Legendary actor and mental health advocate Glenn Close is on a quest to change how we think about mental health, starting with her decision to speak out about her own family's struggles — a brave choice considering the stigma that pervades the topic. In a sweeping conversation with TEDWomen curator Pat Mitchell, Close shares the inspiration behind the advocacy group she founded to combat the crisis, underscoring the transformative power of community and the critical need for comprehensive mental health care systems.

My mission to change the narrative of mental health

Speaking openly about family mental health struggles can spark societal change, even when stigma runs deep. One family found the shame and isolation of mental illness more damaging than the diagnoses themselves, as friends disappeared following a loved one's psychiatric hospitalization. By founding a national peer-to-peer support movement for teens, they proved that empowering young people to lead can transform school communities. Now, bipartisan action and billions in new funding aim to establish crisis care clinics in every American state.

Breaking Silence: Stigma Hurts More Than Mental Illness Itself

social change

emotions

family

mental health

society

health

psychology

TED Stage Talk

Glenn Close: My mission to change the narrative of mental health