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Sometimes Amazing Things Happen: Heartbreak and Hope on the Bellevue Hospital Psychiatric Prison Ward
From the Executive Director of Mental Health for Correctional Services in New York City, comes a revelatory and deeply compassionate memoir that takes readers inside Bellevue, and brings to life the world—the system, the staff, and the haunting cases—that shaped one young psychiatrist as she learned how to doctor and how to love.
Elizabeth Ford went through medical school unsure of where she belonged. It wasn’t until she did her psychiatry rotation that she found her calling—to care for one of the most vulnerable populations of mentally ill people, the inmates of New York's jails, including Rikers Island, who are so sick that they are sent to the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward for care.
These men were broken, unloved, without resources or support, and very ill. They could be violent, unpredictable, but they could also be funny and tender and needy. Mostly, they were human and they awakened in Ford a boundless compassion. Her patients made her a great doctor and a better person and, as she treated these men, she learned about doctoring, about nurturing, about parenting, and about love.
While Ford was a psychiatrist at Bellevue she becomes a wife and a mother. In her book she shares her struggles to balance her life and her work, to care for her children and her patients, and to maintain the empathy that is essential to her practice—all in the face of a jaded institution, an exhausting workload, and the deeply emotionally taxing nature of her work.
Ford brings humor, grace, and humanity to the lives of the patients in her care and in beautifully rendered prose illuminates the inner workings (and failings) of our mental health system, our justice system, and the prison system.
Elizabeth Ford went through medical school unsure of where she belonged. It wasn’t until she did her psychiatry rotation that she found her calling—to care for one of the most vulnerable populations of mentally ill people, the inmates of New York's jails, including Rikers Island, who are so sick that they are sent to the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward for care.
These men were broken, unloved, without resources or support, and very ill. They could be violent, unpredictable, but they could also be funny and tender and needy. Mostly, they were human and they awakened in Ford a boundless compassion. Her patients made her a great doctor and a better person and, as she treated these men, she learned about doctoring, about nurturing, about parenting, and about love.
While Ford was a psychiatrist at Bellevue she becomes a wife and a mother. In her book she shares her struggles to balance her life and her work, to care for her children and her patients, and to maintain the empathy that is essential to her practice—all in the face of a jaded institution, an exhausting workload, and the deeply emotionally taxing nature of her work.
Ford brings humor, grace, and humanity to the lives of the patients in her care and in beautifully rendered prose illuminates the inner workings (and failings) of our mental health system, our justice system, and the prison system.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2017
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December 23, 2021
Nothing amazing happens. Lots of heartbreak for the author trying to help the (no)hope(rs) who are evil and disturbed, not disturbed so they don't know evil. The issue is that she wants the mentally-ill removed from prisons and treated in hospital. This is reductionist.
There are many crimes that 'normal' people might commit, usually ones for their own benefit, like fraud, theft and selling stolen goods. There are many crimes that are only crimes because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time - drugs and prostitution come to mind. But there are some crimes that 'normal' people would never, ever commit.
In the UK there have recently been three cases of little children murdered by their fathers or father-figure with extreme violence over a period of time, joined in by their mother or at least she doesn't stop it. Rape. Murder. Going out armed with guns in the course of a robbery and being prepared to use them. Violent assaults on women. All of these betray a mindset that does not acknowledge that other people, babies, women, people working in a shop, have the same rights to life as them. They are in one way or another mentally disturbed.
Some of them are psychopaths who have no empathy, or sociopaths who have limited love and empathy just for their close family. These people are not normal but they can't be treated, and in any case, they all know the difference between right and wrong and choose to do wrong because it suits their purposes and presumably they think they can get away with it.
So if the prisons are emptied of the rapists, child-molesters, killers, violent misogynists and put them in hospitals what then? Build hospitals that are like prisons and employ an army of psychiatrists to be fooled by these people into thinking they are normal now, and have repented and will never do these terrible things again? Put us all at risk?
If the author had just stuck to the schizophrenics and those with treatable disorders like bipolar I would have been fine, they don't know right from wrong or if they do, are unable to keep to it, just like me and food, I give in to temptation almost every time. (I'm not mentally ill, just a bit fat and a sweet tooth). Everyone else knows what they are doing and chooses to do it. They can stay in prison and get their treatment there.
