Description
Steve Godofsky
ISBN: 978-1-84747-932-7
Published: 2009
Pages: 163
Key Themes: depression, psychology, suicide, relationships
Description
Questionable Therapy is a psychological drama that unfolds through the lives of two college students who fall in love and begin life in the real world together. Through a combination of first person therapy sessions with a psychiatrist and flashbacks to the last 4 years, Rick and Stacy reveal how they deal with Stacy’s severe psychological issues while trying to keep their marriage on track.
A family background complicated by depression, suicide attempts and other mental problems, plagues Stacy posing great challenges to her marriage and, new husband, Rick. Adding to his issues is someone who causes him to question his love for Stacy and the future of their marriage. Eventually, the death of Rick’s best friend sends Stacy into a downward emotional spiral that results in her most severe psychological challenges and several attempts on her own life.
At the same time, a dark force is brewing in the mind of a dangerous man who is fighting carnal desires for Stacy that he cannot control. Ultimately, Stacy disappears and her husband discovers the surprising and terrible truth about Stacy’s fate, and who seals it, as he unravels clues from unlikely places.
About the Author
Steve Godofsky recently retired from the radio industry after decades of service. He was most recently Senior Vice-President and Regional Vice-President for the 3rd largest public radio company in the U.S.
Mr. Godofsky has Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees with majors in marketing and marketing research. He has managed more than 20 radio stations in 13 cities, run 3 broadcast companies, and consulted over 40 radio stations on their programming, marketing, sales, and management practices.
The author of articles on radio management and leadership for trade publications, poetry, and fiction.
He also writes music, sings, and plays keyboard instruments. Mr. Godofsky was born in Brooklyn, NY, U.S.A and now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife Sandra and his Golden Retriever named Hank.
Book Extract
The doctor was shaking his head slightly and said, “How did you and your family handle your father’s death?”
“We were devastated. This man was the strength in our family. He used to think of himself as ‘The captain of the ship’. We didn’t know what we would do without him. I’d just lost the most important person in my life. I couldn’t eat or sleep for days. When I got back to school and started staying 3 or 4 nights a week at Rick’s apartment I eventually became able to sleep again. But my mother…God!” She took another tissue out of the box and blew her nose. “She went out of her mind.”
“How do you mean, Stacy?” the doctor asked.
“She couldn’t stop crying. She wouldn’t stop drinking. She couldn’t stop cleaning the apartment. And then, well, then there were the voices.” Stacy stopped for a second as if she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about this.
“She…uh…would hear my father’s voice talking to her.”
The doctor asked, “What would he say?”
“She said he would tell her he loved her, tell her what to do, how to live, how to get along without him…that kind of stuff.”
“How did you feel about that?”
“I probably wouldn’t have thought it was such a big deal if she didn’t start talking back to him…out loud, when she was alone.”
“Tell me more about that.”
“You would hear her voice, in her bedroom some nights, talking to him out loud. She’d also laugh and cry. It was really scary. And, some nights, specifically on their anniversary and New Years Eve, she would actually ask any of us who were there to make plans to go out for the evening… so she could be alone with him.”
“How did that make you feel?” came the expected question.
“Scared for her. Scared of her. Wouldn’t you be? I mean, she was hearing my dead father talk to her and clearing out the apartment so she could spend time with him alone. Look, I come from a weird family. Did you know my oldest sister is in an institution? She’s had mental problems her whole life. I think my whole family just has some kind of loony gene, you know?”
Kelly Parmer (verified owner) –
I’m an avid reader who can easily tell if a book is going to be worthy of my time within the first few pages. “Questionable Therapy” definitely got my attention immediately, and made me want to read more. I thought the author did a great job of hinting at things to come, without giving anything away. I thought the book was great!