I am so excited to announce the release of my debut book, HOW DO YOU FEEL? One Doctor’s Search For Humanity in Medicine, available for pre-order now and officially out on 10/08/24.
Motivated by interactions with my patients, conversations with friends and family, and my own personal experience, it follows my journey as a psychiatrist and the stories of four of my healthcare worker patients as we explore the unspoken mental and physical costs of caring for others. I wrote it in a unique style with a mix of research, patient narratives, and memoir, hoping to truly capture the unparalleled capacity that we have as human beings for connecting, learning, and growing. We discuss everything from burnout to stigma to empathy, and through the conversations I have with my patients and through my own personal therapy sessions, I grow to recognize that I am not alone in struggling to maintain my humanity in a field that I chose because of its humanity in the first place.
While deeply personal and vulnerable, my book, HOW DO YOU FEEL?, is a testament to the shared experiences and feelings we all have. It is not just a source of inspiration and comfort for healthcare workers and those in mental health fields, but also, for anyone who needs a reminder that when caring for others, we have first to remember to care for ourselves. It is a journey of validation, humanization, and healing, offering not just insights but also practical tips and tricks for self-care.
Writing this book took nearly three years – I really hope you enjoy it! I do not take for granted any preorder, and am grateful for every single one.
Purchase Options:
If you like it, please consider telling a friend to read it, posting about it on social media, reviewing it on Goodreads or Amazon, or even inviting me to your area for a book talk.
To order personalized, signed copies and support my local bookstore, Novel– click here.
Early Reviews
“How Do You Feel? is a thought-provoking exploration of healing and compassion in the face of adversity. Guided by Dr. Gold’s keen insight and sharp writing, we are afforded a rare glimpse into psychiatry’s inner sanctum. Dr. Gold has an extraordinary understanding of the human condition, and her empathy emanates from the pages. A must-read.”—Jen Gunter, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Menopause Manifesto and The Vagina Bible
“In How Do You Feel? Jessi Gold, M.D., opens a compassionate, intelligent portal into the lives of the healthcare workers struggling with their own mental health. Gold’s deep-dive into the human psyches of those who serve others in the healthcare industry illuminates how difficult it is for the helpers among us to get help for themselves. With the perfect blend of stories from her practice, science, and personal narrative, Gold sheds light on the price healthcare workers pay for neglecting themselves and breaks through the stigma that keeps so many of them silent. This book is a salve for anyone facing burnout in any field, and Gold is the best kind of guide: warm, witty, and genuinely invested in other people’s lives. ” —Christie Tate, New York Times bestselling author of Group
“How Do You Feel? is a compelling, courageous, and portrait of a psychiatrist. I’ve never read such an open-hearted and honest account of what it takes to work in mental health care today. This is an ode to the art of clinical care—a paean to empathy. Jessi Gold is a true healer and this book is a gift.” —Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire
“In this honest, wise, and heart-filled memoir, Jessi Gold reveals what it takes to retain the humanity that medicine so often forces doctors to set aside, and what it means to help yourself while helping others. I loved this book, both as a journalist who has tried to provide a similar kind of service and as a patient who has sought help from therapy.” — Ed Yong, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of An Immense World
“If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” when you weren’t. If you’ve ever been so many things to so many people that you became unavailable to yourself. If you’ve ever believed you were too much, not nearly enough, or somehow, inexplicably, both at once. This book is for you. For us. Jessi Gold’s How Do You Feel? is one of the most human, most reassuring books I’ve ever read about the intersection of mental health, work, medicine, and culture. What a gift.” —Maggie Smith, New York Times bestselling author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful
“This book will make you laugh, marvel, reflect and grow. Most of all, it will make you feel seen. Whether you’re a healthcare worker, someone who loves one, someone who sees one, or someone who is struggling, Dr. Jessi Gold’s words — and the many intimate stories here, including her own — will be a balm and a guide.” —Lucy Kalanithi, MD, Clinical associate Professor of medicine, Stanford university, and widow of Dr. Paul Kalanithi, author of When Breath Becomes Air
“In How Do You Feel, Dr. Gold manages the seemingly impossible. She gently brings healthcare workers into conversation with our sometimes complicated inner worlds, and does this with wisdom, humor and candor. She lovingly nudges us to awareness and acknowledgement of the immense emotional load we’ve carried and holds space for our collective reflection. Ultimately she calls on us to do the most radical thing imaginable: to care for ourselves even as we care for others. A true game-changer, moving conversations about caregiver mental health into an exciting, new and generative space.” —Rana Awdish, MS MD Author of In Shock
Purchase Options:
Contact me for a discount on orders >20
To order personalized, signed copies and support my local bookstore, Novel– click here.
