Next Therapist Please (ePub)

Blessed with anxiety, depression, and OCD, Janie hops from one therapist to the next in search of managing her mental illness to not just survive, but thrive in life. Author Laurie Finkelstein uses humor in this light breezy romantic comedy to shed light on the sensitive and serious subject of mental health. Semi-autobiographical, the ways Janie's mental illnesses manifest in her are fashioned after Laurie's life experience with these biological brain disorders. She has woven real life events, including paraphrased therapy sessions into a fictional storyline with fictional characters.A visual artist, Janie stretches her comfort level to gain gallery representation as well as manage her finances. If only her anxieties didn't cause her to want to hide at opening receptions or prevent her from parking in unfamiliar locations.

At her first group show, Janie runs into an ex-therapist whom she befriends. He is retired and has not seen Janie in over five years. Janie starts to fall for Dr. Rob, but he is only intent on helping Janie move on from a personal tragedy. Or is he? 

From Janie's cottage on Balboa Island to Dr. Rob's home in Palm Springs, Janie's adventures help strengthen her resolve to bring love into her life again. Her reflections on her past six therapists reveal how her mental health challenges have shaped her and hindered her at times. As well as causing her to purchase unwanted items in an attempt to reduce the anxiety created by seeing therapist number three.

Janie responds to Dr. Rob's confusing interest in her by turning to Internet dating, spending time with her handy handyman, Peter, and eating too many Balboa Bars.

Janie is a master at shaking and stirring cocktails, but a disaster at living an anxious free life. She obsesses over every detail of her clothing, prays to find a parking space she feels 'comfortable' with, and reads to escape the here and now. On the positive side, her OCD keeps her punctual, organized, with a penchant for counting and focusing on minutiae.

Will Janie find love and peace, or is she destined to experience an HEA only in her favorite romcoms?

A  small portion of the sales of this book will go to NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Help Break the Stigma.