In To Wrestle With Demons, psychiatrist and author Keith R. Ablow delivers a powerful and introspective memoir that explores the emotional realities of psychiatric practice. Blending real clinical encounters with personal reflection, this compelling psychiatry book examines how deeply mental health professionals are affected by the lives of their patients.
Describing the unconscious as music — “a silent and explosive score” — Dr. Ablow invites readers into the therapy room, where he works with patients confronting:
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Severe depression rooted in childhood trauma
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Schizophrenia and resistance to medication
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Obsessive devotion shaped by early loss
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Suicidal ideation and emotional crisis
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Addiction, poverty, and psychological despair
But this is more than a collection of psychiatric case studies.
As he guides patients through the hidden recesses of their minds, Dr. Ablow must also confront his own internal conflicts — wrestling with guilt, professional boundaries, moral dilemmas, and the emotional toll of tragedy. Readers witness his struggle to help a homeless veteran, warn a mother of her son’s violent intent, and cope with both a patient’s suicide and a colleague’s murder.
Through these experiences, To Wrestle With Demons becomes a broader reflection on society itself. The book addresses major issues in modern mental health care, including:
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The insanity defense
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Patients’ rights
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Sexual misconduct in therapy
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Medical economics and insurance pressures
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The tension between technology and spirituality
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Science and the soul
At a critical turning point in psychiatry, Ablow explores the challenge of integrating neuroscience with empathy, and economics with ethics.
This book is ideal for:
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Readers interested in psychology and psychiatry
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Mental health professionals
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Students of counseling and neuroscience
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Those curious about what therapists truly think and feel
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Anyone exploring trauma, resilience, and personal healing
To Wrestle With Demons answers a question many have wondered: Are psychiatrists deeply affected by their patients’ lives? Dr. Ablow’s answer is a resounding yes.
