Writer, spouse of first responder to host book signing April 26 in Newmarket for F*ck You PTSD: 30 Things You Can Try to Feel Better Angela Davey has experienced the challenges that can come with a household experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. As the spouse of a first responder with the condition, the Newmarket-born Davey said there were not a lot of resources available for them. A wellness coach, she herself said she experienced anxiety and depression as the pair navigated the difficulties of PTSD. Eventually, Davey said she wanted to help guide others to addressing PTSD head-on, which is why she wrote a book, “F*ck You PTSD: 30 Things You Can Try to Feel Better”. “Everybody needs a checkup from the neck up,” she said. “First responders, in particular, they’re expected to continue to do their jobs and they’re very driven…(the book) is something to empower them, to give them things that they can try, written in a manner that’s very understandable and solutions-based.” Davey will be at a book signing and meet-and-greet event for the book at Newmarket Chapters, 17440 Yonge St., April 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can hear from the author, learn more about the book and get a signed copy. The book is “choose your own adventure” style, according to a news release, detailing practical tools people can tailor to help their mental health. That can include simple techniques like journalism and breath work to more “intensive” approaches like finding purpose and setting boundaries. Davey, who is a chartered accountant for the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, grew up in Aurora and Schomberg and has family in York Region. She said as a trauma-informed yoga teacher and stress management coach as a side business, she had the tools to help her husband and herself improve. Writing directly was a way to make the book more appealing to first responders, Davey said. “I take the woo-woo out of it … Explain the practical science,” she said. “I geared it toward first responders because that’s my world. It’s written with that type of personality, but it’s actually for anybody. “It’s also empowering,” she added regarding the book’s title. "Saying, ‘F-U PTSD, I’m gonna get beat this, I’m gonna get better.’” Davey said she has heard from some who would not buy the book due to the profanity in the title. “It packs a punch, and that is what I wanted,” she said. "People who need the book, it will resonate with them.” Writing the book was a three-year process for Davey. She said she spent time doing plenty of research for it. Writing the book also involved detailing her and her spouse’s experiences. “It was very personal and close to home,” she said. “It makes you very vulnerable. It was hard to write that, and I wanted to make sure I could relate it to someone who would be skeptical.” She said trauma can be trapped in the body, and it’s important to connect the body and mind while working on the body to help release that trauma. Davey said there is a problem with a lack of resources and understanding around this condition. “At the end of the day, we just wanted to share something that could hopefully help other people.”