Prison is not just about punishment and rehabilitation, it is also and in the crimes of violence and murder, for our protection. That last seems to be low down on the list of prison reformers. The victims of crime are not even discussed, recidivism barely mentioned, it's all about rehabilitation which anyone with any intelligence can fake.
The book is well-written, the author is interesting, I would read more from her, I just didn't agree with the premise of the book.
There are many crimes that 'normal' people might commit, usually ones for their own benefit, like fraud, theft and selling stolen goods. There are many crimes that are only crimes because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time - drugs and prostitution come to mind. But there are some crimes that 'normal' people would never, ever commit.
In the UK there have recently been three cases of little children murdered by their fathers or father-figure with extreme violence over a period of time, joined in by their mother or at least she doesn't stop it. Rape. Murder. Going out armed with guns in the course of a robbery and being prepared to use them. Violent assaults on women. All of these betray a mindset that does not acknowledge that other people, babies, women, people working in a shop, have the same rights to life as them. They are in one way or another mentally disturbed.
Some of them are psychopaths who have no empathy, or sociopaths who have limited love and empathy just for their close family. These people are not normal but they can't be treated, and in any case, they all know the difference between right and wrong and choose to do wrong because it suits their purposes and presumably they think they can get away with it.
So if the prisons are emptied of the rapists, child-molesters, killers, violent misogynists and put them in hospitals what then? Build hospitals that are like prisons and employ an army of psychiatrists to be fooled by these people into thinking they are normal now, and have repented and will never do these terrible things again? Put us all at risk?
If the author had just stuck to the schizophrenics and those with treatable disorders like bipolar I would have been fine, they don't know right from wrong or if they do, are unable to keep to it, just like me and food, I give in to temptation almost every time. (I'm not mentally ill, just a bit fat and a sweet tooth). Everyone else knows what they are doing and chooses to do it. They can stay in prison and get their treatment there.
Prison is not just about punishment and rehabilitation, it is also and in the crimes of violence and murder, for our protection. That last seems to be low down on the list of prison reformers. The victims of crime are not even discussed, recidivism barely mentioned, it's all about rehabilitation which anyone with any intelligence can fake.
The book is well-written, the author is interesting, I would read more from her, I just didn't agree with the premise of the book.
June 21, 2017
This book made me so angry, incredibly sad, appalled and disgusted with our legal system and federal government in their agregious treatment of the mentally ill. This is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries on our planet but our health care for the mentally ill has declined steadily ever since Reagan's mandates and his emptying of the institutions put in place to handle these cases. Leaving many with few options but life on the street.
The author Dr. Elizabeth Ford spent many years working with the forensic patients in Bellevue. Patients deemed too mentally ill to exist in the regular prison population at Rikers. She has worked in different positions eventually becoming director and her struggles to have these mentally ill patient/prisoners treated with a modicum of dignity and kindness, resonated deeply. Their stories are often heartbreaking, but there are a few successes and one in particular made me teary eyed. Do you know that in our so called enlightened legal system there is a law that says a person must be declared sane before he can enter a plea of insanity? Seriously. This will be the conundrum faced by one of the schitzophrenic prisoners in this book.
These are people with few resources, many have no families and many are seriously mentally ill and our country's answer is to lock them away, hide them and forget about them. Out of 5000 prisoners at Rikers, 1000 are considered to be suffering with various degrees of mental illness. Appalling. These prisoners are the ones most often beat up, generally will serve longer sentences than their so called normal counterparts. The men and women who work with these prisoners should be applauded, they are doing their understaffed, underfunded best, with little reward. When will this country take mental illness out of the dark ages, and yes I know some will just decide to quit taking their medications, but when and if they are released where can they go. Surely there can be better solutions than just considering them numbers in a budget, to be managed and thrown into a prison population that can do little but make them worse.
As you can see this book had a huge impact on me, read it and see how you feel when you are done. Eye opening at the least.
The author Dr. Elizabeth Ford spent many years working with the forensic patients in Bellevue. Patients deemed too mentally ill to exist in the regular prison population at Rikers. She has worked in different positions eventually becoming director and her struggles to have these mentally ill patient/prisoners treated with a modicum of dignity and kindness, resonated deeply. Their stories are often heartbreaking, but there are a few successes and one in particular made me teary eyed. Do you know that in our so called enlightened legal system there is a law that says a person must be declared sane before he can enter a plea of insanity? Seriously. This will be the conundrum faced by one of the schitzophrenic prisoners in this book.
