Stepping Out the Other Side by Peter Bell

Part memoir, part self-help guide, and part philosophical treatise, Stepping Out the Other Side: Finding Purpose Through Adversity by Peter Bell is the engrossing story of the author’s journey through mental illness, which could have stalled or shattered his life, but instead drove him to new levels of purpose and fulfillment.

The journal style of writing at the start of the book is a visceral dive into the emotions and processes of mental illness and professional counseling, while the recovery and resurgence segments of the book are written in a more traditional narrative. The storytelling is unique in its raw, unapologetic tone, along with its matter-of-fact wisdom on everything from anatomy and brain chemistry to emotional awareness, mental illness, and the bonds of family. The author learns how to manage his own mental struggles right in front of readers on the page, sharing his journey in vulnerable detail, while turning his experiences into an opportunity to help others.

Bell masterfully explores nuanced subjects of childhood trauma, subconscious urges, complex familial love, and the underlying motivators of obsessive-compulsive disorder with honesty and delicacy. He boldly lays his life and mind bare, writing down his inspiring story in an effort to promote healthy reactions and resolutions to the unpredictable realm of mental illness, for a stirring account of resilience and responsibility.

For anyone who has had their life shaken, disrupted, or brought to the furthest edges by mental illness, this empathically penned book could be a balm, or even a life-saver.