This weekend we delve into the art of writing about mental health with compassion and authenticity. As writers—whether of memoirs, fiction, or clinical works—we must navigate the delicate balance of portraying the complexities of mental health conditions while avoiding stereotypes. Characters—whether we are writing about ourselves, patients, or fictional creations—should possess unique personalities, strengths, weaknesses, desires, and motivations that extend beyond their diagnoses. How can we ensure our writing feels vibrant and authentic rather than resembling a dry checklist from the DSM? How does our writing show respect for the dignity of these characters? This weekend, we will explore diverse voices and experiences to enhance our understanding of writing about mental illness.
Coordinators: Kerry Malawista, Ph.D.
GUEST FACULTY:
John Donatich served as the Director of Yale University Press from 2003 to 2025. He was VP, Publisher of Basic Books from 1997-2003. His articles and essays have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, The Village Voice and elsewhere. He has published a memoir, Ambivalence, A Love Story and a novel, The Variations. He is currently a psychoanalyst in training at NIP. Donatich is a board member and fellow of the NY Institute of the Humanities and the London Institute for the Humanities. He was recently awarded a fellowship by the Corporation of Yaddo and a residency at Civitella Ranieri. He lives in New Haven, CT and New York, NY. He is married to writer, agent, editor Betsy Lerner and father to Raffaella Donatich.
Betsy Lerner is the author of the advice book to writers, The Forest for the Trees, and the memoirs Food and Loathing and The Bridge Ladies. She is also the co-writer with Temple Grandin of the NYT Bestseller, Thinking in Pictures. Lerner received an MFA from Columbia University in Poetry. A publishing professional for more than thirty years, Lerner is a literary agent in New York. Her first novel, Shred Sisters, was longlisted for a Debut Novel Award from The Center for Fiction and was selected as one of best 100 books by the New York Times.
Jonathan Rosen is the author of two novels and three works of non-fiction, most recently The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions, which was named a top ten book of the year by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate and People Magazine. It was also chosen by Barack Obama as one of his Favorite Books of 2023, and was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in memoir. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Free Press, an internet-based media company where he is Consulting Editor.
Aria Beth Sloss is the author of Autobiography of Us, a novel. Her short fiction has appeared in Glimmer Train, Harvard Review, Ploughshares, Joyland, One Story, Kenyon Review, and Best American Short Stories 2015. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, she is the recipient of fellowships from the Iowa Arts Foundation, Yaddo, and the Vermont Studio Center. She is currently writing a novel about a modern King Lear, Alzheimers and the line between reality and story. She lives in New York City with her family.