Publishers Weekly
04/15/2024
In this affecting memoir, Kuzmič (Hold On, but Don’t Hold Still) recounts supporting her teenage son through a severe mental health crisis complicated by substance abuse. She assumed that her eldest son, Luka, was going through the normal pangs of adolescence when he became withdrawn around his 13th birthday, but over the next two years he started lashing out at teachers and family and self-medicating with painkillers and alcohol, leaving Kuzmič feeling helpless and searching for answers. Recalling her agonizing attempts to get professional help for Luka, who was eventually diagnosed with clinical depression, ADHD, and generalized anxiety disorder, Kuzmič discusses pained conversations about her son’s suicidal ideation during joint therapy sessions and the difficult decision to temporarily place him in a residential care facility after a violent outburst. Kuzmič’s candid reflections plumb the intricacies of parent-child relationships, as when she describes realizing that her tendency to view Luka’s problems as a negative reflection on her parenting was hampering her ability to “genuinely listen and empathize.” A poignant concluding chapter written by Luka explains his mental health struggles in frank detail (“I took out my anger on the people I love the most because I knew they wouldn’t leave me”), before arriving at the hopeful conclusion: “Life gets better, but we have to put in the work.” Readers will be moved. Agent: Anna Sproul-Latimer, Neon Literary. (May)
From the Publisher
Praise for I Can Fix This
"By offering us an in-depth account of her most vulnerable and maddening moments as a mother of a child in anguish, Kristina Kuzmič gives us a story as close to an emotional road map as possible."
—Dr. Shefali Tsabary, New York Times bestselling author of The Parenting Map
"I expected to be moved. I didn't expect I Can Fix This to be a page-turner, to make me laugh, to give me a better script for parenting through the hardest of times, and to leave me with renewed hope."
—Michelle Icard, bestselling author of Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen and Eight Setbacks That Can Make a Child a Success
"The heart-wrenching and ultimately hope-filled journey of parenting a beloved child struggling with mental health and substance abuse. As a clinician and a mom, I so appreciated Kuzmič's extreme candor, humility, and empathy tackling a topic that is all too often kept in the shadows, leaving parents to suffer in silence. I encourage every parent, but especially those with kids who are struggling, to read I Can Fix This. You will find solace, understanding, and perspective that will not only help your family survive, but hopefully thrive as a result."
—Dr. Laura Berman, New York Times bestselling author of Real Sex for Real Women and Talking to Your Kids About Sex
"This book is so honest, reminding us that we are not alone in our parenthood journey, and that what our mind tells us is not always true. It is the perfect example of how showing up day after day, week after week, year after year is all the true love that our child needs. It won't be easy, and it will be far from perfect, but it will be real. Kristina and this book could not set a better example."
—Dr. Neela Sethi, general pediatrics and adolescent medicine, teen mental health advocate
Library Journal
★ 05/01/2024
Kuzmic (Hold On, But Don't Hold Still) is known for her witty, truth-filled parenting videos that aren't afraid to tackle hot-button issues; this book is no different. Her book notes that parents are often ashamed to admit how challenging parenting actually is. She argues that traditional parenting models are based on fear, shame, and control, which can backfire, so she urges parents to make a paradigm shift. Raw and unflinching, this book starts with a portrayal of Luca, Kuzmic's teenage son, who has been diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder. He punches the shower tiles in an attempt to feel something and has considered suicide. Eventually, he is legally mandated to get treatment at a psychiatric facility, which had a considerable impact on Kuzmic and her marriage. Each chapter title is based on a lie that she and other parents believe, such as everything that their child goes through is the result of bad parenting. The book's final section is written by Luca, which gives parents a fresh perspective on the teenage years. VERDICT Parents will find the need for tissues, several laugh-out-loud sections, and honest reflections in this highly relatable book.
