Claire gave her dad a picture of them dancing at the Belmont race track as a gift. They hardly knew one another before she moved from St. Louis to live with him in Queens three years ago.
By Caroline Lewis
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These days, Claire, 32, looks like the picture of mental health. She meditates daily, has a stable relationship with her boyfriend, Hector, and keeps a busy – but sober – social calendar. When she gives tours at Fountain House, a community based mental health center in Midtown, she is often mistaken for a social worker, rather than a member.
But Claire had to go beyond just accepting a diagnosis to get to where she is today; she had to reject her entire perception of reality.
To find out how Claire’s coping today and find out about the mental health resources that have contributed to her recovery, visit her blog, MentalHealthMondays.com.
Claire goes in for a kiss with her boyfriend Hector. They met through his roommate, who is also a member of Fountain House. Hector says he fell in love with Claire through her blog because he thought it was brave of her to speak out.