Review of SEARCHING FOR SANITY:How I Overcame Crisis With MIndfulness and How You Can Too

[Ami Sanghavi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "SEARCHING FOR SANITY:How I Overcame Crisis With MIndfulness and How You Can Too" by Marcy Westcott.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Lately, a lot of books on meditation and mindfulness practices have flooded the market. Even social media and other applications like YouTube have a lot of content that touches on these topics, which is a good thing. However, finding a source that is one of the best in the lot is a bit of a task. I took that chance with this book by Marcy Westcott titled SEARCHING FOR SANITY: How I Overcame Crisis With Mindfulness and How You Can Too, and trust me when I say this: it was a very good decision.

Marcy is a certified meditation instructor and mindfulness coach, which gave genuine authenticity to this book. She has shared in the book her emotional breakdown, her hardest moments, career-related pressures, health crises, and much more, along with the mindfulness that healed her and the meditation that supported her journey in the midst of all of this.

Marcy has incorporated various episodes from her life, such as the brain tumor diagnosis, the enduring emotional upheaval, and the pervasive mistreatment due to workplace gender bias, and follows the recounting of her experiences with a section dedicated to actionable advice, such as mindfulness techniques, meditation, and affirmations, at the end of every chapter. At the start of each chapter, there is a quote from a well-known person, including, but not limited to, Louise Hay, Eleanor Roosevelt, T. S. Elliott, and Rumi. I found this approach to be insightful to the extent that the quotes selected by the author were of such incredible beauty that they further endeared the book to me.

Some parts of the book, like the one in the very beginning involving a phone call at 1:27 am (I won't share the details), were emotionally raw, and they showed how our minds spiral in fear and helplessness. I also liked how Marcy introduced “Bad Roommate,” a name she gave to that inner critic or the inner negative voice that stays in all of us. It made me sit back for a moment and reflect on how we let this internal voice take over many times, especially in difficult times.

Overall, I just loved how grounded and real the book felt. The concept of the book, which is a memoir plus a guide, was the main highlight for me. The ‘meditation on self-inquiry’ exercise shared in Chapter 7 was one of my favorites. Even the mantra meditation was a good one, and the practical techniques like RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) felt doable. I could not find anything that I disliked in the book, and the editing was top-notch, as I did not find any errors throughout the book. Considering all of my likes and appreciation for the book, I would rate it five out of five stars, without any hesitation.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is serious about taking their life into control with the help of mindfulness and meditation.

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SEARCHING FOR SANITY:How I Overcame Crisis With MIndfulness and How You Can Too
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[goreview03]

I like this topic. I'm quite interested in that internal voice that sometimes can discourage us from getting where we want to be. Thanks for the review.

[David Alabi]

This sounds like a deeply moving and empowering read. I love that it's not just theory but built around real-life struggles and healing. The mix of personal storytelling with practical tools makes it feel both relatable and useful—definitely going on my reading list.