Chris Feld has been passionate about writing since he was a child. From entering and winning story contests in middle school to being named the Ivan Turgenev recipient for excellence in writing in high school, the praise surrounding his talent seemed to suggest an educational pursuit revolving around literature or manuscripts in one way or another. So everyone in his life was surprised when he instead chose to pursue a degree in painting when he graduated from high school.

His plans of artistic glory suffered a blow in 2007 when he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A consummate optimist, he refused to let such a serious weight drag him down. But in 2009, the weight of the diagnosis caught up with him and his life disintegrated. He embraced electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in order to save his life, but its effect on his brain was devastating, leading to near total memory loss and the loss of many abilities he once took for granted.

His innate stubborn tenacity helped him to slowly rebuilt his life. He now leads an independent life that he often describes as idilic in a trendy Denver neighborhood with his service dog Kerrin. He’s traded his paint brushes and canvases for a keyboard and word processor, and has dedicated his life to helping people understand what living with a severe mental illness is like.

Chris regularly shares his unique and remarkable insights into mental illness in blog posts at mostlyjustlikeyou.com. He also speaks to NAMI Family-to-Family classes, sharing his experiences, guiding those with family members who are afflicted with a mental illness, assuring them that the affliction is not a death sentence.

The example Chris paints every day with the life he lives inspires us all that it’s possible to lead a rich and fulfilling life despite the heavy burden of mental illness. His writing translates that inspiration into tangible storytelling that moves readers to rare and wonderful insights.