First published 2020
Christie Tate stands at the top of her law school class with her eating disorder finally under control. Yet she drives through Chicago streets fantasizing about death, consumed by isolation and sadness that her achievements cannot touch. When she meets Dr. Rosen, he offers her a place in his psychotherapy group with a simple promise: show up and be honest about everything. Christie resists, convinced she is broken beyond repair. But Dr. Rosen delivers a prescription that changes her perspective: "You don't need a cure, you need a witness." Reluctantly, Christie enters the strange world of group therapy, where six strangers gather to bare their souls. Initially skeptical of Dr. Rosen's unconventional methods and uncomfortable with the vulnerability required, she gradually learns to trust both her therapist and fellow group members. Through mandatory nightly phone calls and weekly sessions, Christie discovers what genuine human connection means. Her journey through group therapy becomes a process of breaking down and rebuilding, teaching her that intimacy and healing are possible.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, psychology, self-help, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-growth
Setting: Chicago
276 pages · Hardcover · Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: mental-illness