Dispatches from the Couch by Stacey Hettes is a raw and candid memoir that invites readers into the author’s journey of confronting past trauma. After an emotional moment at a forum forces her to publicly acknowledge her history as a sexual abuse survivor, Stacey revisits her fractured childhood and the complex layers of therapy that follow. With honesty and vulnerability, Hettes explores the painstaking process of unraveling shame and loneliness through therapy, ultimately showing the promise of healing. This book is a powerful reflection on the difficulty and importance of facing one’s past in order to reclaim control over the present.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

In Dispatches from the Couch, Stacey Hettes takes readers on an incredibly raw and powerful journey through her experience as a neuroscientist confronting her past trauma. Written with honesty and vulnerability, this memoir blends the professional and personal, as Hettes explores her work in neuroscience alongside her healing process through therapy. The unique aspect of this book is Hettes' collaboration with her therapist, Piper, to unearth and heal the wounds of her past, specifically stemming from sexual abuse.

Hettes does an exceptional job of capturing the complexity of trauma and the often challenging path to healing. She opens up about the shame, isolation, and emotional labor involved in revisiting painful memories, all while demonstrating a commitment to reclaiming her sense of self. Her narrative is not just about the past but also about the courage to move forward and find peace. The scientific lens she brings to the discussion adds depth to the emotional and psychological aspects of her journey, offering readers both a personal and intellectual perspective on the healing process.

This memoir is a testament to the power of therapy, vulnerability, and the pursuit of self-compassion. Hettes’ bravery in sharing such a personal story makes it a compelling read, one that will resonate deeply with anyone who has navigated trauma, shame, or the intricacies of personal growth. Dispatches from the Couch is both enlightening and inspiring, leaving readers with a sense of hope and a greater understanding of the delicate yet transformative process of healing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Absolutely brilliant and definitely a must read for anyone who suffered from sexual abuse. It is affirming and helps with understanding. Very well done.

DISPATCHES FROM THE COUCH
BY: DR. STACEY HETTES

This was such an incredible, way above average, well written debut I can't recommend it highly enough. I just happened to discover it by chance, and it exceeded my highest expectations in how authentic and moving it is. I have never read anything like this before where the Author, has such a warm heart and shared how deeply affected and devastating early childhood sexual abuse can cause so much harm and self loathing. As I write this my heart still hurts for how much mental anguish she and her family suffered as a result from a predator who was a Deacon, and trusted family friend at the time this occurred. The lasting impact that survivors of this traumatic experience is upsetting to me as I write this now because I feel that this author's courageous memoir is so powerful and I'm remembering how hard she fought to overcome the self hatred and shame that wasn't ever her fault. She does mention that whenever we write down our feelings we process our emotions and I'm noticing how sad I feel since I am having a harder time writing about her struggles than actually reading this memoir. I'm not a victim, or survivor of sexual abuse, but I have suffered childhood trauma with a capital T, and I have so much empathy, and admiration for Dr. Stacey Hettes's brutally honest depiction of how when we think that we've overcome our battles that they can resurface when we least expect it. The way our childhood brains are wired even though we have been traumatized in vastly different circumstances I totally connected to how she felt like it was her fault because I share that same self blame even when we intellectually know it's not our fault in order to heal we have to emotionally overcome that obstacle which is easier said than done. It is extremely difficult the amount of effort it takes but we have to be committed to give it all we have and it takes longer than most people realize, but as she has generously shared in her debut that with enough determination towards never giving up there is hope.

