Encouraging Words for Troubled Women

‘When Words Are Not Enough: The Women’s Prescription for Depression and Anxiety’

Dr. Valerie Davis Raskin

Broadway Books

318 pages, $16

This is a wonderful book for women who are trying to make a first step toward addressing serious psychological distress. Raskin is an expert in women’s mental health conditions and makes clear distinctions about how mental illnesses and treatments can differ between women and men. Major contributions include her thorough analysis of antidepressants and their effects on sexuality and on the significance of treating postpartum depression. Another section is devoted to medication and its effects during pregnancy. Throughout the book, Raskin’s tone is one of encouragement and optimism.