and mental illness to weave a compelling
narrative that draws on newspaper clippings, a novel her mother
was writing at the time of her death, and interviews with family
and friends. Ultimately, she comes to understand her mother by building
a complex mosaic of her life. This is not only a personal journey
but an exploration of Rappaport's clinical care of her patients
in light of her own experiences, and the book informs us all about
the treatment of mental illness as well as the prevention of suicide.
Rappaport decided to share this powerful story because of her deep
conviction that all of us are loved by someone. She ultimately "wants
to help suicidal patients realize that they are not expendable."
With In Her Wake, Rappaport maps an inspiring course of healing
that can help people discover ways to endure and thrive.
Cambridge Health Alliance is an innovative, award-winning
health system that provides high quality care in Cambridge, Somerville,
and Boston's metro-north communities. It includes three hospital
campuses, a network of primary care and specialty practices, the
Cambridge Public Health Dept., and the Network Health plan. CHA
is a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate and is also affiliated
with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine,
and Tufts University School of Medicine. Visit us online at www.challiance.org.
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Media Contact
David Cecere
Cambridge Health Alliance
Phone: 617-503-8428
Cell: 617-921-9613
dcecere@challiance.org
Angela Hayes
Goldberg McDuffie Communications
Phone: 212-446-5104
ahayes@goldbergmcduffie.com
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