Deborah Kasdan, author of "Roll Back the World: A Sister's Memoir"
Rejuvenaging with Dr. Ron Kaiser
Dr. Ron Kaiser
5.0 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 28 November 2023
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this poignant episode, we delve into the intricacies of mental illness through the eyes of Deborah Kasdan, whose life was profoundly impacted by her sister Rachel's battle with schizophrenia. Deborah's memoir, "Roll Back the World," serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring bond between siblings.
Deborah recounts her childhood growing up alongside Rachel, painting a vivid picture of a family grappling with the challenges of mental illness. She candidly shares the emotional toll that Rachel's condition took on their family, highlighting the struggles and triumphs they faced together.
With an intimate and compassionate voice, Deborah guides us through the labyrinth of mental illness, shedding light on the stigma, misconceptions, and societal shortcomings that often accompany these conditions. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathy, advocating for a more humane approach to mental healthcare.
Deborah's story is not just a tale of coping with mental illness; it is a celebration of love, resilience, and the power of human connection. Her unwavering dedication to her sister Rachel serves as an inspiration to all who have been touched by the complexities of mental health.
Key takeaways:
- The profound impact of mental illness on individuals and their families
- The importance of understanding and empathy in addressing mental health challenges
- The resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity
- The power of love and family in overcoming obstacles
Use these links to connect with Deborah
https://www.facebook.com/debkasdan
https://www.instagram.com/debkasdan/
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Rejuvenaging with Dr. Ron Kaiser. This is the |
| 0:06.8 | podcast designed to help you lead your life enthusiastically, positive health psychologist, and |
| 0:15.0 | I am your host Ron Kaiser, positive health psychologist and coach, also |
| 0:19.0 | keynote and TEDx speaker and author of rejuvenating the art and science of growing older with enthusiasm. |
| 0:27.0 | As listeners to the podcast know, my goal is to always bring you individuals who can enlighten us, who lead their own lives with enthusiasm |
| 0:36.9 | and have different ways of helping us to become better versions of ourselves every day of our lives so that we can be resilient as we go through |
| 0:46.7 | the lifespan and be enthusiastic. |
| 0:50.5 | Now I don't think we've had a presenter who's covered quite the area that we are doing and I know that it's something that while most people, most families hope that they don't have to deal with this problem, |
| 1:11.0 | some obviously do and some obviously will and I think that it's great that we have Deborah Keston here to talk about her family's experience when a family member, in this case, |
| 1:30.5 | an older sister suffers a severe and chronic mental illness. |
| 1:39.4 | Deborah kind of documented this in the book recently published just a few weeks ago published in her book |
| 1:52.0 | Roll Back the World, A Sister's Memoir. In this book she delves into the complex dynamics of a family grappling with the impact of serious, health disorder afflicting the oldest of four siblings. |
| 2:09.0 | Her older sister Rachel was a budding poet when she was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 23. |
| 2:18.4 | She then endured 30 years and numerous admissions to psychiatric hospitals before a compassionate |
| 2:28.0 | social worker finally found a way for her to live on her own with the assistance of a community agency. |
| 2:37.6 | Now in Deborah's case, our guest spent 35 years as a writer in the corporate world and she then moved to writing this deeply personal |
| 2:49.9 | narrative. I've read it, it's, you know, wonderful, again, a difficult topic, but a wonderful |
| 2:58.1 | narrative. |
| 2:59.1 | A journey from the tumultuous emotions of grief, shame, and survivor's guilt to catharsis and acceptance |
| 3:08.7 | are really, really important. According to the National Association of Mental Illness, |
| 3:17.0 | there are 14 million adults living with serious mental illness. |
| 3:23.0 | Programs for them are seriously, woefully underfunded |
... |
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