The Psychology of Redemption by Lana Schwartz

The Psychology of Redemption: We Learned How to Survive, Nobody Taught Us How to Heal by Lana Schwartz

What does it mean to grow up Habesha and learn how to be strong before you ever learn how to talk about what hurts? The Psychology of Redemption is a personal look into mental health, family, faith, culture, identity, and the things we often keep to ourselves. Lana Schwartz shares what she has learned through her own experiences and her background in psychology, while opening up conversations that can sometimes feel uncomfortable within the Habesha community.

This book explores the pressure to make our families proud, the fear of what people will say, the things our parents never talked about, the way culture can shape how we see ourselves, and what happens when we finally realize that surviving is not the same as healing. It is also a conversation for parents who are trying to understand what their children are going through and learning how to respond when their child says, “I’m not okay.” This book is for the person who has ever felt like they had to keep everything together, even when they were falling apart inside.

It is about understanding where we come from, understanding ourselves, and making room for a healthier future without having to leave our culture behind.