Honestly, I have to say that I didn't expect to be so affected that I would be currently reliving her story as I am finding this review to be harder for me to deal with her pain now than while I read it. She's so lovable with how sensitive she is towards others that she is thoughtful enough to place her Author's Note at the beginning to prepare the reader that this content can trigger others and also lets the reader know that the disturbing details that she includes will be written using italicization. This was a memoir that I was on the fence about reading even though I had changed my major of Pre-med as an undergraduate I remember the Neuroscience of how the brain is wired both anatomically and how it functions as well as I have an extensive background which I excelled in psychology courses, which was what drew me to read this in the first place. The fact that the subtitle states: A Neuroscientist and Her Therapist Conspire to Reboot Her Brain, had me hesitate for a long time from picking this up since I thought it would be dry and I wanted to read a story about the psychological therapeutic process from a more human angle. In other words, I expected the psychological modality to be more about Neuroscience which I wasn't sure I was in the mood for at this time. I couldn't have been more wrong about my preconception because it's subtitle is misleading, and I was not prepared to be rewarded with so much humanity since it was written in the format of the kind of approach once you get three chapters in with the rest of this memoir written to be completely dialogue laden chapters of sessions between the patient who is Dr. Stacey Hettes, Neuroscientist with her Therapist, Piper. Both women are lovable, and ultra sensitive towards each other. Each committed towards staying the course of the goal of Stacey's overwhelming journey that realistically has her reliving her trauma that was almost too vivid with her painful exploration of trying overcome her self hatred, and shame. It's so profound and powerfully written that it impacted me more while reflecting on it, than it did while reading it which amazes me. It's not transcripts of the sessions with Piper, but it certainly feels so raw and honest that I felt it's rare to be so convincing of how trauma affects the mind and body. It was exactly the type of memoir that I was hoping to read. It reminds me of the cliche that had me saying to myself to be careful what you wish for. It's so relatable that it is the closest you'll ever come to witnessing the pain and isolation that childhood trauma plays out between a therapist and a patient recreating the real therapeutic relationship giving you insight into how each interact during a session. Piper is the most capable, understanding Therapist, who is perfectly suited to Stacey's sensitivities regarding being equipped to help lovable Stacey's arduous journey of reliving and trying to make sense of trying to understand how she is right back to at beginning, trying to find answers by using her intellect which shows how sometimes we need to change the questions.

A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN RESOURCE AND A VALUABLE MEMOIR THAT WILL INSPIRE & INFORM ALL TRAUMA SURVIVORS!

Publication Date: May 13, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Dr. Stacey Hettes and Mindbuck Media/Apprentice House for generously providing me with my Spectacular ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always

#DispatchesFromtheCouch #DrStaceyHettes #MindbuckMedia #ApprenticeHouse #NetGalley

Book Review: Dispatches from the Couch: A Neuroscientist and Her Therapist Conspire to Reboot Her Brain by Stacey Hettes

Stacey Hettes’ Dispatches from the Couch is a groundbreaking hybrid memoir that merges clinical neuroscience with raw personal narrative, chronicling her dual journey as both a professor of biology and a therapy patient confronting a psychological crisis. The book’s brilliance lies in its unique structure—alternating between Hettes’ firsthand account of mental health collapse and her analytical lens as a scientist dissecting her own brain’s “reboot.” This duality creates a rare dialogue between subjective vulnerability and objective inquiry, offering readers an intimate yet rigorously intellectual exploration of healing.

Hettes’ prose is remarkably candid, particularly in depicting her “psychological black ice” moment—a sudden unraveling of her carefully constructed academic persona. Her descriptions of therapy sessions transcend clichés, revealing therapy as a collaborative “conspiracy” (as the subtitle suggests) where patient and clinician deconstruct neural pathways alongside emotional wounds. The neuroscientific interludes—exploring concepts like neuroplasticity and trauma’s imprint on the amygdala—are accessible yet precise, avoiding oversimplification. However, some readers may find these sections disrupt the memoir’s emotional flow, though their inclusion is thematically vital.

Thematically, the book excels in challenging academia’s culture of performative resilience. Hettes’ admission that her “right life” masked profound disconnection critiques systemic pressures on women in STEM. Her willingness to expose professional insecurities (“Did my students see me crack?”) adds layers to the narrative. Less compelling are occasional digressions into tangential anecdotes (e.g., a reception at Buckingham Palace), which, while humanizing, dilute the central narrative’s urgency.

Rating: 4.4/5

Section Scoring Breakdown:
-Conceptual Innovation: 5/5 – A masterful blend of memoir and neuroscience.
-Emotional Impact: 4.5/5 – Unflinchingly honest, though intermittently uneven.
-Scientific Rigor: 4/5 – Insightful but occasionally disrupts pacing.
-Narrative Cohesion: 4/5 – Powerful core narrative with minor detours.
-Cultural Relevance: 4.5/5 – Vital critique of mental health in academia.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Stacey Hettes, for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.