2011 - Talk Birth

variety of diagnoses and treatment providers while steadily becoming worse, he is diagnosed at age 21 with
schizophrenia. Randye is obviously a devoted parent to Ben and a committed advocate for her son and the
book chronicles a roller coaster of experiences with psychiatric hospitalizations, medication challenges, bright
spots of hope, relapses, group home placements, and readjustments of expectations. Perhaps most touching
are her struggles to accept the ”new normal” of her family’s life and to let go of her old expectations and
hopes for her son, while still celebrating the caring and worthwhile person he is, albeit one who is coping
with a formidable disability.
A particularly nice feature of this book are the textboxes inset throughout containing facts and information
for family members of those with mental illnesses. Much of this information is based on Family-to-Family
peer support materials from the [4]National Alliance on Mental Illness (Randye becomes a trainer for this
program).
Though written about very emotional events, there is a dispassionate quality to the writing that kept me
from feeling fully connected to the narrator.
A fascinating character study as well as an exploration of family adaptation and coping skills, Ben Behind
His Voices would be a particularly interesting read for students in psychology, social work, or human
services as well as anyone who has a family member with a mental illness. As a mother of young sons, Ben
Behind His Voices was a difficult book to read—Randye’s thoughts and reflections about her own son as a
young boy, made me look at my own little guys with a pang of ”what if.”
——-
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.
1. http://benbehindhisvoices.com/
2. http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=%5EDB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=
1442210893&thepassedurl=[thepassedurl]
3. http://benbehindhisvoices.com/
4. http://www.nami.org/
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