The Face of the Iguana

About the Book

In The Face of the Iguana, Patrick McKallick tells the dramatic stories of how fear-based beliefs, both cultish and religious affected his life, emotionally, physically and mentally and his eventual healing. This book is not just for all those abused by toxic belief systems, but also those recovering from addictions. The author relates touching stories of his painful abandonment by his troubled parents and his final internment in an orphanage. He tells dramatic and amusing anecdotes that preserved his sanity, and the utter desperation of his cunning and miraculous escape from a toxic, doomsday cult. We are taken on a journey of events as varied as hiding under the bed from his raging alcoholic father to descending into the depths of a 16th-century church’s crypt where he gazed upon piles of human bones, the shock of which catapulted him unconsciously into a dark and ominous pit. We faithfully follow him as he describes the conclusion of the war in El Salvador and the mass fear and terror of the citizens of that country, to the comical circling of a vintage ocean liner in a beat up fishing boat with an old lady, a fisherman, and two young kids. This is not just a compilation of interesting stories, but clear guidance for anyone recovering from addictions including to fear-based belief systems and the ensuing guilt and anxiety. The author expertly provides revelations and insights into why we seek out toxic beliefs. Mr. McKallick reveals how his investigation of a surprising and astonishing field led to his incredible healing and liberation from the effects of PTSD. The author learnedly introduces evidential research that mitigated his anxiety due to abusive belief systems and the fear of death. He describes the ensuing collapse of this fear and the promise of an astonishingly beautiful after-life.

About the Author

Patrick J. McKallick is a Cognitive Behavioral Counselor, Certified Neurofeedback Provider and international consultant and trainer. Mr. McKallick worked as a clinician, both nationally and internationally, in the administration of EEG Neurotherapy treatment for patients with alcohol and other drug addictions, ADD, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders. He conducted extensive training events regarding Neurofeedback for psychologists, psychiatrists, and other licensed counselors in the U.S. and in countries of Latin America and Europe. Earlier in his career, he was a lead trainer for one of the U.S. Department of Education’s regional training centers. He worked extensively as a consultant in the areas of alcohol and drug abuse, organizational development and community mobilization for planned social change, principally for the U.S. Department of State, the Organization of American States, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and numerous NGO’s. He also has worked in the criminal justice system with high-risk offenders on probation. Mr. McKallick was born and raised in a rural area of north-central Mexico. He grew up in a bilingual and bicultural family. His early family life was unstable, violent, and traumatic. His alcoholic father abandoned him in an orphanage while his mother fled to the U.S deserting her husband's uncontrolled violence. Subsequently, he left to attend high school, and college in the United States, where he obtained a degree in Psychology and Sociology. As an author, he has written several professional articles for international journals and other scholastic publications on community mobilization and substance abuse prevention. He is also the author of professional articles and training manuals on Community Mobilization for Planned Social Change and technical manuals for EEG Neurofeedback, mainly in Spanish. Mr. McKallick continues to expand his knowledge of evidential after-life research. He is currently engaged in other writing projects on the subject.