by Devany Benis, R Psych

In this book, Suleika shares her experience of being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in her early twenties. One of the reasons this book is unique is Suleika also shares her experience of what she calls the transition back into the Kingdom of the Well. Oftentimes when we experience illness, we have an expectation that life is going to go back to normal right away, which is not most people’s experience. I really appreciated that Suleika addressed this issue and
normalized it for us.

The liminal period in-between illness and wellness can be really difficult to navigate for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is that life after illness might not look like how it did before, and that can be really difficult to accept or navigate. Another reason it can be difficult is because we might experience emotions that are unexpected. For example, we expect to feel relief, joy, or gratitude when we come to the other side of illness; however, sometimes we also experience unexpected emotions that aren’t often talked about, such as grief, anger, and fear.

It is so important to know that all these different emotions you may or may not experience are normal and Suleika does a fantastic job of sharing this in her book.

If you or a loved one are currently experiencing illness, if you have experienced illness in the past, if you are in the transition back into the Kingdom of the Well, or you’re just looking for a really awesome book to read this could be a great book for you. I hope you enjoy the recommendation!

Click here for more information on chronic illness counselling at Monarch Psychology.