We are pleased to welcome Miriam Feldman as guest speaker at our March meeting. Miriam will share her thoughts on the stigma surrounding schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses, and what we can do to change it.

Miriam is a well-known mental health activist in the United States. The holder of an MFA degree in fine art, her paintings are in collections across the country. Her company, Delmar Feldman Studios Inc, specialises in architectural finishes, murals and decorative art for residential and commercial properties in the US and abroad.

Miriam’s life changed radically about 20 years ago, when her son, Nick, was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager. She began writing about how this new reality affected her relationship with her children, her husband and herself. Her memoir, He Came In With It: A Portrait of Motherhood and Madness, explores issues of motherhood, mental illness and the politics of the mental health system.

Miriam is deeply committed to the world of mental health, and travels widely, giving talks about mental illness and advocating for her son and others. She is one of the hosts of the popular podcast Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches. She is also involved with a number of mental health organisations, including NAMI, MOMI (Mothers of the Mentally Ill), Peer Mental Health and Bring Change 2 Mind.

Miriam divides her time between her home town of Los Angeles and rural Washington State where her husband and son, Nick, reside. We are very grateful that she has made the time to talk to us and encourage you to join the meeting to learn from her experience and insights. 

Please click on the button below for the Zoom link.

 For background information before the meeting, visit Miriam’s website.