Carmen's Biography

As a child, Carmen knew something was wrong, but thought everyone felt the same way and assumed they were pretending to be joyous and happy. She struggled through life accomplishing a lot even though it took much more energy than for most people. She went to college, became an airline stewardess, then married and had one child. With the responsibilities of caring for a young daughter, and living in a strange city, Carmen began to slip away into a deep depression and eventually catatonia. Thus began her years of hospital settings, shock treatments, medications and psychotherapy.

In 1967 a prefrontal lobotomy was recommended, but Carmen's then-husband would not sign the papers. It's the one-on-one talk therapy that really enabled Carmen to reach a functioning and comfortable level of living and productivity. Unfortunately, talk therapy is disappearing from public mental health, and Carmen believes she would have never attained this level of wellness, had it not been for psychotherapy and an invested interest from her doctor and case-manager.

It's been many years since Carmen has been in the hospital, and she has made numerous contributions to both the mental health and general community. In 1985, she began the local Network of Mental Health Clients, and then in 1990 developed Stamp Out Stigma, which is nationally recognized as the most effective program to address stigma and discrimination.

Carmen also served as a county commissioner for eight years, is currently a member of the California State Mental Health Council, as well as the consumer representative on the federally funded Western States Decision Support Group.

Carmen believes that anyone, if they accept and work around their illness, can take something that's been painful and negative and turn it around for a positive force for change.