Profiles in Mental Health Courage

In 2015, Patrick J. Kennedy shared the story of his struggle with mental health and addiction in his bestselling memoir; now he reframes how we talk about mental well-being by sharing the powerful stories of others.

Profiles in Mental Health Courage portrays the journeys of twenty unique Americans who have struggled with different illnesses affecting mental health. This book offers deeply compelling stories about the courage of those battling with a variety of illnesses, from college students to professionals across politics and government, Hollywood and the arts, and tech and business. It follows people with a range of diagnoses, modes of treatment, and life experiences. Their personal stories are intimate, revealing, and just as essential reading for caregivers and family members as it is for readers experiencing these challenges themselves.

Kennedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, wrote the classic and award-winning Profiles in Courage about eight senators’ selfless and brave acts that built the nation. In Patrick’s book, he uses that same approach to show that living with mental health challenges is about courage, not weakness. As the resounding silence that surrounds these illnesses remains persistent, this book takes an unflinching look at stories of the experience of mental illness and addiction that inspire profound connection, empathy, and action. This is a truthful book about the deeply worrisome, inescapable state of mental health in America, that will raise understanding, sympathy, and tolerance to a new level.