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My Beautiful Psychosis: Making Sense of Madness

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My Beautiful Psychosis: Making Sense of Madness

By: Emma Goude
Narrated by: Emma Goude
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About this listen

My Beautiful Psychosis is a stunning debut memoir from international award winning documentary filmmaker, Emma Goude. It is a gritty tale of transformation, depicting from the inside some of the most powerful experiences a human mind can endure.

What if psychosis is really a wake up call?

Emma is a 20-something who likes to party and take drugs...until she decides to give them up...and that’s when the insomnia starts. After five nights without sleep she ends up in A&E.

Three questions determine whether she is sane or not.

Three questions stand between her and the psychiatric ward.

She gets them wrong.

Emma is an atheist, a skeptical cynic who chose dope over God, so when she has some spiritual experiences she is not entirely sure if she is delusional. The psychiatric system has forgotten that "psyche" means soul. All they know about is medication and they have ways of making her take it. It becomes a game she has to play in order to get out. It is also a perception of herself she must do battle with in order to stand strong in her belief that her psychosis is some kind of awakening.

This powerful, honest and lucid memoir turns on its head the idea that psychosis is a debilitating illness, caused by a brain chemical imbalance, which requires medication for life. My Beautiful Psychosis questions conventional methods of "treating" psychosis and points towards a radical vision where "diagnosis" of mental illness makes allowances for spiritual growth rather than simply treating a perceived chemical imbalance.

My Beautiful Psychosis is a heart wrenching true story. Raw and vulnerable, spiritual but funny, it will change the way you see psychosis.

©2020 Emma Goude (P)2020 Emma Goude
Mental Health Personality Disorders Professionals & Academics Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science & Technology Health Funny Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Memoir

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Critic reviews

“I was taken by her authenticity and vulnerability.” (Phil Borges, director of Crazywise)

"A guiding light for individuals, loved ones and healthcare providers." (Emma Bragdon, PhD. Executive Director, Integrative Mental Health for You)

All stars
Most relevant
So great to hear this book & gain more understanding. As a mother of a very young adult going through the first year journey following psychosis it has helped me understand more of what I witnessed. Thank you for having the courage to share your experience to help others.

Really insightful

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I started listening to this book yesterday and finished it today. I’m so moved by it. It’s written beautifully. (Although the first chapter was my least favourite, I then felt it landed on a whole different level of writing which was maintained with skilful ease throughout the rest of the book, so I really encourage everyone to listen/read it fully.)
Emma writes with such honest, direct seeing and sharing, which makes it so refreshing to listen to, as does her voice which lets her remarkable story speak for itself, without adding unnecessary dramatic effect. The effect is very transparent and generous, a kind of “here’s my story, take it or leave it”. I found it very, very inspiring, a massive achievement on so many levels.
I feel the positive, powerful impact this book will keep having as its ripples widen out, touching and soothing so many who have had similar experiences, and changing the way we see and relate to those going through similar experiences. It is a call for compassion, for ourselves and others, and a guide book for how that compassion can look.

Showing the way to a paradigm shift in mental health care

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I found listening to My Beautiful Psychoses a great insight into the perspective the writer had with her experience of the psychiatric system and her experience of life and relationships . The book is very inspiring and has led me into wanting to find out more about shiatsu and Spirituality. This was my go to book for the last month ! I am a slow reader / listener but the experience was extremely cathartic , inspiring and a real opportunity to look into someone else’s experience of mental illness and relationships. I found the authors voice intensified the listening experience and humour and was very easy on the ear ! I am not a great reader or listener to books though I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and will be looking forward to reading Emma’s next works .
Thank you for taking the time to write this book !

My Experience of reading My Beautiful Psychoses

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Thank you so much for sharing your story, Emma. A story that sings loudly for so many, with care, honesty and the urgency it needs.

Joyful, heartbreaking, magical, hopeful.

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I loved this book. Emma Goude writes and narrates so well, it's a really easy listen I didnt want it to end! Mental health memoirs are often a depressing or hard read, but Emma's book is inspiring, funny, challenging, honest and captivating. I felt right there with her. It brought me tears as well as smiles, and a real education into the experience of those being treated by mental health servcies. I hope I can be a better support to friends and family with what we label as 'mental health issues' having read this book.

Captivating, moving, powerful

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