When the Smoke Clears

About the Book

This book contains three separate stories, each built on the need of psychiatric intervention to enable the protagonist’s return to an appropriate level of normality. The girl who wandered experiences traumatic family events—events that set Patty at odds with family values and family directives. Her wandering becomes illicit and dangerous to her well-being. An elderly couple reaches out to her and encourages her to seek care. Doctor Stephen Moke successfully intervenes and helps Patty develop an insightful view of her own life and realize that the desertions in her life were partly her own. “The Woman Who Was Silent” involves the murder of a neighbor-friend. After Susan’s arrest, her refusal to respond to anyone, including the judge, required intervention. At the judge’s request, Doctor Stephen Moke visited her in the jail. His gentle, wise, and compassionate interview becomes the heart of Susan’s story, which is not revealed until her court trial, following a year of psychiatric hospitalization. Doctor Moke’s further questioning during her hospitalization fills in the blanks and completes his trial testimony, revealing the strange story of her life and the reason for the murder. In “The Woman Who Stood Tall,” a policeman gives a Native American woman an undeserved summons on his belief she stole from a grocery store. An appearance in court and possible jail time are of grave concern to Jalee and her husband. Her internist recommends they seek the intervention of Doctor Stephen Moke. Doctor Moke reviews the harsh racial prejudice in Jalee’s early life, including the tragic death of her mother and older brother through the fault of two unremorseful Caucasians. Doctor Moke’s letter to the court sets the stage for Moke’s continuing care of Jalee. Native American beliefs, especially regarding the Great Spirit, enter and influence their ongoing therapeutic relationship.

About the Author

Since 1969 I have published seven books plus numerous articles in various professional and religious journals. All my publications have related to the mental health field. I practiced psychiatry, both inpatient and outpatient, for over fifty years. I taught psychology, social work, and pastoral counseling students in three different universities: Catholic U., Loyola U. and Gonzaga U. I lectured at the National School of Social Services at Catholic U., the Dominican School of Theology for Laymen in N.Y. and the Institute for Mental Health at St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN. I was the Superintendent of a State Psychiatric Hospital and served as Director of a State Mental Health Program for several years. I lectured and participated in mental health workshops throughout the United States and Venezuela. I was a consultant at Child Guidance Clinics, Marriage Counseling Services and the Department of Defense. I have a Ph.D. in Psychology and an M.D. from Georgetown, with specialization in Psychiatry. I was recently quoted in Psychiatric News regarding my professional life: “The truth is: psychiatry has been an inspiration to me. I’ve learned the depth of sorrow, the breadth of goodness, the delicacy of childhood, the harshness of prejudice, the wickedness of abuse, the bitterness of vengeance, on and on. With compassionate psychotherapy and whatever medicines were appropriate I’ve tried to mend damaged lives, lift shattered spirits and bring peace to broken hearts.”