“THE UNDOING by Andrea Schmook, vividly shares how it felt to experience a crisis and then find out you have been taken to the state psychiatric hospital. Her description of the experiences and her emotions of her crisis will resonate. Understanding these feelings may help others who have experienced mental health concerns. Hopefully their families and providers can find, within these descriptions, new and less harmful ways to support their loved ones and patients.
John AllenPast President of the National Association of Consumer/Survivors Offices of Consumer Affairs, NYC
In her book, Andrea uses her personal experiences to lay out how she managed her path to “recovery” which far too many people have been historically told cannot happen. I hope her descriptions help provide testament to that difficult journey of healing the traumas one experiences and dispelling the myths that in many places continue to promote illness rather than wellness. This book is a MUST read!!!!
“Andrea’s story is a personal account of her experience of her mental breakdown, subsequent hospitalization, and her healing and recovery. Andrea talks about the circumstances that led to her breakdown, the family violence and will perhaps give insight into anyone struggling with their own mental health issues. Andrea’s message with her story is that people can recover, with help from family and friends, along with professional help when needed.
Merryl Joy HughesFormer Worker for Grow Australia and United States
“Andrea’s story is living proof of a truth I first learned in GROW: recovering from mental illness is painful but permanently rewarding. Her journey shows that even when fear has dominated most of a life, it can be transformed through new ways of thinking, affirmation, and the support of loved ones.
June WoodsMember of GROW in Ireland and American in various leadership positions for over 30 years
What touched me most was her experience with her father—the control, the beatings, and the distorted way he explained God. These painful memories revealed how much damage can be done in childhood yet also made her recovery all the more inspiring.
Andrea writes with honesty about her diagnosis, the hard work of healing, and the destructive impact of being told by professionals she would never recover. Her story carries a vital message: complete recovery from even the most severe mental illness is possible. It is a book, I believe, every mental health professional should read, and one that offers hope and choice to anyone who feels trapped in illness.
“Andrea’s book is a powerful sharing that sheds a light for behavioral health professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. It is also a beacon of hope for consumers, psychiatric survivors, ex-patients, and all of us who have struggled. She tells the story of her painful journey from a childhood of fear through a tumultuous adulthood marked by shame, abuse, and confusion in a way that provides the reader glimpses of the faith, hope and love that ultimately save her. Her self-determination, honesty and persistence in the face of struggle provided the impetus to grow and heal.
Carey S. Edney, Ph.D.Psychologist, Retired
In addition to the inspiring personal story, the book is a guide for consumers and service providers who want to harness the healing power of self-determination, honesty and connection. Throughout the book are references to healing thoughts, poems, books and philosophies. The final chapters provide a wealth of resources on the history and development of the consumer movement and keys to spiritual healing.
I write this recommendation in gratitude for the time I was able to work with Andrea in her role as Executive Director of Consumer Driven Services at Anchorage Community Mental Health Services. It is an honor to be asked to be an early reader of this inspiring book.
“If you are concerned that reading Andrea Schmook’s The Undoing will take you or someone you love, somewhere in the past one doesn’t want to go, release that concern. You will instead, find through sharing her story, a guide to recognizing choices around you when none seem to exist.
Mary Ellen DonovanRet. RN, MSN, Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS-IL)
For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, The Undoing transforms life experiences into spiritual experiences. Andrea’s story accompanies the reader past vignets of trauma, toward a spiritual path with guides disguised as chance meetings, mysterious arrangements disguised as coincidence, faith disguised as choices, and spiritual uplift disguised as resolve to do all it takes to be whole in one’s own eyes.
The Undoing is for anyone trying to make sense of turmoil and make a shift away from blame to spiritual self-determination.
“It was a privilege to work with Andrea Schmook in her role as Director of Consumer Driven Services at Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, now Alaska Behavioral Health. I often sought her expertise in adult mental health and providing dignified and ethical treatment to promote physical, mental and spiritual healing. My expertise was in child and family mental health, and I knew that adverse childhood events could lead to pain and distress in adult mental health. Andrea is a leader in the field of mental health advocacy and support and making a difference for those recovering.
Dee FosterM.S., former Director of Child and Family Services at Anchorage Community Health. Retired.
Her story is a guiding beacon for so many who suffer from pain and suffering in mental health and want a healing pathway to change personal beliefs and to harness hope and well-being in recovery. I was deeply moved by her description of her sister bestowing her, during her hospitalization, a silver medallion inscribed with the phrase "you have the freedom to be yourself here and now." The quote is from author Richard Bach in the Jonathan Livingston Seagull novella which tells of a seagull who is trying to learn about flying, personal reflection, freedom, and self-realization. I, myself, believe that Andrea is the wings of that seagull, carrying a message of hope to all she touches.
