An intimate and compelling account of growing up in mental health services, while becoming a mother.
All My Worldly Joy started out as the story of my experience of birth trauma and my admission to a psychiatric mother and baby unit together with my six-week-old son. But as I wrote this story, I realised that its meaning came from another, larger narrative.
I’d struggled socially and emotionally since childhood. I was funnelled into mental health services early and spent almost twenty years there. I tried every medication going and everyone had different views about what my problem was. I spent time in hospital and became more and more desperate - even more so after my son was born. The stakes were so much higher once he was here: I didn’t want his life to look like mine. And as it turned out, his arrival was the beginning of a chain of events that would change everything.
In this book, I retrace my steps through all of this - teenage years with a bipolar diagnosis, the decision to have a child after being diagnosed with a lifelong mental illness, the concept of ‘personality disorder’ and what it means; the ways in which trauma shapes us and directs us, and how we learn to trust ourselves as parents and as people. It sounds incredibly heavy, but there’s a lot of humour in there too, and it’s ultimately hopeful - a story of self-discovery, of purpose, and of profound love.
All My Worldly Joy: A Memoir of Motherhood and Mental Health
Laura Richmond- Signed Hardback£25.00181 Pledges
Signed first edition hardback and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
181 Pledges - Hardback£20.00313 Pledges
First edition hardback and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
313 Pledges - Ebook via Glassboxx£10.00583 Pledges
Digital copy of the book and the name of your choice printed in the subscribers’ list at the back of the book.
583 Pledges - Meet up with Author£15.0017 Pledges
Join Laura for a get-together in London to talk about motherhood and mental health
17 Pledges - Authors favourite book£15.0010 Pledges
Laura will send you a copy of one of her favourite books on motherhood and/or mental health
10 Pledges - Workshop£225.001 Pledges
Laura will give a talk or host a workshop at your event or group. You or your organisation will be thanked in the acknowledgements. Travel not included
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Your name or organisation's name in the dedication
3 Pledges - Author Q&A£35.001 Pledges
a 30 minute chat online with laura where you can ask her questions about her book, share your own journey and get to know the writer of the book
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An intimate and compelling account of growing up in mental health services, while becoming a mother.
All My Worldly Joy started out as the story of my experience of birth trauma and my admission to a psychiatric mother and baby unit together with my six-week-old son. But as I wrote this story, I realised that its meaning came from another, larger narrative.
I’d struggled socially and emotionally since childhood. I was funnelled into mental health services early and spent almost twenty years there. I tried every medication going and everyone had different views about what my problem was. I spent time in hospital and became more and more desperate - even more so after my son was born. The stakes were so much higher once he was here: I didn’t want his life to look like mine. And as it turned out, his arrival was the beginning of a chain of events that would change everything.
In this book, I retrace my steps through all of this - teenage years with a bipolar diagnosis, the decision to have a child after being diagnosed with a lifelong mental illness, the concept of ‘personality disorder’ and what it means; the ways in which trauma shapes us and directs us, and how we learn to trust ourselves as parents and as people. It sounds incredibly heavy, but there’s a lot of humour in there too, and it’s ultimately hopeful - a story of self-discovery, of purpose, and of profound love.
The title is a phrase from a letter to Henry VII from his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, who gave birth to him when she was just 13. It was a difficult labour and nearly killed them both. Henry was her only child and she was devoted to him - “my son and all my worldly joy.” I came across her phrase whilst researching for my history PhD. At the time, I was writing it up with a sick toddler, on forty minutes’ sleep, and I was feeling pretty wretched. It reminded me just how much my life has been transformed, and of the thousand tiny joys my son brings me every day.
About the author
Updates
Dear friends, I'm excited to share with you – before anyone else – the finalised cover for All My Worldly Joy! *drumroll please, trumpets optional* Tell me, what do you think? As you can see, we've ke...
10.06.2024
