In 2010, fifty-five years after her father's attempted suicide, Amy--now a wife, mother, and lawyer-turned-schoolteacher--is convinced she's dealt with all the psychological reverberations of her childhood. Then she steps into a crosswalk and is mowed down by a pickup truck--an accident that nearly kills her, and that ultimately propels her on a remarkable emotional journey. With the help of acupuncture, somatic-oriented therapies, and serendipities that might be attributed to grace, Amy first unravels the trauma of her own brush with death and then, unexpectedly, heals the childhood trauma buried far deeper.

Poignant and intimate, On the Ledge is Amy's insightful and surprisingly humorous chronicle of coming to terms with herself and her parents as the distinct, vulnerable individuals they are. Perhaps more meaningfully, it offers proof that no matter how far along you are in life, it's never too late to find yourself.