A Tough Grace: Mental Illness As A Spiritual Path proclaims the revolutionary idea that mental illness can be a profound spiritual journey. Contrary to popular viewpoints that spirituality is pious and easy, this work suggests that the path is usually one of tests and trials and suffering. Mental illness can be a kind of "tough grace" where people can reframe their experiences to understand them as a hero's journey that creates wisdom and steely strengths. This shift makes a tremendous difference to enhancing self-esteem and reducing stigma. This book is a major contribution to a new paradigm. Mental illness can be a journey to the soul, a challenging route to wholeness.