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Through the Fire
How People with Mental Illness Are Empowering Each Other
Pub Date
May 05 2026
| Archive Date
Mar 01 2026
Description
Mental health touches every aspect of life in the United States: from police encounters to prisons, and from hospitals to housing, those suffering from mental illness are overrepresented and underserved. In Through the Fire, leading expert in the field of mental health law Fredrick Vars reveals that some of the most promising reforms are coming from within the community of individuals living with mental illness.
In this personal and compassionate survey of mental health in America, readers meet the real-life advocates working on the frontlines of reform. Through their stories, and bolstered by his own experience inside the system after suffering a psychotic break, Vars reveals that hopeful solutions are already in action. Illustrating key reforms such as respite housing programs, unique peer-to-peer services, and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), a highly effective but underused model for supporting people with serious mental health problems outside of institutions, Through the Fire shows that lasting change requires a paradigm shift: Mental illness is a disease, not a character flaw. Empowering people with mental illness to become effective advocates and mentors for themselves and others may be the spark to fuel much-needed change.
Mental health touches every aspect of life in the United States: from police encounters to prisons, and from hospitals to housing, those suffering from mental illness are overrepresented and...
Description
Mental health touches every aspect of life in the United States: from police encounters to prisons, and from hospitals to housing, those suffering from mental illness are overrepresented and underserved. In Through the Fire, leading expert in the field of mental health law Fredrick Vars reveals that some of the most promising reforms are coming from within the community of individuals living with mental illness.
In this personal and compassionate survey of mental health in America, readers meet the real-life advocates working on the frontlines of reform. Through their stories, and bolstered by his own experience inside the system after suffering a psychotic break, Vars reveals that hopeful solutions are already in action. Illustrating key reforms such as respite housing programs, unique peer-to-peer services, and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), a highly effective but underused model for supporting people with serious mental health problems outside of institutions, Through the Fire shows that lasting change requires a paradigm shift: Mental illness is a disease, not a character flaw. Empowering people with mental illness to become effective advocates and mentors for themselves and others may be the spark to fuel much-needed change.
Marketing Plan
Author Promotion
The author, now a professor at Alabama School of Law, is someone who became a community caterer following his own stint at a psychiatric facility. He is willing to share his personal mental health experiences as promotion for the book.
He will be pitched for “Human Interest” guest segments on various national TV talk shows, including:
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” - 1.3M viewers, syndicated in US, Canada, and Australia through NBC Universal (over 150 affiliate stations worldwide)
“The Drew Barrymore Show” - 710K viewers, nationally syndicated through CBS Media (over 100 affiliate stations throughout the US)
“The Tamron Hall Show” - 18K viewers nationally syndicated daily talk show, airs on most ABC stations throughout the US and Canada, but owned by Disney Entertainment Distribution
“Dr. Phil Primetime” - 40K viewers through Merit TV - Texas-based over the air (OTA) digital TV network and satellite/cable with 33 TV affiliate stations nationwide
Trade Publications (pre-pub reviews)
Library Journal (circulation: 165K readers)
Booklist / ALA (circ: 33K readers)
Publishers Weekly (circ: 690K readers)
Shelf Awareness (circ: 69K readers)
Kirkus Reviews (circ: 390K readers)
Traditional Media coverage
Pitches for author interviews and/or select book excerpts will be presented to a variety of Mental Health-focused media outlets within the nonprofessional / consumer base, including:
Psychology Today (19M readers)
Spirituality & Health magazine (165K readers)
Happiful magazine (UK-based) (65K readers)
The Mental Illness Happy Hour (podcast - 500K listeners)
We Can Do Hard Things (podcast - 500K+ listeners)
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos (podcast - 500K listeners)
Featured in Globe Pequot trade catalog
Social Media / Online Advertising
Amazon A+ Advertising, together with monetized campaign ads
Social Media posts around the book, and author, with emphasis on Community Counseling throughout the US.
Author Promotion
The author, now a professor at Alabama School of Law, is someone who became a community caterer following his own stint at a psychiatric facility. He is willing to share his personal...
Marketing Plan
Author Promotion
The author, now a professor at Alabama School of Law, is someone who became a community caterer following his own stint at a psychiatric facility. He is willing to share his personal mental health experiences as promotion for the book.
He will be pitched for “Human Interest” guest segments on various national TV talk shows, including:
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” - 1.3M viewers, syndicated in US, Canada, and Australia through NBC Universal (over 150 affiliate stations worldwide)
“The Drew Barrymore Show” - 710K viewers, nationally syndicated through CBS Media (over 100 affiliate stations throughout the US)
“The Tamron Hall Show” - 18K viewers nationally syndicated daily talk show, airs on most ABC stations throughout the US and Canada, but owned by Disney Entertainment Distribution
“Dr. Phil Primetime” - 40K viewers through Merit TV - Texas-based over the air (OTA) digital TV network and satellite/cable with 33 TV affiliate stations nationwide
Trade Publications (pre-pub reviews)
Library Journal (circulation: 165K readers)
Booklist / ALA (circ: 33K readers)
Publishers Weekly (circ: 690K readers)
Shelf Awareness (circ: 69K readers)
Kirkus Reviews (circ: 390K readers)
Traditional Media coverage
Pitches for author interviews and/or select book excerpts will be presented to a variety of Mental Health-focused media outlets within the nonprofessional / consumer base, including:
Psychology Today (19M readers)
Spirituality & Health magazine (165K readers)
Happiful magazine (UK-based) (65K readers)
The Mental Illness Happy Hour (podcast - 500K listeners)
We Can Do Hard Things (podcast - 500K+ listeners)
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos (podcast - 500K listeners)
Featured in Globe Pequot trade catalog
Social Media / Online Advertising
Amazon A+ Advertising, together with monetized campaign ads
Social Media posts around the book, and author, with emphasis on Community Counseling throughout the US.
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Other Format |
| ISBN |
9781493087839 |
| PRICE |
$24.95 (USD)
|
| PAGES |
224
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader
(PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App
(PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)
Additional Information
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Other Format |
| ISBN |
9781493087839 |
| PRICE |
$24.95 (USD)
|
| PAGES |
224
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader
(PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App
(PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)
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