Profile

About the author...

Georgina Wakefield was born on 29th October 1947 and has lived in Grays in Essex since the age of seven. Her father, Emanuelle Shinwell, who died five years ago, was named after Lord Manny Shinwell who was his uncle. Her mother was Principal Fire Control Officer for the whole of Essex, before retiring.

Georgina has been married to Paul since 1966 and has two sons, the youngest of which has suffered from Schizophrenia and gave her the impetus to write her first book, 'Schizophrenia - A Mother's Story'.

Having lived and supported her son through years of suffering with schizophrenia, she is a fountain of knowledge on the mental illness and has profound insight into the needs and wants of carers and services users, and received a fellowship on behalf of carers for NIMHE Eastern Region in September 2003.

Georgina suffered from manic depression for the best part of her adult life and her son developed schizophrenia at the age of 16 years. Her first book ‘A Mothers Story’ encapulates a journey that unfortunately far too many patients and their families have to make. It describes the hopelessness of the situation, the frustration and finally the glimmer of hope. It takes the reader on a journey right up until her son had improved enough to work part-time and live independently. After it was published, she continued to write and her second book 'Schizophrenia - Through the maze and fighting back' materialised.

Georgina continues to write and some of her poems from her books are available online to read. In addition to this, her books are available to purchase through the website.


Business Profile

Successful author of "Schizophrenia - A Mother's Story" and "Addict's Language", also co-author of a book published by the Royal College of Psychiatry as part of a five year anti stigma campaign "Changing Minds Our Lives and Mental Illness".

Accomplished in public speaking and training based on developing understanding of mental health and sharing practical tools for supporting people with mental illness. First hand experience of the SYSTEM and SOCIETY as both a service user and a carer is used to take people on a journey that enhances knowledge and develops understanding of the damage that stigma and ignorance causes.

Quote : "Through storytelling and poetry, I aim to broaden understanding amongst society of the need to raise the profile of supporting people with mental illness and drug addiction. Helping professionals to balance their academic learning with experience of how it feels from the sufferer and carers perspective to assist the development of interpersonal skills, in particular humility and compassion".

Current Clients:

Dr Patrick Geoghegan
Chief Executive
South Essex Partnership NHS Trust

NIMHE

National Institute of Mental Health Education

Recently appointed Fellow for Carers covering Nimhe Eastern District

Mandy Everret lead nurse trainer
Maudesley Hospital

Mandy Everret
Royal Bethlehem, Beckenham, Kent

Stuart Lancashire

Thorn Programme Training Leader
Institute of Psychiatry
Kings College
Denmark Hill
London