This book handles an important dilemma of the human experience—how to be with the darkness of life. Opening a world of myth and meaning, Forged in Darkness returns the underworld moments in life to their rightful place—dreaded and scary yet inevitable and enriching.

Join me as I explore how life’s challenges and discomforts can help us become who we are meant to be. Immerse yourself in a web of stories, myths, depth psychology, and real-life examples that offer guidance for when we find ourselves in the deep and dark moments of life.

Uniting self-awareness with mythology, this book explores how our lives resonate with different gods and heroes of the ancient Greek underworld, reminding us that we have more ways of accepting and growing from our pain than we thought possible.

Let this book help you find your way into yourself.  

“A reality…we must all face, one way or another.”

"Joanna LaPrade’s fine book reveals the underworld not as a mythic abstraction, but as the living reality of meaningful darkness and transformative suffering that we must all face, one way or another."

—- Keiron Le Grice, Ph.D., author of The Rebirth of the Hero and The Archetypal Cosmos

“Reawakening our imagination”

"With thoughtful spiritedness and bright curiosity, LaPrade shines a light on our underworld experiences to help us recognize the riches harbored in the shadows. Reawakening our imagination to the myths that illustrate the different shapes of such journeys, she shows how mythic figures are eternal companions awaiting us, ready to share their wisdom.”

— Safron Rossi, Ph.D., author of The Kore Goddess

“I will return again and again to these pages and her wisdom.”

“Having known Dr. LaPrade for decades and how she practices all she preaches with her patients; I have never known her to settle for scratching the surface of things. Her ability to empower folks to step across the threshold of their lives and explore their underworld to reveal their hidden potential and life-giving treasures, is a sight to behold. As an integrative oncologist, some of the biggest challenges for a patient is facing themselves. Dr. LaPrade expertly guides folks to understand the story of their own lives and to reestablish connection, step out of damaging polarities, and engage in truly living versus being paralyzed by the fear of dying. I will return again and again to these pages and her wisdom, to help shine light on my own darkness and encourage others to do the same.”

— Nasha Winters, ND, FABNO, Co-author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer and Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology

“A book for our time.”

“Wow, this book is freaking incredible! It is really a book for our time. There are so many powerful and relatable ideas here that I have never heard or understood before reading this book. It has a true authenticity that you connect to from page one. I have come away enlightened but also empowered to relate to challenging or dark times in my life in a different way and with a different understanding.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand themselves better so that they can grow as a human.

— Amazon Review, verified purchase