These are people with few resources, many have no families and many are seriously mentally ill and our country's answer is to lock them away, hide them and forget about them. Out of 5000 prisoners at Rikers, 1000 are considered to be suffering with various degrees of mental illness. Appalling. These prisoners are the ones most often beat up, generally will serve longer sentences than their so called normal counterparts. The men and women who work with these prisoners should be applauded, they are doing their understaffed, underfunded best, with little reward. When will this country take mental illness out of the dark ages, and yes I know some will just decide to quit taking their medications, but when and if they are released where can they go. Surely there can be better solutions than just considering them numbers in a budget, to be managed and thrown into a prison population that can do little but make them worse.
As you can see this book had a huge impact on me, read it and see how you feel when you are done. Eye opening at the least.
December 24, 2021
I didn't read this twice yet I see that it has come up in my feed as twice. Earlier this week I discovered a book that was on my exported shelves as late as May 17 had disappeared from my booklist by May 24. What kind of bug adds and removes books at will?
June 3, 2017
This was quite an interesting narrative by a doctor, Elizabeth Ford, who spent several years working on the jail impatient psychiatry service at Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
Dr Ford relates her experiences with patients, who were inmates at Riker's Island prison, as well as her interactions with staff, and the families of those she treated. It takes a special kind of person to work under the situation and conditions that Dr Ford did. Oftentimes her tales were one of heartbreak, abuse, and the misunderstandings of mental health and the horror it invokes in many. Her awareness of techniques and care for her patients was inspiring. As a young doctor, wife, and mother, she often faced situations where her life was placed in danger. She always seemed to summon up the necessary courage and inspiration to weather the various situations she found herself in.
This book is important to us all so that we, through Dr Ford's eyes, see these prisoners as people who often suffer the ravages of mental illness. Their coping mechanism is often violence, a disregard for others and themselves, and the fear of what will happen to them in prison. Many of these patients formerly led lives of abuse, neglect, and loneliness never knowing where they were headed.
Thanks to people like Dr Ford, we now have a better idea of how to deal with and work for the betterment of many of these people. As is often the case, there is not much money and personal available who wish to work under these conditions. Dr Ford continues her work today as Chief of Psychiatry for Correctional Health for New York and as a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine.
Dr Ford relates her experiences with patients, who were inmates at Riker's Island prison, as well as her interactions with staff, and the families of those she treated. It takes a special kind of person to work under the situation and conditions that Dr Ford did. Oftentimes her tales were one of heartbreak, abuse, and the misunderstandings of mental health and the horror it invokes in many. Her awareness of techniques and care for her patients was inspiring. As a young doctor, wife, and mother, she often faced situations where her life was placed in danger. She always seemed to summon up the necessary courage and inspiration to weather the various situations she found herself in.
This book is important to us all so that we, through Dr Ford's eyes, see these prisoners as people who often suffer the ravages of mental illness. Their coping mechanism is often violence, a disregard for others and themselves, and the fear of what will happen to them in prison. Many of these patients formerly led lives of abuse, neglect, and loneliness never knowing where they were headed.
Thanks to people like Dr Ford, we now have a better idea of how to deal with and work for the betterment of many of these people. As is often the case, there is not much money and personal available who wish to work under these conditions. Dr Ford continues her work today as Chief of Psychiatry for Correctional Health for New York and as a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine.
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October 23, 2017"I have come to see my success as a doctor not by how well I treat mental illness but how well I respect and honour my patients' humanity, no matter where they are or what they have done."
September 29, 2017
Very disappointing. Having a medical background myself, I expected this book to shed some interesting light on the world of inpatient psychiatric care. Instead, I struggled every day to even turn another page. It was dull, lacking purpose(s), and seemed composed of random ramblings, or "stories" by the author. Such stories were mediocre at best and failed to elicit any emotions in me, other than sheer boredom. I kept with it, hoping for some major dilemmas or revealing circumstances toward the end. Instead, we saw how one of her greatest "triumphs" was getting clothing donated from shelters for the residents...! (seriously). And then, brace yourself ...! The clothing ... started disappearing and they could no longer find a supplier!! (Oh. My. God. If it sounds ridiculous, it's even mores when you realize that's an hour of your life you'll never get back.) I supposed the author was trying to be respectful of the population and her profession and all who are touched by mental illness, but I read this book hoping for some fascinating- and hopefully shocking! - tales, and barely finished it. Ho-hum. Moving on to something - anything - more interesting!
