Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family is an eye-opening account of an extraordinary American family, the Galvins. The book bring readers into the Galvins’ lives unraveling the story of how their twelve children struggled with a mysterious and tragic psychiatric disorder that left six of them profoundly disabled.

The book provides an intimate glimpse into a family from one of America’s first suburbs, Denver, Colorado. In the 1940s, Don and Mimi Galvin were bolstered by their supportive community and the ideals of the era that promised economic stability for their children. When the first of their twelve children was born with a severe mental illness, the Galvins set out on an arduous and heartbreaking journey in their effort to unravel the hidden source of the family's illness.

In the wake of World War II and the onset of the Cold War era, the Galvins were thrust into the dawn of the psychopharmacology revolution, a time in which the cause and treatment of mental illness was a largely unseen mystery and a source of shame. With seven boys and five girls, the Galvin’s youngest children were subjected to a devastating genetic disorder, which left six of them profoundly disabled. In addition to this, family memory and home movies provide evidence of a hidden misogyny and compassion, love and violence, brilliant minds and dark secrets.

Hidden Valley Road takes a candid approach to life in the Galvin’s home, capturing the ideological clashes within the family, the conflicts that haunted all their lives, and the courage it took to face the devastating impact of mental illness. Over the decades, the Galvins raised their twelve children in an environment of love and acceptance, and tried to find the source of the problem that perplexed the best of the psychiatric minds.

The book also sheds light on the powerful ability of family secrets to remain hidden, kept alive by fear and shame. As the book presents, the chaos of the family home mirrored the chaos that took place within their minds. The story is gripped with contrasts, portraying the struggles of Mimi and Don to provide for their children in the face of economic adversity, and their unwavering commitment to their children despite the extraordinary challenges.

When the Galvins did not have adequate medical care, they turned to other resources, such as nutrition, exercise, and alternative treatments. Some of these strategies allowed the Galvins to find balance and peace in their lives. This journey illustrates the unwavering power of love and dedication in the face of physical and emotional adversity.

Ultimately, the book illuminates the immutable power of the human spirit. Despite the tragedies, criticisms, and failures the Galvins experienced, they remained bound together by an intense love that allowed them to survive. Hidden Valley Road is an inspiring, honest, and thought-provoking story that shines an important light on the challenges of mental health and the power of the human spirit. This book is a must read for anyone seeking to gain a more intimate understanding of the struggles experienced by individuals and families living with severe mental illness.