A widely published journalist and consultant, I am committed to improving public understanding about serious mental health conditions and increasing the availability of effective mental health resources.
I am engaged in a multi-project advocacy initiative to change public attitudes and spearhead improvements in mental health care, in collaboration with the FrameWorks Institute, the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, peer-led organizations, and others. I also advocate for better mental health services, including in the Massachusetts state legislature.
My writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Psychology Today, and a broad range of print and electronic media, covering key research and controversies in health, parenting, genetic engineering, and public understanding of science.
My local, national, and international consulting clients include the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the National Science Foundation, Harvard, CBS, and WGBH, and I have given presentations to universities, corporations, and NGOs in the US and abroad. My work is frequently quoted in national and international media, and I have been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for my contributions to public understanding of science.
After receiving a PhD in communication research from Stanford University, I pursued post-graduate training in clinical psychology, family systems, and child and adult development. I founded MIT’s first science writing program, as well as the National Parenting Education Network, and served as a special consultant to the Harvard Center for Health Communication. Committed to working directly with families, I developed MIT’s Work-Life Center, offering consultations on topics including parenting, education, and mental health resources.
I am a board member for the Cambridge/Middlesex chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where I answer the phone line, facilitate support groups, and coordinate projects, based on my professional work and personal experience as a family member.