About Me
Schizophrenia Speaker & Mental Health Advocate
I’m Sally Littlefield—a national speaker and award-winning advocate working to change how the world sees schizophrenia.
Living with Schizoaffective Disorder: My Journey
In 2019, I experienced a 10-month episode of psychosis that marked the onset of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type—a condition that combines features of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Seven months after my last hospitalization in early recovery, I returned to full-time work in the nonprofit sector. I held communications, development, and training roles at three mental health organizations. That experience deepened my understanding of trauma, stigma, and the systemic barriers that so many people with serious mental health conditions face.
Mental Health Advocacy Through Writing & Media
I started my advocacy career as a writer, publishing essays in Slate, STAT News, Psychology Today, and Health Union—not just about the challenges of schizophrenia, but also about its humanity. My story has also been featured in a documentary on the television network A+E and in interviews with the Associated Press, helping to elevate the voices of people living with psychosis on a national stage.
Talks, Trainings, & Consulting on Psychosis & Stigma
Today, I offer:
- Keynote talks on stigma reduction, recovery, & mental health justice
- Trainings on mental health crisis de-escalation & supporting people with psychosis in clinical, family, & workplace settings
- Consulting for peers, caregivers, pharmaceutical companies, advocacy organizations, & clinicians
Why I Do This Work
This work is personal. I know how easily people like me are dismissed, pathologized, or feared. My mission is to create spaces where we are treated instead with curiosity, dignity, and care.
Resume
Name: Sally Littlefield
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Primary email: sallyalittlefield@gmail.com
Mental Health Advocacy Experience
Psychology Today | Columnist
January 2023 – Present
- One article selected as an Essential Read; another ranked 4th most-read sitewide
Health Union | Writer for Schizophrenia Community
February 2024 – Present
- Contributor to schizophrenia.mental-health-community.com, writing for people living with schizophrenia and their caregivers. One article went viral on LinkedIn with 210,000+ impressions and received the 2025 Bronze Digital Health Award
Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance | Community Engagement Manager
April – October 2022
- Developed and managed fundraising programs, budgets, and digital communications, including appeals, newsletters, and social media
Mental Health Association of San Francisco | Training Institute Coordinator
August – December 2021
- Delivered multiple trainings—including Supportive Crisis Response which drew on my lived experience to promote safe crisis de-escalation—while also leading fundraising and community engagement initiatives
National Alliance on Mental Illness, San Francisco | Mental Health 101 Program Manager
October 2020 – April 2021
- Trained and managed volunteers, coordinated educational presentations, developed program materials, and fostered community partnerships to support public mental health education
Selected Publications
Psychology Today | Multiple features, including:
- I Was Sexually Assaulted in a Psych Ward (September 30, 2024)
- What I Learned About Psychosis From My Police Records (December 4, 2023) – selected as an Essential Read
- Merry Christmas From the Psych Ward (November 30, 2023) – 4th most-read article sitewide
Health Union | Multiple features, including:
- The Emotional Toll of Being on Disability Benefits (September 25, 2024)
- My Psychosis Photo Album (May 9, 2024) – went viral on LinkedIn with 210,000+ impressions; received 2025 Bronze Digital Health Award
STAT News
- Why I’m Wary of the New Schizophrenia Miracle Drug (October 15, 2024)
Slate
- I Have Schizophrenia. Where’s My Pride Movement? (March 6, 2023)
- My Schizophrenia Has a Soundtrack (May 24, 2022)
Media Features
Associated Press | Quoted in:
- “A promising new schizophrenia drug showed mixed results” (Oct. 31, 2024)
- “Genes link bipolar, schizophrenia, once thought unrelated” (Oct. 22, 2022)
Documentaries
- Voices Magnified: Mental Health Crisis (A+E Networks, 2021)
- Featured in an upcoming film by Boehringer Ingelheim
Podcasts
- Recorded a forthcoming episode of Beyond 6 Seconds, an award-winning podcast that features neurodivergent entrepreneurs, advocates, and creators
Speaking Engagements
(Talks delivered to clinicians, peers, caregivers, first responders, workplaces, students, & more)
- Federal Healthcare Workers Mental Health Event (Bethesda, MD) | 2025
- National Alliance on Mental Illness, New York City | 2024
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of California | 2022
- University of San Francisco | 2022
- University of California, San Francisco | 2021
- California Institute of Integral Studies | 2021
Courses & Online Education
Creator | Mental Health Crisis De-escalation from a Lived Experience Perspective
Awards
Bronze Digital Health Award (2025)
For: “My Psychosis Photo Album”Issued by the Digital Health Association
Education
University of California, Berkeley
B.A., American Studies, 2017
• Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholar (top 0.5% of applicants)
• Graduated with Honors
• GPA: 3.83