May 22, 2017
"Sometimes Amazing Things Happen" gives us insight into the difficult challenge of caring for mentally ill patients at the crossroads of psychiatry and the criminal justice system. Dr. Ford cares for patients who are violent, developmentally delayed, and have survived harrowing abuse as children. Elizabeth Ford reveals her triumphs in improving care and helping patients. However, she does not paint herself as a hero. She looses her temper, is overcome by exhaustion, deals with fear of her patients, and misses time with her family due to the demands of her job at Bellevue's forensic psychiatric unit.
July 13, 2017
This was interesting, but rather uneven. Reading it felt like I was skimming through a photo album, viewing the events in the moment, but with no backstory or conclusions for most of the folks pictured. The writing style was often also a little dry for me - like she was just reciting the facts.
September 27, 2017
This book covers Dr. Ford’s psychiatry rotation in medical school. She says she discovered her calling on that rotation. She went on to become Chief of Psychiatry for Correctional Health Services in New York City. She worked at Bellevue Hospital and Riker’s Island. Ford discusses the mentally ill in the jail system. She also includes personal information about the problems of balancing her professional and personal life.
The book is well written and provides the reader with a good overview of the problems of the mentally ill in the correctional system. I came away with reinforcement of my opinion about the need to reform the mental health system both in the need to remove the mentally ill out of the prison population and get the mentally ill homeless off the streets. The book is a worthwhile read.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost eight and a half hours long. Bernadette Dunne does an excellent job narrating the book. Dunne is an actress and well-known audiobook narrator. Dunne has earned the Audie Award and over six Golden Earphone Awards.
The book is well written and provides the reader with a good overview of the problems of the mentally ill in the correctional system. I came away with reinforcement of my opinion about the need to reform the mental health system both in the need to remove the mentally ill out of the prison population and get the mentally ill homeless off the streets. The book is a worthwhile read.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is almost eight and a half hours long. Bernadette Dunne does an excellent job narrating the book. Dunne is an actress and well-known audiobook narrator. Dunne has earned the Audie Award and over six Golden Earphone Awards.
June 23, 2020
For a book that promised not to shy away from sharing the struggles of a broken health care system, Dr. Ford seemed all-too content to accept the things she could not change during her career at Bellevue.
Though she found herself emboldened by righteous fury at several key points during her tenure, she scarcely felt motivated enough to bring her concerns to action. Rather, she preferred to butt heads with her peers and relished in taking credit when her gambles paid off.
In picking and choosing the stories she wanted to highlight, it read as though Dr. Ford wanted to complain about injustice as long as she wouldn't need to get her own hands dirty and could go home at the end of the day. Even if it polarized her staff.
Perhaps Dr. Ford was simply being modest and downplaying her impact on the lives of her patients or was content to tell the 'insider scoop' without agenda. Either way, for a doctor who continued to stress the importance of fair treatment for stigmatized prisoners, the vast majority of her memoir was focused on her own life rather than the lives of her patients, leaving the reader with several disjointed pieces of broken or incomplete narrative.
Do not get me wrong, I applaud Dr Ford for her bravery in commiting her story to paper and sharing it with the world. It cannot be easy to paint oneself and the institution that one is striving to uphold in a less than perfect light.
As an avid reader of social justice, sociology, and medical memoir non-fiction, I feel as though Dr. Ford has all of the experience she needs to create an engaging insight into the subject of her focus. But she gets hung up on details that detract from her message.
After reading this book, I would argue that it should be rewritten to tell the stories of Dr. Ford's patients rather than her career. I will have to look and see if she has any later memoirs that might improve upon this work's shortcomings.
Though she found herself emboldened by righteous fury at several key points during her tenure, she scarcely felt motivated enough to bring her concerns to action. Rather, she preferred to butt heads with her peers and relished in taking credit when her gambles paid off.
In picking and choosing the stories she wanted to highlight, it read as though Dr. Ford wanted to complain about injustice as long as she wouldn't need to get her own hands dirty and could go home at the end of the day. Even if it polarized her staff.
