Elyn Saks asks bold questions about how society treats people with mental illness. "Is it okay if I totally trash your office?" It's a question Elyn Saks once asked her doctor, and it wasn't a joke. A legal scholar, in 2007 Saks came forward with her own story of schizophrenia, controlled by drugs and therapy but ever-present. In this powerful talk, she asks us to see people with mental illness clearly, honestly and compassionately.
Elyn Saks is a remarkable woman diagnosed with schizophrenia. Recommended watching! Here is an interview in two parts. Part one: Part two:
by Elyn Saks Recommended by Peggy Sax. This is a remarkable memoir by Elyn Saks, a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia who write eloquently about the effects of her illness throughout decades of her life. I listened to the audio version, and couldn't stop til I was finished. I don't want to give away the plot. Let us know if you have read it, and we can talk about it on The Collab. I highly recommend [...]
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali Recommended by Peggy Sax.
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali Recommended by Peggy Sax.
I just read the New York Times article by Marsha Linehan, “Expert on Mental Illness Reveals Her Own Fight ” (and watched the video where she describes her deeply personal and transformational religious experience). For several days, this article – where Marsha Linehan of “DBT” fame shares her story - was the #1 most emailed article in the New York Times. Here she describes how she was able to create such a comprehensive [...]
Regina recommended this TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert (the author of Eat, Pray, Love). Thank you, Regina, for this this video about genius, the muse, life’s mysteries, the Divine, and the capriciousness of the creative process. Elizabeth externalizes and deconstructs genius and creativity. She speaks about “disembodied genius” and talking to the Creativity- and then puts creativity into an historic context, moving from ancient Greece, through the Renaissance and into rational humanism. She speaks about “taking [...]
Here is the link to an excellent TED talk by Temple Grandin. I recently saw the HBO film about her life, and now I am a fan. She really has some thought provoking things to say about being on the autism spectrum and in particular, drawing distinctions between the specialist mind, pattern thinkers, music and math minds, thinking in pictures/visual thinking, the verbal mind, and sensory-based/categorized thinking. I love how she speaks to difference in [...]
Someone just sent me a very thought provoking quote by Toni Morrison in her 2011 commencement speech at Rutgers University. You can watch it here. It’s about not settling for the pursuit of happiness. She puts words to what I have wanted to say for a long time. Here is the quote as addressed to new graduates: …. the narrative of a worthy life is yours to write. I have often wished that [...]
Guest post by Patricia. Since I was a child I discovered that the words were very important because all religions are made by stories. And nowadays I still thinking the same. I share with you a radio program about words. Click here to listen. I hope you enjoy it.
Guest post by Will Sherwin. I’ve been interested in Spinoza and Deleuze’s question, “what can a body do?” and the potential it has to focus attention away from the usual “what’s an ideal body?” and “how do I become an ideal body?” Here’s a conversation between Judith Butler and Sunaura Taylor on walking, disabilities, social oppression, etc. Here’s another video from a woman with autism standing up for her way of communicating with the [...]
I want to share the song that touches me as none other. It is called "Anthem" by Leonard Cohen. I have been watching/listening to it again and again. I even looked to see if I could load it as the ringtone for my Iphone. I shared it with someone dear to me in the midst of a family crisis and she said, "oh my, this was the cry that was waiting. how beautiful. I'll pass it [...]