Befriending the Mind: Book 1 - A carer’s journey

A Voice of Grace in the Storm

I have watched from a unique vantage point as Dr Mridula Seth stepped into the daunting role of caregiver for her nephew – a transition born from sudden grief, demanding an extraordinary amount of patience, resilience, and quiet grace.

In Befriending the Mind: A Carer’s Journey, Mridula ji does something far more profound than merely chronicling a medical struggle. She strips away the clinical jargon to expose the beating, aching heart of what it means to love and care for someone whose mind is at war with itself.

For anyone navigating the exhausting, often an isolated path of caring for a loved one with mental illness, this book is a sanctuary. and an invaluable masterclass in empathy. Mridula ji, what you have captured in these pages is nothing short of a triumph of the spirit. You did not just survive this journey; you allowed it to transform you.

This book is a quiet, beautiful light held up in the dark. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Dr Umang Kochhar — Treating Psychiatrist and Family Friend

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This ... is a testimony to deal with such tough situations in one’s life with utmost positivity, retain one’s sanity by considering this opportunity as being “God sent” and carry on treading this not at all easy, complicated and rigid path by being “soaked in spirituality”. Additionally, treating caregiving as a “virtuous gainful involvement” that delivers huge unexpected rewards when the carer meets the almighty.

Since caregiving to a person with mental illness is a lifelong process, it can be exhausting and truly draining both economically and socially. Verses like the ones in this book may soothe and softly guide the readers towards strengthening resilience and drive, potentially also with a flicker of hope.

Dr Vinita Narula — Author, Poet and Academic

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Care-giving is a uniquely complex challenge: there are no theories to guide - only a broad principle to understand and care.

Befriending the Mind is a fascinating poetic narrative of many years of intimate experience, of responding to the needs of a person who is just “different”: a child and mature adult at the same time; who laughs and cries on facing social norms. Above all, it is a courageous document that lays bare the challenges one faces in this endeavour, and how a positive outlook manages to transform a trying reality into life that cannot but be called artistic.

Sharing this experience is invaluable learning for all who are associated in this process at different levels. Truly inspirational.

Dr Sharada Jain — Educator & Philosopher

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With remarkable emotional depth and authenticity, this collection gives voice to feelings that are often difficult to express. Each poem gently explores resilience, vulnerability, hope, and the complexities of being human. It is a compelling work that offers comfort, reflection, and emotional connection to its readers.