A Journey Through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness: Dr. Julissa Cortes attends training on addressing stigma related to mental health issues

Dr. Julissa Cortes recently attended a talk at The Help Group by Dr. Stephen Hinshaw (Psychology professor at UC Berkley and Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Francisco), where he presented on his memoir Another Kind of Madness: A Journey Through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness. He shared accounts of his father’s as well as his other family members’ struggles with serious mental illness. Through these discussions, he helped to provide an understanding of the challenges faced by families living with mental health conditions, but also created a more important narrative about the need to end the stigma and castigation still suffered by people experiencing mental health problems. Dr. Hinshaw pointed out the significance of humanizing their stories and nurturing a better understanding of them as people, not just the conditions they live with. Hearing about ways to better address mental health stigma and shame is necessary so as to facilitate better quality care for those managing mental health difficulties.

Dr. Cortes has worked with children and adolescents and their families in both English and in Spanish. She’s worked primarily treating anxiety and mood disorders, as well as trauma. She provides online therapy (telehealth) to the communities of Los Angeles, the South Bay, Long Beach, as well as all over California.