Open Paradigm Project - Sera Davidow

http://www.westernmassrlc.org/

Sera Davidow is mother of two and wife of one, all residing in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts.  She has been a part of the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community (RLC) since its visioning process, and has served as Director since it became funded in 2007.  She has also worked as a trainer on the Massachusetts Certified Peer Specialist Training team since 2009, and blogs regularly on Mad in America.

Sera received her first psychiatric diagnosis as a teenager, accumulating a handful more by her early twenties.  That, along with a lengthy history of self-injury and emotional distress, led to her first hospitalization against her will at the age of 22, and an array of prescriptions for psychotropic medications.  However, it was her ‘non-compliant’ and rebellious nature that paved her way down another path and to a full life where she re-defined herself as a survivor and has found success without any diagnoses or psychiatric drugs.

Her journey first brought her to a position in a traditional role in the mental health system, but she soon found her way to peer-to-peer support communities, advocacy and social justice efforts.  At present, she focuses much of her time on grant writing, oversight and project development.  Through this work, she has gained a range of experiences including starting up a peer respite, opening resource centers, and producing educational materials (including co-authoring handbooks on peer respites and developing peer roles).  She has also developed a passion for filmmaking, beginning with ‘Beyond the Medical Model’ in 2013. 

Sera speaks on a wide range of topics including (but not limited to):

• Trauma
• Self-injury
• Language
• Starting a peer respite
• Developing peer roles

Samples of Sera's writing are available below:
Mad in America
Foundation for Excellence
Campaign for Real Change in Mental Health Policy

Samples of Sera's speaking:
Madness Radio - 'Politics of Language'