In Search of a Salve

Memoir of a Sex Addict

By: K E Garland

Narrated by: Katherin Garland

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In Search of a Salve is the written personification of what it means to stare the truth of yourself in the mirror and accept it wholeheartedly. In stories tender and raw, K E Garland invites listeners on the journey of her life as she discovers herself, her sexuality, and subsequent sex addiction.

No topic is too taboo or off limits, from the sexual assaults she suffered as a child to the exhibitionism displayed and multiple abortions she had as an adult. Garland weaves the seedy and secretive world of a sex addict with her words, removing the erotic and replacing it with the reality of what it means to live a double life: lying to and cheating on the ones you love.

But like anyone wanting to see the other side of addiction, Garland had to do the necessary work to put her urges in perspective and her desires in check. In Search of a Salve is the memoir of someone who's spent years excavating her interior; rooting out what never belonged and pouring in all that she needed to live courageously, boldly, honestly, and healing.

©2023 Katherin Garland (P)2023 Katherin Garland

Intense and hard, but important

This is a hard book. The topic of abuse and addiction is familiar, but sex addiction and women is either uncommon or well hidden. I suspect the latter. Kathy’s courage to tell her story, with all its unpleasant and ugly moments is balanced by her transparency in recovery.

Dr. Garland’s Journey Will Move You and Make You Think

Dr Garland takes you on a very personal, raw (yet matter-of-fact), and introspective journey of her life. She takes you through pain, trauma, love, survival, achievement, lying, honesty, healing, and more all woven together. I could literally see the places in Chicago in her early years that she described, which only deepened the connection to her intricate story which she tells with incredible courage and vulnerability. She provides tremendous insights into how she reflects on the experiences, actions, and motivations of herself and those around her. What I also found incredible about this book is that as the author observes and uncovers learnings about herself, you will do the same about your own life.

Awesome testimony of truth and resilience

I love the fact that the author was able to face her truth to begin the healing process.

Much needed perspective!

Dr. Garland is an excellent storyteller and is incredibly relatable even in her pain. There are so many times while reading the book that I experienced emotions I had packed down years ago. I’m cheering for her journey to recovery and my own.

Don’t we all have some healing to do?

Petulia was a five-pound baby born to a mother with schizophrenia. (My son has paranoid schizophrenia, and I can only imagine the effect of the illness on an unborn child.) Petulia’s mother abandoned her in an empty apartment at five months old, hungry and soiled, crying and alone, for an estimated five to seven days. When the janitor found Petulia, she weighed seven pounds, not only malnourished but denied of oxytocin, emotional bonding, and maternal attachment. Police officers scooped her up and left her in an unfamiliar foster home with other abandoned children, later to be adopted as Katherin Elizabeth.

KE Garland uncovers her own story of trauma compounded by more trauma. Her early abandonment led to internalized rejection, boundary issues, and codependency. In Search of a Salve: Memoir of a Sex Addict depicts the secrecy of a double life and one woman’s journey to heal herself and her relationships. A compelling and eye-opening memoir, Garland is scientifically self-aware and unflinchingly brave. Don’t we all have some healing to do?

I was invested in the story with all of my being!

The story is beautiful. It's an amazingly twisted memoir of how generational stories and behaviors show up in almost everything we do. The author is impeccable in exposing her thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a way that connected so deeply with my spirit. Though I was rooting for her to find healing, I selfishly didn't want the story to end!!

Powerful story

Having both the hardcopy and audio, I can tell you listening to it took me on a journey of my own healing. It helped me understand what my adopted daughters might internalize later in life. I also found myself thinking about people I know who do things I don't understand and how I perceive them.

Much needed book for today

I think this book is a great read and opens the eyes to the importance of certain relationships and the effects that they have long term. It’s also a different look at addiction and a honest look at it.

I Felt Myself Healing With Each Page

The vulnerability and bravery displayed by KE Garland in In Search of Salve has given me a new perspective on my own trauma and permission to be strong and vulnerable at the same time.

KE and I share many commonalities, the most striking ones being: age, race, gender, city of origin, families where perception was more important than the actual depth of familial bonds, fathers who didn’t show up for us….and leaning on our intellect, and academic/professional achievements as the foundation of our self-worth.

I just finished the book, and I will likely read (listen to) it again. Because I don’t want to miss any of the wisdom she shared and growth she experienced. KE’s words made me feel seen, and not so alone as I try to make sense of my own childhood trauma and search for healing.

Lastly, @oprah we need a KE Garland interview!