Lisa Forestell

Lisa Forestell

Lisa lives in the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts. She owns her own home, pays taxes, and holds down a fulltime job. She and her loving partner, Chris, see to the every whim of three cats. She spent over 20 years of her life in the US psychiatric system, during which time it was made clear that she would not achieve the things she has. She received five diagnoses, endured 14 ECT sessions, was coercively hospitalized seven times and lost count of the number of medications she was given (which, at one point, were eight at once.) She has been handcuffed and dragged away by police, all for her “own good.” These statistics are what “lived experience” means to her. Lisa is an advocate and a voice hearer. She participates, facilitates, and trains in keeping with the Hearing Voices Network ethos. Lisa is the Community Supports Director at the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community.