In this compelling and beautifully written book, Claudette Fette and her son, Aaron share their challenging personal stories and as mother and son, contending with significant trauma, very difficult family circumstances, and struggles with mental health problems and addiction. The book underscores how our systems often fail families and young people, with multiple failures by education, health, mental health and justice systems, which instead of helping, added harm to a family that was clearly suffering. People with mental health and substance use issues are subjected to double stigmatization, and interaction with systems that shame and blame them and use damaging labels (like Severe Emotional Disturbance, Conduct Disorder) that lead to increased stigmatization and self-stigmatization. Through all of these challenges though, there is a hopeful message, powerfully demonstrated by Claudette’s recovery and going on to become a renowned national leader in occupational therapy and school-based services and influential advocate for systems improvement, and Aaron’s amazing poetry and words, with both making a contribution here that will inspire others and promote positive systems change for years to come. I extend my sincere condolences to the Fette family for Aaron’s passing, and my heartfelt congratulations for this extraordinary contribution.
Mark D. Weist Professor, Clinical-Community and School Psychology University of South Carolina