Posted in Blog, Reviews

Review: Kicking & Screaming by Melanie Gibson

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love martial arts. I’ve been doing Muay Thai for 10 years now and this book really shows how martial arts can help you with your mental health. There’s been tons of research on the topic of exercise and mental health showing the positive effects. This book just reiterates what we already know, from the perspective of someone who’s going through it. It’s always better to get a human perspective on our mental health journeys.  Kicking and Screaming: A Memoir of Madness and Martial Arts by [Melanie D. Gibson]

I really enjoyed this book because not only does she talk about her journey through taekwondo and mental health but she explains the process of taekwondo. If you’ve never done martial arts, it would be very confusing to know what moves she is referencing. 

There was a bit of humor in this book showing we should be able to laugh at ourselves. Never in a mean way of course! Melanie goes on to explain the unhealthy relationship that she had but I’m not going to give any more of that away. No spoilers! 

I wish there was a more in-depth look into the therapy that the author mentions and how her diagnoses were found. However, the book is called Kicking and Screaming so it makes sense that the focus was on the taekwondo side. Perhaps in the future, there will be another book about the therapy that took place alongside taekwondo. 

Overall, this was a really good book for anybody who’s trying to find a new outlet. This is a great starting point to read to see how Taekwondo might be able to help you. 

Get your copy here (affiliate link).