I am a freelance writer focused on mental health.
I am a Seattle-based writer and educator with twenty years of experience in the mental health field. Using my experience in schools, hospitals, nonprofits, and within the mental health system, I can seamlessly work across fields to create engaging, research-backed conent that meets each organization’s unique goals.
My origin story
I began my career in mental health at the age of eleven, after I was diagnosed with depression. In middle school, I wrote and starred in the award-winning video, Claire’s Story, a health resource that teaches middle school students to recognize the symptoms of depression, and how to get help. Over the next decade, I toured the country as an advocate for children’s mental health. During this time, I competed a BA in English at The College of Wooster. I was awarded honors for my thesis on the aparteid education system during the 1960s in South Africa.
Educator
After college, I worked five years as a middle school teacher. I designed curriculum and classroom materials which engage students in creative lessons on a variety of subjects, including mental health. Middle school can be difficult for anyone, and I regularly reached out to parents, teachers, and administrators with information on topics like: classroom events, adolescent development, and district policy.
Writer
FOllowing the birth of my children, I transitioned back into advocacy work. Some of my favorite projects included writing articles for a hospital magazine, producing informational texts for gun safety education, and developing curriculum for parents on raising anti-racist kids. I am most proud of my work with CNN, Seventeen Magazine, and National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Author
My passion project is the family memoir I wrote with my father, Dr. Fred Frese. Our recently completed book, COPING WITH THE CHRONICALLY NORMAL: A FAMILY MEMOIR OF THE MENTAL HEALTH REVOLUTION, celebrates the often overlooked mental health liberation movement in the United States. I am currently seeking representation for this work.
Claire Robson 