“A heart attack is a deeply wounding event.” So starts Dr. Stephen Parker‘s new book called Heart Attack & Soul: In the Labyrinth of Healing. The Alaskan cardiac psychologist has a unique perspective: he is also a heart attack survivor himself. His words will ring true for both heart patients and their families. It’s the story – in images and words – about the journey of healing after his 2005 heart attack. He describes how, “in desperation from depression”, he began drawing and painting as he “wrestled with how to express how the heart attack had affected me.”
Although, amazingly, he had no previous experience making art, his impressive drawings morphed into a daily blog in which he spent 40 days reviewing the paintings and posting a daily comment. The blog paintings and comments became a well-praised public art exhibit, and that has now at last become a book.
New York critic Natalie Walsh wrote this about Dr. Steve’s art show:
“As you take in the words and the simple yet evocative drawings, you come to appreciate what Parker has gone through. You can’t help but relate his life experiences to emotional experiences of your own.
“As you read, your impatient self may want to skip ahead, but if you do, you will find yourself returning to the beginning and reading each in sequence because you won’t want to miss any part of this journey.
“It is not just a recounting of experiences and struggles. It is reflective, deeply personal and peppered with humor.”
Of the short two-page chapters in the book – like ‘Betrayal Of The Body’ or ‘High Anxiety’ – one of my favourites is called ‘Emotions Of The Wounded Heart’, accompanied by his intensely colour-streaked abstract of a human heart. He outlines here what he calls the “swirling emotions” experienced after surviving his heart attack:
“Relief at survival — disbelief and anger that it happened — grief for everything that has and will be lost — gratitude to those who helped — extreme vulnerability in a previously safe world — fear of what the future might bring…..”
When I first read this (on his original blog), these words leaped right off the screen at me. It was the first time I’d found an itemized list of the very emotions that had overwhelmed me since my own heart attack.
Dr. Stephen Parker’s book is unique among useful heart resources in that Dr. Steve incorporates his broad professional background as a Jungian psychotherapist to help inform his own emotional, mental and spiritual journey as a vulnerable heart patient. This dual personal/professional perspective is an impossibly rare feature compared to other books that focus primarily on just the physical effects of heart disease, most written by “experts” who have never had to walk the talk themselves.
I’ve really been enjoying this book, and I believe that Heart Attack & Soul would make an immensely helpful gift, both for newly diagnosed heart patients and for those who love them.
Find out how to order this little gem.
Tags: depression after heart attack, Dr. Stephen Parker, Heart Attack & Soul, mental health issues after heart attack
This does sound like a good gift idea for a recently diagnosed heart patient. We want to bring a thoughtful gift but often aren’t sure what on earth to get. This book however sounds like a wise recommendation. Thanks.
We pay more attention to information when it actually comes from somebody who has had firsthand experience. I look forward to reading this book written from a survivors perspective.
This is perfect timing for me to learn about Dr. Steve’s book. My sister has just had open heart surgery and our whole family is reeling with shock and helplessness. Surely this book, written by a real-life survivor, will be a useful resource for her, I plan to get a copy for her. THX, Carolyn, I just found your excellent website last night and am also sending her this link.