Searching for the Mother I Never Had - a memoir

An unflinching confessional marked by its evocative setting, In Pursuit of Radio Mom brings the reader tight to Terry Crylen’s side as she traces her path from daughterhood to motherhood and beyond. A lonely and anxious child on Chicago's south side, Crylen found herself at the mercy of a mother who was emotionally stilted at best and rageful at worst. As Crylen enters her own motherhood and a career as a clinical psychologist, she begins to excavate the ways in which one generation—both wittingly and unwittingly—impacts the next. With admirable candor and transportive prose, In Pursuit of Radio Mom considers the distinct intricacies of mother-daughter relationships, as well as the transformative power of insight, acceptance, and forgiveness, even in our most dysfunctional connections.

Terry Crylen’s thirty-five years in the mental health field, thirty of them in private practice as a PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist, served to enrich her  understanding and appreciation for the emotional power of the mother-daughter relationship. A graduate of Northwestern University, her career in mental health focused largely on working with adolescent girls and adult women presenting with clinical depression, anxiety, and complex mood disorders. A lifelong Chicagoan, she is committed to supporting community efforts aimed at creating opportunities for the city’s economically disadvantaged youth and is an ardent supporter of the arts. Along with her husband, Phil, Terry is also a “frequent flyer,” devoted to maintaining strong ties with family—most of whom are scattered across the US. When not on the road or writing, she can be found hanging out with four-legged friends or with her nose in a good book.