The Tree You Come Home To takes the reader on her personal journey to finding meaning and healing. Jane Olmsted’s family didn’t adhere to the characteristics that the media portrays for those struggling with mental illness and addiction. Doctors, attorneys, and social workers repeatedly told Jane and her husband that they weren’t used to working with “families like yours.” The Tree You Come Home To tells the story of Jane’s family’s struggle with mental illness, addiction, and the crises that followed the murder of her youngest son. It can provide hope and comfort to those facing similar situations and encourage empathy and compassion in those who haven’t.
About her book, Olmsted said, “I hope The Tree You Come Home To will appeal to many different people. As a story about the journey to healing after a great loss, it will help other people struggling with grief. As a mother’s story about a son’s addiction and his difficulties in overcoming dysfunctional behaviors, it will also speak to parents and counselors or therapists working with teens in trouble. This memoir is also about the inner life and about writing one’s way to healing—it’s about finding the right language, expressing difficult things in ways that don’t further confuse, understanding dreams, appreciating the deeper meanings in everyday life.”
