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Peer advocate Sara Nell Hayden has produced a hopeful record of her recovery in her 2004 book, Journey to the Center of Self: the Record of a Healing. Sara conveys an inspiring message of compassion, understanding and love on every page. The reader will be moved regardless of his or her religious or non-religious background.

From the introduction, Sara poses her questions and concerns to a benevolent other whose voice of love seems to come from the heart of God Himself. Sara is careful to clarify in the preface that these writings come from within the depths of her own heart.

The cynic may read this record and conclude that Sara’s voice is hallucinatory. However, auditory hallucinations in consumers are usually short phases that are often derogatory. Sara’s voice is anything but that and only conveys comfort with such phrases as, “know that you are loved.”

It is striking that at the times when Sara is in the depths of depression and paranoia, this voice intervenes as a gentle balm to her emotional wounds. At one point she believes her medication will do her harm. The voice convinces her that her medicine will not harm her.

Sara’s message is a universal one: any human being can be his or her own worst enemy. The mentally ill are especially afflicted with thoughts of self-loathing as well as self-destruction. Sara’s voice urges us all to be good to ourselves, to respect ourselves and to not doubt that we can get better.

In struggling through my own illness, I can remember there were so many moments of confusion, doubt and hopelessness. How comforting to think that from the depth of my own being, I can find a spring of love. With time, I can have control over my own happiness and escape from my fears. If we have any doubts that this freedom is possible, we need only look to Sara Nell Hayden.

To order copies of Journey to the Center of Our Self, visit www.journeytothecenter.net.