E697 - Rae Dumont - In the Shadow of Silence - A Novel of love and joy leading to the descent of untreated depression and unbearable loss

Episode 697 - Rae Dumont - In the Shadow of Silence - A Novel of love and joy leading to the descent of untreated depression and unbearable loss

In this episode, author Rae Dumont shares the inspiration behind her novel In the Shadow of Silence, a story drawn from her decades as a pediatrician and family therapist. Living in a New Jersey suburb near Manhattan, Dumont explains how the book demanded to be written, capturing fundamental truths about families facing mental health struggles, particularly depression. Influenced by James Baldwin's commitment to truth, she focuses on relational dynamics rather than specific events, portraying no person as an island.

The novel centers on Lyman, a man battling depression, and his family's emotional turmoil—anger, guilt, inadequacy, and confusion among his wife Eva and children. Dumont wrote for those suffering in silence, emphasizing they are not alone; help exists through therapy, medication as an adjunct, couples counseling, exercise, and awareness practices. She highlights how children notice parental moods early, like Lyman's young daughter’s tears prompting his initial treatment, and stresses modeling help-seeking as strength, not weakness, to break generational cycles of unspoken trauma and suicide.

Family members grapple with mixed feelings, such as frustration when efforts to help fail, and the dangers of stopping treatment impulsively without support. Dumont addresses cultural stigmas, especially for men, urging collaborative monitoring instead of solo battles. Post-tragedy, she advocates space for diverse reactions—fury, grief, or silence—using tools like family mapping to reveal what kids already sense.

Key Takeaway: You are not alone in depression or supporting a loved one through it—reach out for help, talk openly, and model vulnerability to foster healing and connection across generations. 

About Rae Dumont

 I am a mother, a widow, a friend. 

As a pediatrician and a family therapist, I have shared in many people’s experiences, and tried to help.

I hope to bring these lives to the page, and to share what they taught me.

This book is for you, if you have struggled with depression. There are people who love you, and reasons to live.

If you have tried to help a loved one who does battle with darkness, this book will show that you are not alone

https://www.raedumontwriting.org/

Please read  my blog on SUBSTACK

https://raedumont.substack. com

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