Tommy Dorfman Shares Raw Journey of Identity, Addiction, and Healing in New Memoir ‘Maybe This Will Save Me’
Tommy Dorfman is laying it all bare in her debut memoir, Maybe This Will Save Me, a candid and deeply personal exploration of gender identity, addiction, trauma, and healing. Released on May 27 by Hanover Square Press, the memoir has already made waves for its emotional depth and unfiltered honesty.
A Journey of Self-Love Through Storytelling
For Dorfman, writing the book was more than just a literary exercise. It was a powerful act of self-reflection and release.
“It was really nice to let go of a perception I had of myself that was negative,” she told People. “The book offered me a beautiful exercise in reflection and self-love.”
The 33-year-old actress and director recounts her queer upbringing in the South, early struggles with addiction, and the long road toward self-acceptance and gender transition, which began in 2020.
Revisiting the Past Through a Nonlinear Lens
Much of the memoir focuses on Dorfman’s early life, including her time as a teenager battling substance abuse. She describes herself as a “coke-monster tornado” from ages 12 to 21, revealing that she first went to rehab in Long Island at a young age.
Now 12 years sober, Dorfman is comfortable opening up about that chapter of her life—on her own terms.
“It’s important to see people in recovery. I don’t do anyone any favors by skirting around it,” she said.
The writing process also involved revisiting Atlanta, her childhood home, and reconnecting with family members, old friends, and even babysitters to piece together the parts of her story where memory felt fragmented.
Blurring Memoir and Media
The memoir doesn’t just recount personal history. It also traces her rise to fame, particularly after her breakout role in 13 Reasons Why. It also covers her experience navigating Hollywood while still uncovering her identity.
Interestingly, Dorfman shared that parts of the book were originally intended for a TV show she pitched in 2017, based on her life as a teenage addict in Atlanta.
“It was a raw, visceral exploration with a lot of rape, drug abuse, and the chaos… Bits and pieces ended up in my book today.”
More Than a Memoir—A Message of Survival and Truth
From her reflections on childhood trauma to confronting a false memory about her brother, Dorfman’s story is as much about emotional reckoning as it is about survival. The memoir paints an unflinching picture of what it means to reclaim your story—even when it’s messy, painful, or incomplete.
More…
- https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tommy-dorfman-opens-up-about-identity-addiction-and-healing-in-powerful-new-memoir/
- https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/tommy-dorfman-recalls-brandon-flynn-romance-in-13-reasons-why-memoir/
- https://people.com/tommy-dorfman-on-writing-her-debut-memoir-exclusive-11738763
