First, We Make the Beast Beautiful is a memoir by Sarah Wilson about her lifelong struggle with anxiety, mania, depression, and other conditions. Through personal anecdotes, research, and interviews with experts, Wilson explores how she manages her mental health challenges by reframing anxiety not as a beast to be destroyed, but one to be integrated and understood. The book offers practical advice and comfort for those with anxiety, suggesting techniques like meditation, gratitude, simple daily routines, and embracing “wholeness” over constant happiness, as described in First Steps ED.