What do you need to be happy?

That’s one of the hardest questions to answer, and it’s one of the most important. Everyday crises–losing a job, relationship problems, recovering from an illness–can disrupt our lives and derail our direction. Sometimes, the impact can stir up unresolved trauma and pain from the past, leaving us feeling lost, in pain, and alone.

After several years of working as a clinical psychiatrist in Los Angeles, Dr. Christine Forest noticed that her patients were having incredible breakthroughs and making positive, long-lasting changes in their lives, far beyond what was typically expected and reported by her colleagues. Her patients insisted that their experience with Dr. Forest had been unlike any other, and that had made all the difference. She made it her mission over the last decade to figure out what she was doing that led to such amazing outcomes for her patients so she could share it with others.

Better Than Cured (BTC) combines Dr. Forest’s clinical experience; current scientific research in the fields of psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and psychiatry; traditional medical interventions; and positive mental health practices to help people answer the question, “What do you need to be happy?”

What makes BTC different

A customizable blueprint
BTC isn’t a step-by-step guide or prescriptive workbook that assumes the answer to anxiety and depression will look the same for everyone. Instead, BTC offers a framework for healing and recovery that’s built on the premise that each person is an individual with unique circumstances and needs. Your solution may look very different from someone else’s, which is why Dr. Forest uses real patient stories and experiences to explore key questions and issues. Then, with her gentle guidance and thought-provoking inquiries, readers are encouraged to delve deeper and, with the support of their mental health providers, use BTC’s framework to find the answers that have eluded them thus far.

Positive Changes That Last
To build emotional resilience that will sustain us through tough times in the future, we need to replace our current patterns, which we developed and adapted to get through times of hurt and difficulty, with new, healthier patterns of behavior. That’s a tall order! And what works for one person may, once again, not work for another. Dr. Forest’s customizable approach encourages readers to push past restrictions, self-imposed or otherwise, and examine what they most want and need in their lives to be happy.

Mission: Possible
Mental health issues rarely have a documented “cure.” In fact, once a person is diagnosed with mental disorder or illness, they’re usually considered to have it for the rest of their lives. BTC begins with the premise that we can feel better and live our best lives in spite of those labels and diagnoses. They don’t have to define you or stop you from finding true happiness and contentment. You can break down the barriers that have held you back by applying sound psychological principles and creative, open-minded solutions that are fine-tuned for your personal needs and desires.