Words That Heal (1975), one of Marie Cardinale's best-known books, is based on her own experiences with psychoanalysis. The period and conditions that led the author to mental instability and then to gradual recovery are depicted. The plot revolves around a woman going through an emotional breakdown caused by her relationship with her mother. The heroine undergoes a long course of psychoanalysis. Gradually, she realizes that she was unable to cope with the rigid code of conduct of the patriarchal system that has regulated her life since childhood. Through therapy and by putting all her emotions and experiences into writing, the narrator begins to unravel the chaos of her past and is able to “rewrite” her life.