Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Dispatches from the Couch by Stacey Hettes is a remarkably frank, open, and compelling memoir by a woman determined to find the way to healing from childhood sexual abuse. Stacey is a well-respected and successful neuroscientist professor at a small liberal arts college who has spent most of her life hiding from the reality of the sexual abuse inflicted on her as an extremely young girl by a trusted family friend. After years of therapy, Stacey has at least found a way to survive, if not thrive, in the adult world, although her true friends in this life appear to amount to just her two dogs; Chili and Pepper. A seemingly minor discussion at work suddenly throws Stacey back into a spiral of self-blame, self-loathing, and depression. She seeks therapy again, and, over sessions with her new therapist, Piper, Stacey meticulously recounts the trauma of the sexual abuse and the long, laborious journey to reach a place where she can truly say she is happy with herself. 

Dispatches from the Couch is an incredibly raw and powerful journey inside author Stacey Hettes’ psyche. What is most evident from this story is Stacey’s intellect, resourcefulness, and innate understanding of what had happened to her and what it meant. Despite all the positives in Stacey’s upbringing and professional successes, the pain of that brutal act of abuse to a tiny child lay just beneath the surface of her facade, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. As a male reader, I found her narrative incredibly instructive and educational. There is a tendency to sadly shake your head at this type of abuse and say, “That’s awful, but you just need to get over it - it’s in the past.” What Stacey’s narrative made me understand, and I hope other men understand, is just how destructive to a young woman’s self-worth this abuse truly is. Sufferers of abuse will find hope and inspiration in Stacey’s words, that they are not alone, and there is a way through the pain; albeit a long, winding path. I stood in admiration at Stacey’s determination to see the therapy through to the end and appreciated her vision. This is such a powerful and impactful story that it will resonate in my subconscious for some time. I cannot speak highly enough of Stacey's determination and courage not to give in to her demons, looking for an easy route out of her turmoil. Highly recommended.