Perhaps Dr. Ford was simply being modest and downplaying her impact on the lives of her patients or was content to tell the 'insider scoop' without agenda. Either way, for a doctor who continued to stress the importance of fair treatment for stigmatized prisoners, the vast majority of her memoir was focused on her own life rather than the lives of her patients, leaving the reader with several disjointed pieces of broken or incomplete narrative.
Do not get me wrong, I applaud Dr Ford for her bravery in commiting her story to paper and sharing it with the world. It cannot be easy to paint oneself and the institution that one is striving to uphold in a less than perfect light.
As an avid reader of social justice, sociology, and medical memoir non-fiction, I feel as though Dr. Ford has all of the experience she needs to create an engaging insight into the subject of her focus. But she gets hung up on details that detract from her message.
After reading this book, I would argue that it should be rewritten to tell the stories of Dr. Ford's patients rather than her career. I will have to look and see if she has any later memoirs that might improve upon this work's shortcomings.
November 22, 2022
The author has worked with severely mentally ill prisoners for many years. This book is about when she worked in male-only Bellevue wards serving prisoners from Rikers Island. Her stories of these men are touching but mostly horrifying. The care she could give them was very limited. There were prison guards on the wards, and some of them, and some of the nursing staff, were mean and sometimes violent. And the men had to go back to the even worse conditions of jail afterwards. Many of them had limited ability to perceive reality, and many of their crimes were inadvertent because of their deficits. She was trying to do good in a system that severely limited her effectiveness.
Almost all of these men were nonwhite and poor. People with more resources manage to not get stuck in this system. While the book is mostly showing how she dealt with various patients, in the background it's a quiet but damning indictment of this violent and unfair system.
I didn't see amazing things happen in this book. Sure, sometimes she had a good interaction where she managed to connect with a patient. But none of these men got the care that they needed. Life is rough for the severely mentally ill, and it's much rougher if they end up in the criminal justice system, especially a segment of it that's as grim as Rikers Island. Nothing very uplifting here. But the book is written well and does give some attention to this disgraceful situation.
Almost all of these men were nonwhite and poor. People with more resources manage to not get stuck in this system. While the book is mostly showing how she dealt with various patients, in the background it's a quiet but damning indictment of this violent and unfair system.
I didn't see amazing things happen in this book. Sure, sometimes she had a good interaction where she managed to connect with a patient. But none of these men got the care that they needed. Life is rough for the severely mentally ill, and it's much rougher if they end up in the criminal justice system, especially a segment of it that's as grim as Rikers Island. Nothing very uplifting here. But the book is written well and does give some attention to this disgraceful situation.
December 27, 2019
An important read. The author provides an interesting perspective on the U.S. criminal justice system as well as on mental health and healthcare. Equally as depressing as it is uplifting. Her writing style was not the easiest to read but the content made it worth it.
May 26, 2017
Very few books make me want to read the hardcover edition hot off the presses. This is one of them. At once engaging and dramatic, the book delves through every emotion inmates and therapists experience, some less flattering than others, reminding the reader that Dr. Ford is at minimum honest. Her earnest desire to tell the stories of those she has come to serve, and how she managed their inevitable impact on her own life, is sincere and poignant. Surprisingly accessible, Ford's casual voice remains respectful and unimposing bringing the reader into a world few can imagine let alone understand. She reminds her audience of the basic assumption all readers subscribe to: that stories are inherently important and valid, and everyone has a story worth telling. This manages to take the reader quickly over the tricky road block of understanding that these stories are, after all, about criminals, and the empathy we may experience is for someone that committed a crime. By confronting that barrier simply and honestly, Ford compels the reader to do what readers do best, hear these stories and listen to what makes sense. She resists the temptation to embed psychiatric theory or research to explain the choices she makes or approaches she employs. One need not have a background in mental health to understand Ford's basic premise that respecting an individual's humanity is the seed to amazing things happening. Because sometimes if you keep looking they happen right before your very eyes.
January 10, 2021
Dr. Ford’s memoir of working as a psychiatrist in Bellevue’s psychiatric prison ward is impossible to put down. The stories are both devastating and filled with compassion. It’s a book that shows how broken things are, but ultimately offers hope, both through people like Dr. Ford fighting for the men with so much stacked against them, and through the fact that the book exists to share their stories.
May 30, 2017
A well written inside glimpse inside the prison ward at Bellevue hospital. You have to be a very remarkable person to work there.
