In October I had the chance to read a little more often than I normally do. I found my hands on a great book called Healing Scarred Hearts: A Family’s Story of Addiction, Loss, and Finding Light, by mother, activist and author Susan Hoemke. I am always on the lookout for good books and resources for teen addiction and this one fit the bill perfectly.
This one is for sure going onto my list of book recommendations to families I work with.
In this emotional memoir, Susan tells the heart-wrenching story of her son Hayden’’s eight-year battle with drug addiction, and of his tragic death at age twenty-two. Susan’s memoir inspires critical open dialogue on oft-avoided topics of drug and alcohol abuse.
I can’t imagine losing my child at such a young age from something so devastating as addiction but I can relate to the loss of family due to addiction. And that is why this book holds a special place in my heart. Hoemke is using her family’s painful experience as a way to help prevent other young deaths by addiction. Her advocacy goes beyond the written words in her memoir, the purpose of this book is to help others prevent the loss of life.