May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Why not perpetrate some shameless self-promotion? My book Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life will make you aware of the view from my side side of the couch. Spoiler Alert—the following YouTube video, a seven minute speech which I gave at my local Toastmaster’s club, is based on one chapter from the book.

Finally, after practicing for days giving my speech from memory—before my friend Joan; between clients; while on hold as my tech genius figured out what was wrong with my office computer; at home cooking dinner and after, doing the dishes; as I applied lipstick in the rearview mirror, and drove to the public library where the Toastmasters meeting was happening—finally, I was standing before the camera (it was a hybrid meeting) and my fellow Toastmasters, ready (as I’d ever be) to give my speech.