Elyn Saks
Mental Health Advocate | Overcoming Schizophrenia
About
Elyn Saks is a Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry at the University of Southern California. Despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult, she has dedicated her career to destigmatizing mental illness and advocating for compassionate treatment.
Saks is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir 'The Center Cannot Hold', which chronicles her journey with schizophrenia. Her TED talk on living with mental illness has been viewed over 5 million times, offering a poignant and inspiring perspective.
Saks' keynotes provide audiences with a deeper understanding of the realities of severe mental health conditions and the importance of empathy, support, and evidence-based care.
Talks1
A tale of mental illness -- from the inside
"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.
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