Steven Thistle

Born amidst the turbulent backdrop of 1960s Seattle, Washington, I emerged from a world marred by the tragic losses of the Kennedys and the inspiring figure of Martin Luther King Jr. The sixties were a crucible of global upheaval, echoing the strife within the walls of my childhood home. A monstrous presence dwelled in my father, while my mother's neglectful complicity turned my early years into a warzone I couldn't escape.

Formal education proved elusive, a casualty of the relentless trauma I endured. With scant support at home, I fell just three credits short of high school graduation. It was a wound that would later drive me to seek healing in the unlikeliest of places.

In the mid-eighties, I found unexpected success in the world of telecommunications sales, a path that would lead me through decades of triumphs. However, a missing high school diploma spurred me to attend a community college, rectifying an old wound and securing the validation I'd long claimed.

But the shadows of my past would return with a vengeance. In the blink of an eye, severe mental health issues toppled the edifice of my achievements, leaving me bedridden with depression. Seven jobs in two years crumbled under the weight of my suffering, forcing me onto the unforgiving path of disability.

The search for solace led me through countless therapists' offices and pharmacies, but their offerings proved insufficient against the core pain that haunted me. Desperation drove me to the page, where I embarked on a journey to uncover the elusive answers that no clinician could provide.

Through relentless self-exploration, I unearthed the hidden source of my anguish—a buried trauma from my earliest years that had eluded both consciousness and healing. The culmination of this odyssey is "Mind Surgery," a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of self-discovery.

In its pages, I lay bare the revelation that eluded the grasp of countless clinicians—a key to unlocking healing for those ensnared by the complex tendrils of prolonged trauma. With "Mind Surgery," I offer a lifeline to those who, like me, have suffered in silence, hoping to alleviate needless anguish and guide others towards their own path to redemption.

May this book be a beacon of hope, a source of healing, and a testament to the indomitable strength that resides within each of us, waiting to be unearthed and set free.