Aug 23, 2022
In Salt Lake City, Utah, Diana Cannon Ragsdale’s family was a Mormon dynasty with ancestors who were contemporaries of Brigham Young—and they had many dark secrets to keep.
Growing up at the mercy of her mother’s depression and father’s undiagnosed schizophrenia, Diana and her five siblings were left to fend for themselves as their mom and dad rotated in and out of psychiatric hospitals and police custody.
This inspiring interview highlights Diana's experience growing up, and how she overcame her dysfuntional family history to rise above and move forward.
Diana Cannon Ragsdale is an author, retired physical therapist, and mental health advocate for survivors of abusive and dysfunctional families. Diana attended Utah State University on a dance scholarship and then several years later received her degree from the University of Utah. In retirement, she has dedicated herself to travel and creativity. Today, she lives happily in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is married and a mother of five and grandmother of eight. Loose Cannons is her first book.
A debut memoir like no other, Loose Cannons is a harrowing and hilarious saga spanning more than 60 years of multigenerational trauma and dysfunction—and the spiritual power it took to overcome it all.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Diana's family history of dysfunction and mental illness in a strict Mormon household
- Diana's parents' mental illnesses and how they were treated
- How Diana broke free from the constraints of her Mormon upbringing
- How it took Diana's third divorce to realize it was time to change her mindset and outlook
- The steps Diana took to break away from her past trauma and setbacks to start over
- The lesson Diana learned from her mother that led her to write her memoir
Links Mentioned in This Episode: