Leslie Levy
Leslie M. Levy is an author, public speaker, and mental health advocate. She holds a graduate degree in social work. Leslie became a certified instructor through a program at the Therapeutic Writing Institute and taught creative journaling techniques for a brief time. Soon after, she began her real dream of writing for an audience. She also speaks for audiences as a NAMI In Our Own Voice presenter and shares her mental health recovery story with others. Leslie enjoys playing table tennis, hiking, spending time with friends, and being coach potatoes with her husband, daughter, and pet Schnoodle, Milo. She lives in Los Angeles.
Lullabies in Bedlam
During a bipolar episode following the birth of her baby, 18-year-old Raya commits a shocking crime. As a result, she loses custody of her infant. Raya ends up in a psychiatric hospital where she longs for nothing more than a sweet connection with her newborn daughter. Instead, she must grapple with mental illness, fierce guilt, and the heartache of losing a child. Without a real reason to recover, Raya’s discharge is denied time after time.
She’s ready to give up on life altogether when she drags herself to yet another therapy session with the new doc on the ward. Something stirs deep within Raya when she meets Dr. Heschel. All she knows is that she feels alive, truly seen, and worthy of recovery. With new hope, armed with courage, tough wisdom, and a surprising sense of humor, she finds her way out of the hospital and into the real world.
Still, Raya yearns for the lost relationship with her daughter. When a twenty-something woman with the same inherited illness and a hauntingly familiar face turns up in her support group, little does Raya know it, her life will be turned upside-down.
Lullabies in Bedlam is a novel about heartbreaking loss, the unshakeable bond between mother and daughter, and the sacrifices we make to protect our loved ones, even while mental illness threatens to harm those connections we hold dear.