February 3, 2018
I loved this book so much, and was really disappointed when it was over. I picked it up by chance at the bookstore in the airport, and a good part of my vacation was spent devouring it during free time. I highly recommend and hope to hear more from her, and will be seeking out other books like this.
Dr. Elizabeth Ford shares some of her experiences while treating Rikers Island inmates at Bellevue Hospital. She works with people charged with crimes ranging from smoking marijuana to child sexual abuse and labors to find both effective treatment and compassion for these inmates. Dr. Ford does not excessively romanticize the work she did - while she acknowledges her successes and work ethic, she also shares the times (it seems the majority of the time) when she was overworked and exhausted; when she relates her frustration with members of her staff or with the DOC, she reminds us how hard the work is and how overwhelmed all of the staff was. I can't imagine being mocked and threatened every day by the people you are supposed to help, and how heartbreaking it must be to watch patients you care for get themselves stuck in a violent cycle of illness, crimes, and prison.
We read stories where amazing, positive things happen for the patients - getting donations of formal clothes to wear to court; a simple ping pong table bringing calm to the ward; patients finding support and catharsis in group meetings. We also hear about the amazingly horrifying stories: suicide, terrible violence, child abuse too horrible to imagine, and patients who may never find the right treatment or medication in order to live a normal life. It is a roller coaster of emotions reading this book, but in her descriptions Dr. Ford shows all the patients compassion and attempts to understand. 5/5 stars.
Dr. Elizabeth Ford shares some of her experiences while treating Rikers Island inmates at Bellevue Hospital. She works with people charged with crimes ranging from smoking marijuana to child sexual abuse and labors to find both effective treatment and compassion for these inmates. Dr. Ford does not excessively romanticize the work she did - while she acknowledges her successes and work ethic, she also shares the times (it seems the majority of the time) when she was overworked and exhausted; when she relates her frustration with members of her staff or with the DOC, she reminds us how hard the work is and how overwhelmed all of the staff was. I can't imagine being mocked and threatened every day by the people you are supposed to help, and how heartbreaking it must be to watch patients you care for get themselves stuck in a violent cycle of illness, crimes, and prison.
We read stories where amazing, positive things happen for the patients - getting donations of formal clothes to wear to court; a simple ping pong table bringing calm to the ward; patients finding support and catharsis in group meetings. We also hear about the amazingly horrifying stories: suicide, terrible violence, child abuse too horrible to imagine, and patients who may never find the right treatment or medication in order to live a normal life. It is a roller coaster of emotions reading this book, but in her descriptions Dr. Ford shows all the patients compassion and attempts to understand. 5/5 stars.
May 8, 2020
A fascinating, inspiring and at times sad account of forensic psychiatry in New York. Dr Ford is one amazing woman, a great read for anyone interested in psychiatry.
September 20, 2017
I leave this book with a lot of conflicting opinions about the author. Part of me has a lot of respect for what she does professionally, while another part of me considers how much time she admits to spending away from her children, and ruined holidays. I am also generally not somebody who is easily offended, but even I was bothered by how many mentions of race she used to describe the characters in the book. Examples: "Tyrone, a tall black man..." "Jamal, a skinny black man..." "Mara, the new Phillipino nurse..." "We sat next to one another similar yet different. He tall, me short, he black, me white..." "The new Korean patient;" etc. Many of the most dangerous patients had African American names within the book, and while she takes the time to explain the care she's provided to them I can't help but notice that nearly every page of Sometimes Amazing Things Happen implies something racial. It's uncomfortable.
Another thing that was very distracting for me while reading this book was the number of times she mentioned crying -with- patients. I appreciate her ability to empathize but if I were in a psychiatric situation, which I have been, I would greatly appreciate my psychiatrist -not- crying along with me.
Overall, elements of this book were really interesting to me but it was a tough read. Not only did it take me about a month to get through but wedged between interesting stories are many uninteresting stories that the reader must endure. Elizabeth Ford should stick with her current profession, spend some more time with her family, and let go of writing (in my opinion.)
Another thing that was very distracting for me while reading this book was the number of times she mentioned crying -with- patients. I appreciate her ability to empathize but if I were in a psychiatric situation, which I have been, I would greatly appreciate my psychiatrist -not- crying along with me.
