In this informative and inspiring book the author narrates the stories of 12 patients whom he treated during their recovery from serious mental illness.  These narratives reveal their common struggles: misdiagnosis, dual-diagnosis, impeded access to medication, medication-adherence issues, homelessness, employment/unemployment issues, and problems with governmental agencies.   They also reveal some of the satisfactions of practicing outreach psychiatry: appreciating the patients’ resilience, persistence, and talents, and the cooperation of outside service-providers, all of which promote recovery.  Each patient’s path is unique.  Their successes remind us that schizophrenia, paranoia, bipolar illness, and substance abuse need not preclude a productive and satisfying life.
· Direct quotations from patients demonstrate their awareness of their problems and progress.
· Patients’ acceptance promotes flexibility and creativity from their psychiatrist.
· Team members provide innovative and targeted support.
· The psychiatrist identifies aspects his interactions with these patients that contributed to his professional development.
· A unique feature is the documentation of patients’ monthly progress for up to 6 years.
Though no one knows what initiates recovery, this book vividly describes how it does so.   For psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers these are compelling stories of hope and a powerful call to consider outreach psychiatry.