News Release
Undercurrents Author to Address Conference
Released April 7, 1999
When Martha Manning steps up to a lectern next Saturday morning at NAMI North Carolina’s Spring Conference, the story she tells of her personal struggle with mental illness will be painfully familiar to most of her audience.
As an affiliate of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, NAMI North Carolina’s membership of 1,600 is comprised primarily of families of people with mental illnesses, along with a growing number of members who themselves have a severe and persistent mental illness.
What makes Manning’s story of special interest to NAMI members is her dual perspective on her illness. Before she became a mental health care patient, Manning was a doctor of psychology with patients of her own.
Manning described her descent from successful wife, mother, professor and psychotherapist into the depths of severe, debilitating depression in her book, Undercurrents: A Therapist’s Reckoning with Her Own Depression. She is also author of Chasing Grace: Reflections of a Catholic Girl, Grown Up.
Before her bout with clinical depression, Manning’s understanding of the disease was based on books she’d read and lectures she’d heard while earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in psychology. In her talk at the NAMI North Carolina conference, titled “When Doctor Becomes Patient: A Psychologist’s Experience of Depression,” Manning will share how her personal experience challenged and refined her understanding of mental illness as a psychologist.
“One of the great frustrations of having a mental illness comes with trying to make other people really, truly understand what you’re going through,” says Beth Melcher, executive director of NAMI North Carolina. “We hope Martha Manning’s experiences and perspectives will help us do a better job of bridging the gaps between doctors, patients and patients’ families.”
Manning will sign copies of her book, Undercurrents, after her presentation.
NAMI North Carolina’s Spring Conference is open to the public. For information, call 919 788-0801 or 800 451-9682.
Let’s Talk About Your Marketing Communications Goals and Challenges!
If you’re looking for help with writing, graphic design and marketing communications and you like the portfolio samples you see here, contact me to schedule a telephone call to explore the possibilities of a collaboration. Of course, there is no cost or obligation for the call.