A Fire is Coming

By: Emma Stevens

Narrated by: Emma Stevens

Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

When Emma Stevens learned her new next-door neighbor was a psychologist, she innocently asked about how to find a therapist for her own issues. Dr. Carol Brenner decided to accept her as a patient. Against a backdrop of the Laguna Beach fire, the insidious drama unfolds as Emma finds herself enmeshed in an unhealthy dependency on her therapist, who not only fostered this dependence but also used it to dominate and control her.

How could this happen? Emma explores how having been relinquished at birth, put up for adoption, and raised by parents who did not treat her well may have created the fertile ground for an experienced predator-super-therapist to exploit and indoctrinate her.

A Fire Is Coming is a thrilling psychological nightmare, as Emma tries to escape the predators and narcissists in her life—who have their own egoic plan. Not only does Emma escape, she takes a hard look back at how and why it happened. Emma’s unflinching narrative serves as a cautionary tale to anyone who might find themselves a potential victim of an exploitative therapist or vindication for anyone who has had an adverse experience with an unethical professional.

After escaping such a bewildering experience, Emma dives into the field of psychology, learning about adverse personalities and the power of a cultic relationship. Emma may have started her journey as a passive victim, but as she begins to integrate her experience, she becomes a brave witness and advocate for others who may find themselves on a similar path.®

©2023 Emma Stevens (P)2023 Emma Stevens

Critic reviews

"This book could have been titled When Courage Speaks. When courage speaks, the world as we know it shifts because we see things differently. We get empowered, smarter, more grounded in truth. Emma Stevens shows us what it means to be a brave human, a bold writer, and a human being who not only faced fire, but walked through it so she could help others by sharing her truths." (Anne Heffron, author and writing coach, You Don’t Look Adopted)

"Emma Stevens’ book is an honest and revealing account of the cult phenomenon that is not isolated to what social media portrays them to be. This memoir exemplifies how cult-like thinking and behavior can occur on the interpersonal level. Anyone interested in learning more about how coercive control can occur in everyday life would benefit from reading Emma’s harrowing experience." (Janja Lalich, PhD, author of Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships)

Fascinating!

Emma’s true story could have been mine or anyone’s. Listening to how easily predatory therapists can do harm was intriguing to read.

Wonderful job of sharing hard truths

Emma does a wonderful job of sharing her hard truths. It saddens me to know that these type of predators exist in spaces meant to help us work through our traumas. However I am grateful that Emma was courageous enough to keep fighting and to share her story with the world.

Wonderfully written story of survival and recovery

Emma Stevens takes her life back from an evil predator! This is a well written success story with an Audible option that allows us to feel the author's true emotions. Emma rises from the ashes like the beautiful Phoenix she is. I eagerly look forward to more books written by the talented Ms. Stevens!