Overall, elements of this book were really interesting to me but it was a tough read. Not only did it take me about a month to get through but wedged between interesting stories are many uninteresting stories that the reader must endure. Elizabeth Ford should stick with her current profession, spend some more time with her family, and let go of writing (in my opinion.)
June 6, 2019
There was no wisdom offered or teaching rendered. I feel like in better hands, this could've been an incredibly compelling tale of 'hope and heartbreak', but it was nothing more than a dry accounting of events. Reading it was like watching Ben Stein give the weather report.
There seemed to be no purpose or direction, and a general lack of structure.
The only thing that surprised me was that she actually included some of her own ethically questionable practices. She wrote about one incident during which she walked by a patient's room, the patient made a lude comment, she noticed that he was masturbating, and, instead of walking away, she maintained eye contact with him until he was finished, fully aware of the fact that he was using her as mental stimulation to do what he was doing. I can't even begin to unpack the inappropriateness of her actions, and how damaging such an interaction would be to the doctor patient relationship.
One other thing that bothered me was her unnecessary attribution of race to her description of both patients and staff. It was noted that the nurse was Filipino more than once, and she actually wrote that while checking names off of a list, she assumed that the only Asian patient in the room must've been the one named Chen.
And just one more thing before I run out of characters, there were several times when she intimated that she suspected that the Department of Corrections staff had abused the patients/inmates, and she essentially shrugged it off.
It makes me quite nervous that she might still be responsible for the care of some of our most vulnerable citizens.
There seemed to be no purpose or direction, and a general lack of structure.
The only thing that surprised me was that she actually included some of her own ethically questionable practices. She wrote about one incident during which she walked by a patient's room, the patient made a lude comment, she noticed that he was masturbating, and, instead of walking away, she maintained eye contact with him until he was finished, fully aware of the fact that he was using her as mental stimulation to do what he was doing. I can't even begin to unpack the inappropriateness of her actions, and how damaging such an interaction would be to the doctor patient relationship.
One other thing that bothered me was her unnecessary attribution of race to her description of both patients and staff. It was noted that the nurse was Filipino more than once, and she actually wrote that while checking names off of a list, she assumed that the only Asian patient in the room must've been the one named Chen.
And just one more thing before I run out of characters, there were several times when she intimated that she suspected that the Department of Corrections staff had abused the patients/inmates, and she essentially shrugged it off.
It makes me quite nervous that she might still be responsible for the care of some of our most vulnerable citizens.
July 17, 2021
This book was really amazing and I truly appreciated the work that is being done by psychiatrists that look after criminals that are declared to suffer from serious mental related illnesses. Their job is high pressure and demanding and does take a toll on the doctors themselves. Here, Dr Ford shows passion and dedication towards her patients and tries her very best given the dismal state of the Department of Corrections facility at Riker's Island.
The book is an eye-opener. Most of the prisoners are like you and me but unfortunately fate has dealt them a terrible hand. They mostly hail from poor families, suffering from severe neglect and/or abuse during their early formative years, the inevitable drug and alcohol abuse. All this leads them into a path of destruction. Once imprisoned the inmates suffer further abuse by the system which turns them further down the path to madness.
The doctor shows us how most of these inmates really want to be heard, trusted and mostly want to not to be further abused. There are definitely success stories and amazing things happening to them where they are finally able to transform their lives but they are unfortunately very few such stories. And this can definitely be changed if public policies and funding for these people could get better.
However we have all the money to buy weapons and fight wars so where will we find the money for schools and hospitals?
The book is an eye-opener. Most of the prisoners are like you and me but unfortunately fate has dealt them a terrible hand. They mostly hail from poor families, suffering from severe neglect and/or abuse during their early formative years, the inevitable drug and alcohol abuse. All this leads them into a path of destruction. Once imprisoned the inmates suffer further abuse by the system which turns them further down the path to madness.
The doctor shows us how most of these inmates really want to be heard, trusted and mostly want to not to be further abused. There are definitely success stories and amazing things happening to them where they are finally able to transform their lives but they are unfortunately very few such stories. And this can definitely be changed if public policies and funding for these people could get better.
However we have all the money to buy weapons and fight wars so where will we find the money for schools and hospitals?