Undoing is a must read for mental health professionals and a heartfelt story to inspire those seeking to heal in recovery. It is a tale of spiritual, physical and mental healing. It is a story of hope.
“The Undoing is a profound gift to behavioral health professionals, patients and their loved ones, and behavioral healthcare leaders alike. Anyone deeply interested in the mind’s complexities and the soul’s struggles will be compelled to a new understanding of the experience of mental illness and spiritual crisis. With unwavering honesty, Andrea courageously reveals the raw truth of her own unraveling, illuminating the manifestations of imbalance. Her journey through deep pain to healing by love and forgiveness illuminates the intricate dance between mind, spirit, and imbalance. Beyond sharing her personal story, Andrea compassionately explores the ripple effect on those around her, especially her children. Her wisdom shines through the extraordinary compassion she received and the guiding mantras that led her toward restoration.
Kimberli Poppe-SmartRN, BSN, JD, PhD, Author
As a well-informed advocate, Andrea weaves the realities of Western medicine with spiritual practices, forging a new path for healing. Her leadership in peer support is a lasting legacy. Rather than leaving readers adrift, she offers a hopeful roadmap for anyone seeking recovery, making The Undoing both a courageous memoir and an essential guide for anyone touched by mental illness or spiritual crisis.
“The Undoing by Andrea Schmook is a powerful and intimate exploration of resilience, written with the steady voice of someone who truly understands the terrain of healing. Schmook embraces the deeper belief that healing is possible, weaving each chapter with compassion and this shared grounded truth. Her reflections highlight how love can be an incredible balm, amid profound struggle. It’s a moving work from an advocate’s advocate—honest, encouraging, and deeply human. Bravo!
Eric HollandMBA
“Andrea’s memoir is a compelling story of her tumultuous life initially shaped by family trauma, and domestic violence (fueled by dogmatic religious beliefs), internalized and re-created in her unhappy marriage, then descending further into the horrors of psychosis and the shortcomings of the mental health system. But it is also a story of unwavering support from her sister, family, and friends and an astonishing determination on the author’s part to get better. Andrea’s persistence with self-discovery and self-improvement, paired with a slow but steady transformation in her spiritual beliefs paint a truly remarkable picture of resilience and recovery.
Jim MclaughlinM.Ed, (Ret) Alaska Division of Behavioral Health
Andrea’s story offers many lessons including the dangers of a patriarchal society and religious beliefs based on domination and fear as well as the dangers of mental health systems that unfortunately can also dominate and traumatize vulnerable people. The good news is that the concepts of empowerment and recovery are powerful positive forces that made a difference for Andrea. Vital to this is the importance of “peers helping peers”. Getting support from those who have “lived experience” with your particular struggle can transform your thinking about your condition and your hope for the future. The mental health system needs to take this to heart and shape the growth of the field in this direction. Kudos to Andrea for this intimate and powerful story!
“When Andrea first asked me to read The Undoing I was honored. I was also very curious and a bit apprehensive. However, from the beginning all these emotions turned into one big exciting page turner! Andrea immediately connects with the audience and pulls them into her journey. One is invested from the get-go as she takes us along her life-long adventures which are filled with high drama, emotional whirlwinds, religious fervor and sprinkled throughout with touches of comedy, humor and self-deprecation. Combined, all this makes reading the book a very personal and relatable experience. I highly recommend The Undoing for everyone and anyone who has ever been or had a loved one go through mental illness. Andrea truly and selflessly wants to help others see the light and come out the other end a more complete and joyful human being.
Gerard RojoBA Psychology, UCLA
“Andrea Schmook’s The Undoing is the compelling story of a woman who was brave enough to take charge of her own mental health. When I met Andrea 20 years ago, I knew she had a different background from anyone else I knew. I never realized how traumatic her background was until reading The Undoing. The book relates the abuse and torment she suffered at the hands of those who should have protected and supported her: her father, her husband, the church, and the mental health system.
Cheryl MountsBS, SHRM-CP, Human Resources Director, Alaska Behavioral Health
The book also chronicles her journey to overcome those demons from her past. Andrea used positive affirmations and the principles of faith, hope, and love to heal herself. She spent a long time learning to love herself, saying, “Loving myself was one of the greatest gifts God’s love gave me.” Andrea was able to turn that love outward to helping others. Most important, Andrea has been integral in the growth of the peer support movement where survivors help others deal with the challenges of the mental health system. She has also been involved in educating mental health providers in knowing that a mental illness does not need to be a lifetime diagnosis. The Undoing is a story of one woman who overcame the challenges that life threw at her, but who triumphs in the end.
