Recovering Sanity: A Compassionate Approach to Understanding and Treating Psychosis

"A radical reconsideration of the psychotic mind and its never-lost potential for 'islands of clarity' and self-recovering—one which provides us with desperately needed, humane alternatives for understanding and helping the psychotic patient."—Oliver Sacks, M.D., author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings, and Uncle Tungsten

"Ed Podvoll offers a uniquely humane vision of the world of madness, one informed by a humanistic and compassionate sensibility. Anyone who cares about those who inhabit this world will be enriched by this book."—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

"Far and way the best written, most cogent, compelling history of our attempts to come to terms with the fascinating, terrifying monster of madness."—Mark Vonnegut, M.D., author of The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity

"Edward Podvoll is a highly original thinker who possesses the ability to describe inherently complex phenomena in a remarkably lucid fashion. But permeating over and beyond his rare intellectual endowments is Dr. Podvoll's emotional sensitivity to the phenomena of which he writes. This book is eminently worth reading, from cover to cover."—Harold F. Searles, M.D.

"The treatment described here—how to work with 'islands of clarity' and the innate intelligence that guides the healing process—is a teaching for anyone interested in the transformation of mind, heart, and self. You'll rarely read a book that is so beautifully, lovingly written."—Bernie Glassman, author of Instructions to the Cook

"Recovering Sanity is unique and refreshing—it stands out among other books on Buddhism and psychotherapy. Dr. Podvoll manages to combine a keen eye for detail with the long-term Buddhist meditator's profound insight into the nature of the mind."—Traleg Kyabgon, author of The Essence of Buddhism

"Recovering Sanity is a must-read book on the healing arts of the East and West. It shines rays of compassionate wisdom for all who are in need of recovering their mental health."—Tulku Thondup, author of The Healing Power of Mind

"Recovering Sanity is a compassionately written examination of the experience of psychosis and related mental illnesses. By presenting four in-depth profiles of illness and recovery, Dr. Edward Podvoll reveals the brilliance and chaos of the psychotic mind and demonstrates its potential for recovery outside of traditional institutional settings.
Dr. Podvoll counters the conventional thinking that the millions of Americans suffering from psychosis can never fully recover. He offers a bold new approach to treatment that involves home care with a specially trained team of practitioners. Using "basic attendance," a treatment technique inspired by the author's study of Buddhist psychology, healthcare professionals can use the tools of compassion and awareness to help patients recover their underlying sanity. Originally published as "The Seduction of Madness, this reissue includes new introductory material and two new appendices.

Edward Podvoll, M.D. (1936–2003), was a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and founder of the Contemplative Psychotherapy Department at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, which he directed for twelve years. He was also the founder and medical director of the Windhorse Project, an experimental and highly lauded psychiatric community whose focus is on compassionate treatment that emphasizes the patient's potential for sanity.