December 18, 2019
It’s probably only a matter of time before I get punched in the face by a schizophrenic in this city. That’s the main takeaway from this book. It’s a really interesting read about the challenges this particular population poses and I learned a lot about how corrections and medicine work together here. The Hurricane Sandy chapters were particularly great.
The writing is a little detached, she is a doctor and at times it felt like I was just reading someone’s chart. This is gonna sound awful, but I found that I didn’t care much about the family life stuff and just wanted more patient stuff.
I do recommend this for anyone who has an interest in abnormal psychology and criminal justice and the ways those intersect. It’s good, trigger warnings abound.
The writing is a little detached, she is a doctor and at times it felt like I was just reading someone’s chart. This is gonna sound awful, but I found that I didn’t care much about the family life stuff and just wanted more patient stuff.
I do recommend this for anyone who has an interest in abnormal psychology and criminal justice and the ways those intersect. It’s good, trigger warnings abound.
January 26, 2024
This book reinforced my belief that any mental health professional who writes a book about their work is self-aggrandizing, unethical, and lacks boundaries. Dr Ford appears to lack any of the self-awareness necessary to be an effective provider, leader, or team member. Many of her anecdotes expose how simultaneously naive and self-important she is - and completely unwilling to take useful feedback from her teammates, who she obviously perceives to be less intelligent and caring than herself. The number of times she breaks protocol and puts the lives of her patients and staff in danger while seeming completely oblivious to it is frightening. She centers herself as the hero throughout the book and presents team members as her foils and patients as helpless victims. This book had such an opportunity to be compelling if it has centered around the complex struggles and victories of the patients rather than Dr Ford’s career.
May 20, 2021
Follow Elizabeth Ford, MD as she struggles through the maze of imprisoned, broken men, trying so hard to make their lives a little bit better. Heartbreaking stories that underline how broken the prison/mental illness system is. I admired this woman for her heart and grit although I was disturbed that an intelligent woman such as she would drive and text/work at the same time! Nevertheless, I feel a bit of hero worship for her.
August 28, 2017
Wonderful account of what could have been a depressing subject: the treatment of mentally ill men who are imprisoned for crimes at Rikers island. But the title says it all. The author is always looking for the silver lining--how to better deliver services to these individuals in need, and she tells their stories with compassion and respect. I couldn't stop reading. it's as much a story of her career as it is of the individuals she treated, as she recounts her early experiences with the mentally ill, her increasing responsibilities, the crisis caused by Hurricane Sandy.
April 30, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! Definitely a good read for people who are interested in abnormal psychology, as well as a inside look into the life of a psychiatrist! I definitely recommend this book to anyone as well because it is a good look into reality. this book teaches you to understand some cases on why people do the things they do, and how to handle life in general.
December 27, 2018
I love reading books about careers I am not qualified for. This was interesting but a bit aimless--it could have used more structure. I was not interested in the parts about her family and about work-life balance, but maybe if I were a parent, I would have enjoyed those. Dr. Ford is doing extraordinary work with some of the most ill, desperate, and violent people in the country.
March 19, 2021
This book took me a while to get through. It was a free audible book and I’m ultimately glad I read it. It was extremely frustrating to read about the way those within the “justice” system are treated. Especially those with mental illness. It takes a really special and strong person to be able to work in an environment like the one described at Bellevue.
August 5, 2021
I like these sorts of memoirs - the grimy gritty truth behind the lives people live and those they interact with.
So many of the people Dr Ford deals with on a daily basis really had so little chance at better lives that is is terrible sad and angering. We as a society treat people with mental health issues in such an appalling way - and then are shocked at the lives they are forced to live and the ends to which they go.
Very interesting look at the point at which the criminal system and psychiatric health intersect - and the casualties thereof.
So many of the people Dr Ford deals with on a daily basis really had so little chance at better lives that is is terrible sad and angering. We as a society treat people with mental health issues in such an appalling way - and then are shocked at the lives they are forced to live and the ends to which they go.
Very interesting look at the point at which the criminal system and psychiatric health intersect - and the casualties thereof.
June 19, 2018
Dr. Ford sees the humanity in her patients. Her compassion for her patient is inspiring. This raw tale of her experiences is compelling and eye opening. Highly recommend, especially to those in the mental health field.
March 15, 2018
Forever fascinated by the topics of psychology and mental illness, and having a daughter who is a mental health worker, this book was a super fast read for me and I recommend to highly to anyone who has those interests.
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