Drawn From Memory - A Personal Story of Healing through Art
By E.J.Cockey, published by Ovation Books, Copyright 2007, 153 pages

The author, Elizabeth Cockey, is an Art Therapist. The book is written in the first person and reads like a diary with dates that concentrate on events during 2000 – 2004. As an art therapist Cockey comes into contact with folks who have various types of dementia. The overarching story is about how she experiences her son’s schizophrenic episodes and his struggle to recovery.

Her message throughout the book – although not always clearly articulated – is that we have to remember that those who are affected by dementia, in all its forms, have much to teach us; they struggle for recovery and it is our job to support this struggle. To do this we need to strive to connect with the essence of who they are.

The book is mostly about the author’s own journey through adversity. Her clients/patients are her inspiration and her guiding light. A ninety-year-old dementia patient named Gertrude shows her there is a higher power in the universe, and Cockey thus sees that help is available.

My experience with this period in the author’s life was that of trying to “connect the dots.” My expectation, after reading the reviews, was to have a clearer understanding of the magic of connecting with the essence of those for whom reality is changing dramatically and unswervingly, that she was somehow healing (or had a healing affect on) those individuals. It didn’t come through in this respect. When I finished reading, I felt dissatisfied and it was only later when I realized that it was about her journey, a tiny proportion of which related to people experiencing dementia, that I understood its worth for a fairly wide audience. In this context, the book has some value.

Reviewed by Beryl Cole, Volunteer, Dementia Helpline, Alzheimer Society of B.C.