111 – Inside the Mind: An Occupational Therapist’s Journey with Serious Mental Illness and the Path to Resilience

In this episode we are talking all about serious mental illness and a path to resilience with Liz Grace. Liz is an occupational therapist in recovery from Schizoaffective Disorder who lives with the daily challenges of profound hearing loss. 

We discuss: 

• Serious mental illness and its impact on relationships, work and everyday activities 
• Schizoaffective disorder – what it is and Liz’s lived experience 
• What delusions look and feel like from Liz’s perspective, and specific examples
• If it’s possible to distinguish between delusional thoughts and those that are grounded in reality 
• Self-harm, cutting and recovery 
• Hospitalisation for mental illness – the good, the bad and the ugly 
• The stigma and misunderstandings related to serious mental illness 
• Physical restraint and why it should no longer be used 
• The most important gift an OT can offer a person living with serious mental illness 
• Profound hearing loss and cochlear implants 
• How Liz’s challenging life experiences have made her a better OT 
• Why Liz decided to write a book and openly share her personal experiences 
• The challenges living with mental illness and being an OT
• Liz’s concerns about losing her OT job before publishing her book ‘Resilient’.  

Liz Grace is a first-time author of her book titled - Resilient.  At seventeen, Liz's world collapsed into a place of mental illness and revolving hospital doors. It took a strong family to help her survive to university life, where she exceled. But before she could start her career as an occupational therapist, Schizoaffective Disorder rears to threaten all that she has worked towards. 

Liz Grace is an occupational therapist in recovery from Schizoaffective Disorder who lives with the daily challenges of profound hearing loss. Starting at the age of sixteen, she gradually lost her hearing, learned American Sign Language in university and at age twenty-six, was implanted with bilateral cochlear implants. Liz lives in Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her hearing dog and works in community home care. 

Content Warning: This podcast episode includes discussions about self-harm, which may be triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm or related issues, please consider your own well-being and consult with a mental health professional for support.

Liz's Book: Resilient (click here)