Carol A. Kivler of Lawrence, NJ, is the founder of Courageous Recovery, a division of Kivler Communications, designed to raise awareness to remove the stigma of mental illness and to instill hope in those who live with it. Through Courageous Recovery, Kivler's goal is to change the way society and the medical profession views people living with mental illness. Her mission is to have society and medical professionals view individuals living with mental illness as courageous survivors who want to be accepted, not rejected; respected, not pitied; and admired, not feared. Carol considers herself a courageous survivor expert. Carol provides programs to both medical and nursing schools as well to associations, organizations, corporations, school systems, and government agencies. Her personal story has changed the way these populations view mental illness. According to Kivler, who has lived with clinical depressive disorder for the past 15 years, the stereotype of mental illness doesn't include periods of recovery. Yet when many individuals living with mental illness are not in "crisis," they continue to contribute to the world. Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Mike Wallace, Patty Duke, and Jane Pauley were all diagnosed with some form of mental illness, yet they went on to enrich society. Kivler is a member of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) as well as NAMI-Mercer where she serves as a Board of Trustee member as well as legislative advocate to the Board. First diagnosed with mental illness in 1990, Kivler suffers from periodic acute bouts of medication-resistant depression, which in her case is only responsive to ECT (electro-convulsive therapy). At the time of her diagnosis, Kivler was a 40-year-old mother of three healthy children and working as a part-time college professor. Since 1990, Carol has had four acute episodes of depression each time requiring hospitalization and additional ECT treatments. Presently, Carol has been living in recovery for the last six years. Carol has been interviewed numerous times about her experience on television, radio, and in print. After her last acute episode, Carol authored an interactive journal, Blessings: My Journal of Gratitude. She is currently writing her next book, Will I Ever Be the Same Again? This book is designed to instill hope to those living with a mental illness. Carol is available to present to medical staff and family members. Click here for startling mental illness facts or take a quick quiz about mental illness facts. Carol A. Kivler Courageous Recovery "Changing the face of mental illness" 33 Traditions Way, Suite 101 Lawrence, NJ 08648 (609) 882-8988 carol@CourageousRecovery.com www.CourageousRecovery.com A Division of Kivler Communications www.kivlercommunications.com